Nitrogen Availability from Potato-Processing Wastewater for Growing Corn

Smith, J.H. and Hayden, C.W. (1984) Nitrogen Availability from Potato-Processing Wastewater for Growing Corn. Journal of Environment Quality. 13(1):151-156.

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Abstract

A line source sprinkler was used to irrigate corn (Zen mays L.) plots
with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)-processing wastewater in 1979,
1980, and 1981. Nitrogen applications ranged from about 4 to 600
kg/ha. Corn yields were measured for each row, the grain and stalks
were analyzed for total N, and N uptake was calculated. The plots
were split by years, one-third of the area was fertilized with wastewater
3 y, one-third 2 y, and one-third 1 y. This allowed evaluation of
current and residual value of wastewater fertilization. Corn responded
well to wastewater fertilization, with N applications in the wastewater
increasing corn yields with increasing increments of N up to about 200
to 250 kg/ha annually, and corn grain yields ranged up to about 12
Mg/ha. Yield comparisons were made with plots fertilized with ammonium
nitrate fertilizer. We determined that potato-processing
wastewater N was almost equal to ammonium nitrate N for growing
corn. Wastewater applications that will apply approximately 200 to
250 kg N/ha annually should be optimum for growing corn on this
soil. Wastewater N from potato processing has good residual and
carry-over for 1 y but under conditions of this experiment did not
carry over for more than 1 y. Whether the excess N was lost from denitrification
or leaching was not determined.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0521
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Corn / maize Irrigated crops > Potato Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2017 23:23
Item ID:	414
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/414