Page 16—Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 12, 2000
Environmental Phosphorus Index Supports High-Yield Agronomy
NORCROSS, Ga.-High-yield crop
ping systems depend on productive
soils. One of the most important
resources for building productive
soils is livestock manure. Many crop
yields have been set on soils with a
history of manure use. Manure con
tributes nutrients, builds soil organ
ic matter, and improves soil tilth. If
manure applications can be targeted
to low-risk areas for erosion and
runoff, these areas can become focal
points for high-yield crop manage
ment.
Manure builds soil productivity.
But it can also pollute air, water and
the soil. Manure must be applied
with careful management, and this
has led to the development of
increasingly sophisticated nutrient
management plans.
Most nutrient management plans
emphasize a balance between nutri
ent supply and crop removal. While
a balance is ideal, it is not realistic
for many situations. In regions
where livestock production is con
centrated, the farm land base is not
sufficient. Traditionally, most man
ures have been applied at rates that
supply more phosphorus than the
crop removes. This has not harmed
the crop, as soil phosphorus levels
PASTURE PONDERINGS
(Continued from Page 15)
time. I hope this conversation on the
GL/FCC has helped you understand
that there is a unified effort for graz
ing in Pennsylvania.
Remember that if you or your
organization is interested in learn
ing more about the coalition or want
to work with them on an education -
al event, contact them at their new
address.
If you need some additional
information on the GL/FCC or other
grazing topics, give me a call at
(717) 237-2221 or write to me at
Designed fora new generation of custom applicator, the L-2020GT dual
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Mark 111 ground speed control system for adjusting application rates on
the go, and a highly-advanced, corrosion-resistant paint system with
fully welded and caulked hopper construction. The L-20206T also
features a stainless steel “turnkleen" idler pulley that insures proper
belt tracking and a newly-designed stainless steel product flow divider
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Mounts On Vehicles With Highway, Semi or Flotation Tires
We provide Parts and Service on New Leader Spreaders
we ship ANNVILLE EQUIPMENT CO.
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. M . 470 Palmyra-Bellgrove Road. Annvlllc, PA 17003
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' Building the best since 1939.
several times higher than optimal
do not reduce yields. Also, soil chem
ical processes gradually make
applied phosphorus less and less
available. Continued additions of
fresh soluble phosphorus contribute
to the health of the crop.
The buildup of soil phosphorus is
a risk for the environment in hydro
logically active areas-that is, parts
of the landscape where surface
runoff or erosion are likely. The risk
of phosphorus loss to surface water
depends on both source and trans
port factors. Areas at risk are where
high soil phosphorus or high appli
cation rates coincide with zones of
active surface runoff or erosion.
An environmental phosphorus
index ranks vulnerability to phos
phorus loss. The index incorporates
transport factors affecting runoff
and erosion-such as slope gradient,
slope length, and distance to water
course-and source factors including
soil test phosphorus and rate and
method of application of manure
and fertilizer phosphorus. The phos
phorus index often identifies a criti
cal area comprising 2 to 15 percent
of a field from which 90 percent or
more of the phosphorus loss occurs.
The phosphorus index targets the
NRCS, One Credit Union Place,
Suite 340, Harrisburg, PA 17110-
2993.
Even better than that I will be at
the Pennsylvania Grazing and
Forage Confer-ence at Grantville on
March 1-2 and you can approach me
there with your requests.
Until next time, happy grazing!
low-risk areas for manure applica
tion to build soil productivity. The
soils in these areas safely absorb the
applied phosphorus and benefit
from the other constituents of the
manure. These are the areas where
efforts need to be targeted at
improving crop performance by sup
plying optimal combinations of
manure and fertilizer nutrients to
raise potential crop yields.
The phosphorus index is not a fin
ished product. The index is an
approximation of risk rather than a
model of process, but its current
form can effectively direct limits on
manure applications and nutrient
budgets to hydrologically active
zones. However, more scientific work
is needed, both to validate its accu
racy and to improve the estimation
of its component source and trans
port factors.
Soil tests that identify sorption
capacity should be an essential com
ponent of an environmental phos
phorus index. Some soils can adsorb
The PFGC has set the evening of
March 1, during the Pennsylvania
Forage and Grazing Conference, for
its annual meeting and awards pro
gram.
This year PFGC is planning an
evening dinner with time to talk and'
mingle with others before a brief
fcn
SHREDDERS
VERSATILE
• Chop and feed the
wettest silage bales.
• Chop dry hay, straw,
and corn stalks
• Discharges to either, or
both sides for free stall
bedding
• Optional hose
attachment for hard to
reach areas and
mulching application
• Models available to
handle all sizes of round
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MANEUVERABLE
• 3 point mounted to operate in close quarters
EASY TO OPERATE
• Load bales with 3 point bale handler, no loader
required.
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• Operate with as little as 60 hp
100 Stover Drive 100-120 Lehigh Ave - P.O. Box 928
Carlisle, PA 17013 Batavia, New York 14021-0928
717/249-6720 716/343-5411
Serving Farmers Through Farm Equipment Dealers Since 1961
PFGC Schedules Annual
Meeting, Awards Reception
CUMMINGS and BRICKER, Inc.
up to 17,000 pounds of P 205 per
acre. Some calcareous soils have a
phosphorus retention ability with no
practical limit. On the other hand,
some soils do become saturated with
phosphorus to the point where both
surface runoff and subsurface
drainage water carry off excessive
amounts.
The phosphorus index is site-spe
cific. Appropriate application of the
phosphorus index may demand the
most intensive site-specificity that
modern precision agriculture tech
nologies can provide.
Working with an environmental
phosphorus index, you can use man
ures and fertilizers to build soil pro
ductivity, resulting in high-yield
cropping systems compatible with
water quality.
For more information, contact Dr.
Tom Bruulsema, Eastern Canada
and Northeast U.S. Director, PPI, 18
Maplewood Drive, Guelph, Ontario
NIG ILB, Canada, (519) 821-5519,
e-mail: bruulsem@ppi-far.org
PFGC meeting and the presentation
of this year’s PFGC Awards.
You can register for the awards
reception when you register for the
Forage and Grazing Conference.
Note that it is not required that you
attend the grazing conference to
attend the evening reception.
MULTIPLE BENEFITS
• Improved Payability, less waste
• Feed silage bales directly into bunk or fenceline
feeders. Pre-chop material forTMR mixer.
• Improved absorption ability of bedding
material, less bedding required.
• Clean comfortable beds.
• Easier handling of manure with chopped
material
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