Field-scale application of oily food waste and nitrogen fertilizer requirements of corn at different landscape positions.
Oily food waste (FOG; fat + oil + greases) containing high concentrations of fat, oil and grease is produced by the food service, production, and processing industries. It has a high C to N ratio (90:1) and can recycle soil available N through immobilization and remineralization during its decomposition. Experiments were conducted at a farm (Hillsburg fine sandy loam; Typic Hapludalf) having rolling topography (5 and 9% slope) during 1995 and 1996. Objectives of this study were to (i) examine the variability of available N and corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield at different landscape positions of FOG-amended fields and (ii) determine whether N fertilizer management could be improved by considering the spatial variability of soil NO(3)-N at different landscape positions in FOG-amended fields. A spatial and temporal variability in soil NO(3)-N was observed during both years. Corn grain yields at all N fertilizer application rates were affected by slope position and followed the pattern: lower > upper > or = middle. Nitrogen fertilizer requirements for corn production in conjunction with FOG management were also affected by slope position. Essentially no additional fertilizer N was required for corn production at the lower landscape position. It was estimated that site-specific fertilizer N management on FOG-amended fields could result in an average savings of 51 and 63 kg N ha(-1) (with a potential economical savings of US 42 dollars and US 52 dollars ha(-1)) during 1995 and 1996, respectively.
Rashid
M T
MT
Land Resource Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada. trashid@uoguelph.ca
Voroney
R P
RP
D005223:Fats; D005308:Fertilizers; D005502:Food; D005522:Food Services; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009821:Oils; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development
D005223:Fats; D005308:Fertilizers; D009821:Oils; D009584:Nitrogen