CICEET Progress Report for the period 9/16/06 Through 3/15/07

Project Title: Direct Incorporation of Poultry Litter into No-till Soils to Minimize Nutrient Runoff to Chesapeake Bay
Principal Investigator(s): Peter J.A. Kleinman
Additional Investigator(s): Thomas Way, Dan Pote, Arthur Allen
Project Start Date: Sept. 1, 2006

Figures

Figure 1

Tasks to meet objectives
(1) construct injector, test injector at research site on Delmarva Peninsula, make modification to injector as necessary; (2) install lysimeters and set up H-flumes/berms at research site; (3) make initial contact with local stake holders.

Progress on Tasks
(1) A prototype of the final litter injector was developed at the USDA Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, AL and transported to Princess Anne, MD where it was evaluated for use in no-till corn and demonstrated to local stake holders (Dec. 4-8). A variety of configurations were tested, including with solid and fluted coulters, as well as with a double-disk opener. The double-disk opener appeared to provide the best performance. No photographs are available at this time as Dr.s Way and Pote are currently developing a patent application and do not want to disclose injector mechanisms.

(2) Test plots were established at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s research farm (seeFigure 1). These include buried lysimeters and hydrologically-isolated runoff plots to be used in the spring when trials begin.

(3) All of the stake holders identified in the proposal were introduced to the project and the technology. Valuable input was gained regarding the configuration of the litter injector. Although NERRS staff could not attend the demonstration, contact was made with Bart Marick, the new education coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Reserve, and plans were made to coordinate future outreach activities.

Have the results/data gathered during this reporting period changed the project objectives when compared to your original proposal?
No, to date we have tested the litter injector but we have not collected any data on its efficacy (this is scheduled for next spring).

Dissemination activities during this reporting period
On November 20, USDA-ARS released an article on this CICEET-funded research project (http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061120.htm) that was carried by a surprisingly broad array of agriculture, education and science news organizations. The article was undoubtedly prompted by CICEET’s stellar PR wing. Since then, I have field approximately 50 inquiries, mostly telephone and e-mail.

Conducted two field demonstrations of the litter injector in Princess Anne, MD (Univ. Maryland Eastern Shore) to approximately 20 participants (farmers, MD Dept. Agriculture, local Soil and Water Conservation district, Univ. Maryland Eastern Shore staff, Univ. Maryland College Park extension faculty).

Gave an invited presentation to the Maryland Grain Producers Board in Annapolis, MD (Jan 3, 2007). This presentation was designed to inform them on the state of the art of the litter injector technology, describe the project and make recommendations for future work in this area.

Difficulties
None so far, other than having to field many inquiries resulting from the press releases. We remain on schedule and have achieved all tasks that we identified in our time line as well as considerably more outreach than anticipated due to the press release(s).

Data Generated to date
None.

Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period

Objectives
(1) Conduct trials comparing the litter injector with other litter application methods; (2) measure runoff and leaching from field plots.

Work plan to Meet Objectives
Return litter injector to Princess Anne, MD in March/April for spring time litter application. Install automatic samplers for runoff. Monitor runoff and leaching.

Dissemination Objectives for next reporting period
None were planned, but we will undoubtedly hold demonstrations of the experimental unit in the spring when it returns to Maryland.

Overall Project Timeline Update
On schedule

Expenditures
Yes, expenditures are per the proposed budget.

End User Advisor Feedback
Please note that Dr. Joshua McGrath has taken over the duties as advisor for Dr. Frank Coale. Dr. Coale has accepted an administrative position with the University of Maryland and Dr. McGrath has assumed all of his previous extension duties.

End User Advisor: Dr. Joshua McGrath
Organization: University of Maryland
Location: 0214 H.J. Patterson, Building #073, University of Maryland,
College Park, MD 20742
Phone number: 301.405.1351
E-mail: mcgrathj@umd.edu

At this stage, what are the potential applications for this research? Please discuss how you and others could potentially use the technology.
This technology looks promising for use in no-till grain production. Many producers on the Delmarva employ no-till and apply poultry litter to supply required nutrients. This technology should allow for conservation of nutrients, while maintaining the production benefits of no-till.

What are the key challenges to application of this technology? Please consider the technology itself as well as issues related to regulation, politics, socio-economic pressures, trends in the field etc.
The primary challenge to acceptance of this technology that I foresee would be increased time spent applying the poultry litter to fields at rates required for crop production. In discussion I have had with the researchers it appears that they are addressing this concern through design refinements.

Has anything changed about this project's potential applicability since the last reporting period (not applicable to the first Progress Report)?
First progress report.

Questions/comments/ suggestions for the researchers?
This technology looks very promising. It appears that feedback provided by producers has aided in improving the prototype unit that will help in spring trials. The outreach associated with this project has been phenomenal, resulting in quite a buzz over the project in conservation and agricultural communities.

PI Response to End User Advisor Feedback
We are encouraged by the initial input by Dr. McGrath.