Nutrient Availability in Wheat During Growing Season Comparing Poultry Litter and Inorganic Fertilizer

Winter wheat production in North Carolina is continuing to expand. Commercial fertilizer costs are also continuing to rise and growers are looking for other options for plant nutrients. Poultry litter is a common fertilizer source that has been used in the past and is more popular now due to being a cheaper alternative to inorganic fertilizer. However, not all poultry litter is created equal in terms of nutrient content and in order to know what is in the litter, manure analysis must be performed. It is also unclear how much the litter breaks down within the first cropping season and how much of the nutrients are available for plant uptake. Thus, a study was performed to evaluate the nutrient availability of poultry litter compared to inorganic fertilizer during the 2021-2022 wheat growing season. The study took place in Lawndale, North Carolina on a field farmed by Toluca Grain and Hay. During the growing season, tissue samples were collected from each treatment (1- nonfertilized control, 2- poultry litter fertilized, and 3- inorganic fertilizer) and analyzed for N, P, and K nutrient levels. At harvest, each plot sample was weighed in a weigh wagon, and a smaller sample from each plot was tested using a certified scale for test weight and moisture content. There were no significant differences in yield and test weight between the poultry litter and inorganic fertilizer treatments. However, the poultry litter tissue samples and final soil samples showed higher levels of phosphorus and potassium than the other treatments. Poultry litter proved to be an effective alternative fertilizer to inorganic fertilizer at a lower cost.