This project is designed to compare the use of unprocessed liquid swine manure, separated effluent collected from a solid-liquid separator, two rates of compost made from urban and livestock waste, and traditional inorganic fertilizer as soil amendments for corn and soybean production. The field site (University Farm at Lexington, IL) has uniform soil (Parr-Libson-Drummer Association), with 1 to 2% slope, good drainage, soil pH of 6, organic matter content of 4 to 5%, and good fertility. Soybean was grown at the site in 2003, and corn was grown in 2004. Each plot consisted of sixteen 76 cm crop rows by 24 m in length. Four replicates are used in a randomized complete block design. Each replicate is separated by an 18 m grass strip. Within each replicate, each plot is separated by a 3 m grass strip. Six treatments were evaluated; processed swine effluent, unprocessed liquid swine manure, inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, two rates of compost, and zero rate control. In general, the zero rate control plot was the least productive treatment for corn, in contrast to the other treatments. For soybean, all six treatments responded in a similar fashion. After two years of annual soil application, the processed swine effluent and unprocessed liquid swine manure treatments were similar for most parameters. These results need to be verified over a number of years to assess seasonal variability patterns.
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