2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) 1) Develop improved management strategies for enhancing nutrient use efficiencies to produce crops on irrigated land. 2) Develop management practices to effectively and efficiently use amendments in irrigated systems. a. Polyacrylamide (PAM), biopolymers, surfactants, alum, etc. 1. Extend the beneficial effects of subsoil barrier-disruption tillage through several growing seasons without the need for additional subsoil tillage. 2. Determine the effects of a new class of soil surfactants on infiltration, erosion, water retention, aggregate stability and soil strength. 3. Determine if the surface application of alum to sites receiving manure and fertilizer application can be used to sequester excess phosphorus and reduce phosphorus export from irrigated fields. 4. Identify and conduct field tests to verify efficacy of one or more biopolymers for use in water clarification and erosion control. 5. Compare the effectiveness of emulsion vs granular PAM for erosion control and infiltration enhancement over consecutive, multiple-year applications; and characterize soil and field properties effecting PAM efficacy. b. Manure 1. Determine dissolved organic carbon losses occurring under traditional vs dairy-manure fertilizer applications on furrow-irrigated, calcareous soils. 2. Assess the use of composted dairy manure and whey for improving surface soil structure. 3. Develop soil management systems for utilizing manure and/or compost to increase infiltration and reduce surface sealing and crusting 4. Determine the influence of roller harrow (shallow; 5 cm) and chisel (deep; 20 cm) tillage in combination with high and low applications of dairy manure to irrigated agricultural land managed for organic C sequestration in soil. (This objective contributes to the GRACEnet CLEAR project.) The objective of this research will be to determine the influence of roller harrow (shallow; 5 cm) and chisel (deep; 20 cm) tillage in combination with high and low applications of dairy manure to irrigated agricultural land managed for organic C sequestration in soil. 3) Determine irrigation-specific runoff, intake and infiltration relationships needed for irrigation design, management, and development of an irrigation-induced erosion model. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Objective 1a. Develop K fertilization and management guidelines for irrigated row crops with initial emphasis on K in potato production. Objective 1b. i) Determine ruminant animal consumption of alfalfa hay cut at 3-hour intervals. ii) Evaluate milk yields when cows are fed total mixed rations (TMR) containing PM- and AM-cut alfalfa hay. iii) Determine dry matter intake and weight gain by lambs offered TMRs containing PM and AM-cut alfalfa. Objective 2a1. Extend the beneficial effects of subsoil barrier-disruption tillage through several growing seasons without the need for additional subsoil tillage. Objective 2a2. Determine the effects of a new class of soil surfactants on infiltration, erosion water retention, aggregate stability and soil strength. Objective 2a3. Determine if the surface application of alum to sites receiving manure and fertilizer application can be used to sequester excess phosphorus and reduce phosphorus export from irrigated fields. Objective 2a4. Identify and conduct field tests to verify efficacy of one or more biopolymers for use in water clarification and erosion control. Objective 2a5. Compare the effectiveness of emulsion vs granular PAM for erosion control and infiltration enhancement over consecutive, multiple-year applications; and characterize soil and field properties effecting PAM efficacy. Objective 2b1. Determine how recent dairy manure applications influence the amount of dissolved organic carbon moving into the vadose zone beneath furrow irrigated calcareous soils. Objective 2b2. Assess the use of composted dairy manure and whey for improving surface soil structure. Objective 2b3. Develop soil management systems for utilizing manure and/or compost to increase infiltration and reduce surface sealing and crusting. Objective 2b4. The objective of this research will be to determine the influence of roller harrow (shallow; 5 cm) and chisel (deep; 20 cm) tillage in combination with high and low applications of dairy manure to irrigated agricultural land managed for organic C sequestration in soil. Objective 3. Determine irrigation-specific runoff, intake and infiltration relationships needed for irrigation design and management, and development of an irrigation-induced erosion model. Replacing 5368-12000-008-00D. 4.Accomplishments Manure and Compost Increase Corn Silage Yield and Nitrogen Uptake. More than 8 million tons of manure produced each year from Idaho dairies. This manure, if applied at excessive rates to irrigated cropland, will contaminate both surface and ground water quality. Scientists from the Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory in Kimberly, ID, studied the effects of manure or composted manure applications on silage corn growing on previously eroded, sprinkler-irrigated hill slopes. Corn growing on conventionally fertilized eroded soils had increased nitrogen (N) utilization and yields when soils were also supplemented with manure or compost; but increasing the organic application rate above moderate levels did not provide any additional crop benefits. With appropriate precautions taken on sloping, irrigated cropland, silage producers can beneficially utilize moderate rates of either manure or compost to adequately supply the nitrogen requirement of corn silage while