Replacement of liming and NPK fertilization with turkey litter in degraded areas grown with Urochloa decumbens

Abstract

Soil fertility and acidity correction in recovering areas require high doses of correctives and fertilizers. Therefore, the use of low-cost products may be an alternative in infertile areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil fertilization and correction methods on the yield of degraded areas cultivated with Urochloa decumbens and soil chemical attributes. The study was conducted in Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol in Mineiros, Goiás, Brazil, from October 2011 to September 2013. The experiment included soil samples treated with 2 Mg ha-1 of dolomitic limestone, a standard fertilizer (45, 54, and 75 kg ha-1 of N, P, and K, respectively), or 3 Mg ha-1 of turkey litter, and a control sample without correction/fertilization. Each treatment included four replicates in a completely randomized block design. The experimental plots consisted of areas of 4.0 m2 (2.0 ?? 2.0 m). The dry matter yield of forage grass and the following soil chemical attributes were evaluated: organic matter, hydrogen potential (pH in CaCl2), phosphorus (resin), potassium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and base saturation. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and the means were compared using Tukey’s test at a level of significance of 0.05. Fertilization did not affect the pH, potassium, and CEC of the soil. Fertilization with turkey litter increased the levels of organic matter, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and base saturation compared with soils subjected to standard fertilization or liming. Furthermore, soils fertilized with turkey litter presented higher dry matter yield of Urochloa decumbens compared with unfertilized soils or soils subjected to acidity correction by liming but were not significantly different from soils treated with standard fertilizers. Therefore, fertilization with 3 Mg ha-1 of turkey litter is recommended for improving degraded pastures.