Corn response to long-term application of CuSO₄, ZnSO₄ and Cu-enriched pig manure

Three studies, two field and one laboratory, were performed to evaluate Cu or Cu and Zn from either sulfate sources or Cu-enriched pig manure. The studies were designed to investigate the effects of Cu and Zn in soils and corn (Zea mays L.). The first field study consisted of continuing a longterm field experiment which was established in 1967 to evaluate corn response and changes in a Davidson clay loam soil to yearly additions of Cu and Zn sulfates. In 1983, the 17 annual additions of Cu and Zn resulted in cumulative totals of 280 kg Cu and 560 kg Zn ha⁻¹. These Cu and Zn additions, either alone or together, did not cause any grain or stalk yield decreases. The DTPA extractant effectively separated all soil treatment levels for both Cu and Zn. Copper concentrations in the blades and grain were not related to soil additions of Cu or Zn. However, Zn concentrations in blades and grain were directly related to each other, r=0.87**, to soil Zn treatment levels and to DTPA extractable Zn. The second field experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of soil application of Cu-enriched pig manure and CuSO₄ on corn. The five treatments in each of three field locations consisted of a control, low and high Cu-enriched pig manure levels, and Cu, as CuSO₄, equivalent to Cu amounts in the manure. The soils varied in texture from clay loam to fine sandy loam, and ranged in CEC from 5 to 12.3 cmol(+) kg⁻¹. Copper-enriched pig manure, containing 1285 mg Cu kg⁻¹, was produced by pigs fed diets supplemented with 242 mg Cu kg⁻¹. After six years, 198 mg Cu kg⁻¹ had been applied by the high treatments. The DTPA extractable Cu was not related to leaf nor grain Cu levels but was linearly related, r=O.95**, to applied Cu. No nutrient deficiencies or toxicities were observed. The third study was a laboratory incubation of added Cu. The 15 soils ranged from 54 to 489 mg kg⁻¹ in clay and from 5.4 to 7.4 in pH. Extractable Cu had simple correlations with five soil properties, clay, surface area, hydrous Al, hydrous Fe, and hydrous Mn. Three treatments, a control and 22 kg ha⁻¹ Cu as CuSO₄, and as Cu-enriched pig manure (equivalent to 975 mt wet manure ha⁻¹), were applied to the soils at 33 k Pa moisture. Copper was extracted in the following order for the control and CuSO₄, treatments: AlCl₃ in O.5M HC1 > EDTA > DTPA. A different order of Cu extraction occurred for the Cu-enriched pig manure treatment such that EDTA > DTPA > AlCl₃ in 0.5M HC1. Extractable Cu decreased with time regardless of Cu source.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agronomy

Department dc:contributor.department

Agronomy

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1986

Author dc:creator

• Gettier, Stacy W.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Martens, David C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kornegay, Ervin T.
• Hale, Maynard G.
• Hawkins, George W.
• Donohue, Stephen J.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/49779

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/49779