protecting water quality. (National Program 202 Component 4-Nutrient Management for Crop Production and Environmental Protection, Problem Statement 2-Management Practices and Strategies for Increasing Nutrient Use Efficiency) Polysaccharide/Polyacrylamide Soil Amendment. Water flowing in irrigation furrows can erode soil and transport sediment and associated nutrients off the field. A new polysaccharide/polyacrylamide (PAM) amendment was compared against PAM-treated and untreated furrows in a field test at the Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, Kimberly, ID to determine its effect on infiltration and soil erosion. The new amendment, which is a blend of potato starch and polyacrylamide (PAM), increased infiltration 20% and reduced soil erosion 65% compared to untreated furrows. PAM treatment increased infiltration 13% and reduced erosion 98% compared to untreated furrows. The new polysaccharide/PAM amendment can be used as an alternative to PAM for improving infiltration on furrow irrigated fields, although greater application rates will be needed to provide similar erosion control as PAM. (National Program 202 Component 8-Control of Soil Erosion) Can Surfactants Affect Management of Non-Water Repellent Soils? Since surfactants (wetting agents) affect the affinity of soil solids for water, questions have arisen whether there is a management application for use of surfactants in soils other than those that manifestly repel water, possibly aiding infiltration, reducing erosion, increasing water retention, or affecting solid phase properties such as aggregate stability. The Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory in Kimberly, ID in cooperation with CRADA partner, Aquatrols has begun investigating these questions. Findings to date are inconclusive but suggest that there may be an interaction of water quality (e.g., salinity) and soil properties (e.g., organic matter content and base saturation), warranting continued research. A better understanding of the effects of surfactants on “normal” soils could improve soil and water management and the application and efficacy of a range of co-applied agrichemicals such as herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers. (National Program 202 Component 2-Soil Management to Improve Soil Structure and Hydraulic Properties, and Component 8-Control of Soil Erosion) Do Surfactants Affect Soil and Water Conservation on Wettable Soils? Surfactants may be applied to entire fields, only a portion of which may have water-repellent soils. Will infiltration or erosion from the treated wettable field portions be affected, either beneficially or deleteriously? Scientists from the Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory in Kimberly, ID, in consultation with a representative from Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) partner Aquatrols Corp., Paulsboro, NJ, studied the effects of three surfactants applied to two wettable silt loams on infiltration and erosion from sprinkler irrigation measured in the laboratory. Since neither infiltration nor erosion was affected, laboratory findings to date indicate that surfactants may be safely applied to irrigated cropland protected by known, efficacious soil and water conservation practices. (National Program 202 Component 2-Soil Management to Improve Soil Structure and Hydraulic Properties, and Component 8-Control of Soil Erosion) 5.Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations None. 6.Technology Transfer Number of non-peer reviewed presentations and proceedings 1 Review Publications Garcia, J.P., Wortmann, C.S., Mamo, M., Drijber, R., Quincke, J.A., Tarkalson, D.D. 2007. Nutrient stratification, mycorrhizal colonization of roots, and plant phosphorus uptake as affected by one-time tillage of no-till systems. Agronomy Journal. 99:1093-1103. Griggs, T.C., Macadam, J.W., Mayland, H.F., Burns, J.C. 2007. Temporal and vertical distribution of soluble carbohydrate, fiber, protein, and digestibility levels in orchardgrass swards. Agronomy Journal. 99:755-763. Mayland, H.F., Cheeke, P.R., Majak, W., Goff, J.P. 2007. Forage-induced animal disorders. In: Barnes, R.F., Nelson, C.F., Moore, K.J., Collins, M., editors. Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture. 6th edition. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. p. 687-707. Orts, W.J., Roa-Espinosa, A., Sojka, R.E., Glenn, G.M., Imam, S.H., Erlacher, K., Pedersen, J. 2007. Use of synthetic polymers and biopolymers for soil stabilization in agricultural, construction and military applications. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. 19(1):58-66. Reeder, R., Westermann, D.T. 2006. Soil management environmental effect on cropland. In: Schnepf, M., Cox, C., editors. Environmental Benefits of Conservation on Cropland: The Status of Our Knowledge. 1st edition. Ankeny, IA:Soil and Water Conservation Society. p. 1-87. Sojka, R.E., Bjorneberg, D.L., Entry, J.A., Lentz, R.D., Orts, W.J. 2007. Polyacrylamide (PAM) in agriculture and environmental land management. Advances in Agronomy. 92:75-162. Sojka, R.E., Bjorneberg, D.L., Trout, T.J., Strelkoff, T., Nearing, M.A. 2007. The importance and challenge of modeling irrigation-induced erosion. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 62(3):153-162. Mills, D.K., Entry, J.A., Voss, J., Gillevet, P., Mathee, K. 2006. An assessment of the hypervariable domains of the 16SsrRNA genes for their value in determining microbial community diversity: The paradox of traditional ecological indices. Federation of European Microbiological Societies Microbiology Ecology. 57:496-503.