Cheese whey as an amendment to disturbed lands: Effects on soil hydraulic properties

Lehrsch, Gary A. and Robbins, Charles W. (1994) Cheese whey as an amendment to disturbed lands: Effects on soil hydraulic properties. pp. 330-336. In: Proc. Int. Land Reclamation and Mine Drainage Conf. and Third Int. Conf. on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage. USA-PA-Pittsburgh, 1994/04/24-29.

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Abstract

Whey, the liquid byproduct of cheese production, can improve minesoils by increasing the aggregate
stability of soils high in sodium or susceptible to erosion. Whey effects on soil hydraulic properties, however,
are not known. In this experiment, we determined whey effects on infiltration rates (at water potentials of
-30 mm or less) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities of surface soil horizons after a winter wheat
(Triticum aestivum L.) growing season. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three
replications of four liquid whey application treatments, totaling either 0, 202, 404, or 808 Mg/ha (control, low,
medium, and high, respectively). In Fall 1992 near Kimberly, ID, a field of Portneuf silt loam (Durixerollic
Calciorthid) was leveled, subsoiled, then roller-harrowed twice. After planting Malcolm wheat on
September 15, we furrowed all plots and then constructed a berm around each. At 3-week intervals beginning
on May 19, 1993, either zero, one, two, or four flood applications of 202 Mg/ha of whey were made to each
plot, without subsequent tillage. After August wheat harvest, a tension infiltrometer was used to measure
vadose zone, unsaturated flow characteristics in the bottom of undisturbed furrows, where most whey had
infiltrated. Infiltration rates at potentials of -60 and -150 mm decreased linearly as whey applications
increased from 202 to 808 Mg/ha. At a potential of -60 mm, hydraulic conductivity increased but then
decreased with whey additions. In short, soil hydraulic properties were little affected by surface whey additions
of 404 Mg/ha or less.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
NWISRL Publication Number:	0836
Additional Information:	**A.K.A NWISRL PUBLICATION 836a**
Subjects:	Soil > Amendments > Whey Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:56
Last Modified:	28 Nov 2016 19:08
Item ID:	910
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/910