2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to conduct cost effective and problem solving research that will evaluate management practices and treatment strategies that protect water quality, reduce atmospheric emissions, and control pathogens at the animal production facilities, manure storage areas, and field application sites. Specific sub-objectives include: 1.Develop management practices and decision tools for long-term use of animal manure as an alternative source of fertilizer for forages and row crop yield, nutrient loading, availability and uptake, application rate and timing, tillage, methods of application, and soil quality. 2.Determine if nutrient loading from agricultural watersheds in karst terrain is a function of physical watershed characteristics. 3. Reduce odiferous emissions by identifying and quantifying microorganisms and biological activities responsible for production of odorous compounds in livestock wastes. 4. Develop new analytical approaches to quantify gases (e.g. methane, H2S), volatile odor compounds (e.g. p-cresol, skatole, and other VOCs) and evaluate treatment technologies for odor abatement at animal production facilities and manure-applied fields. 5. Investigate the occurrence and persistence of pathogens in animal manures, waste storage systems, agricultural soils and water systems. Employ molecular-based methods to detect, quantify and evaluate the survival of target microorganisms in waste materials and agricultural soils. Investigate the mechanisms controlling transport of bacteria and nutrients through karst soils and aquifers. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Projects in agronomic systems, soil science, emissions, microbiology, cattle evaluation facility, alternative uses of manures, and biotechnology will be conducted using the scientific expertise capabilities, field experimental plots, and specialized equipment and other facilities and resources available at Western Kentucky University in conjunction with the specialized equipment and expertise of ARS scientists in the Animal Waste Management Research Unit in Bowling Green and their cooperators for the purpose of industry application and improved economic value within agriculture. Researchers from Western Kentucky University may on occasion work in the ARS laboratories in order to access the specialized, state-of-the-art equipment of ARS. Emphasis is also placed on graduate level training at Western Kentucky University. For details refer to the approved "Project Plan." 3.Progress Report This report documents research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreemet between ARS and Western KY Univ. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the in-house project 6445-12630-003-00D,"Efficient Mgt. and Use of Animal Manure to Protect Human Hlth and Environ Quality." Obj 1.5,1.6:1)Modification of orchardgrass and sorghum-sudangrass studies to a prescribed fertilizer mgt. has allowed us to determine better agronomically sustainable ways to mitigate excess soil nutrients without sacrificing forage or field crop quality and yields. 2)Long term application rates of broiler litter at rates required to meet crop N needs has resulted in significant weed pressure in the orchardgrass study, thus decreasing forage yield and quality. Obj 1.7:1)A high frequency regeneration system was developed for alfalfa transformation experiments. Genetic transformation was carried out by co-cultivating embryogenic calli with Agrobacterium strain containing phytase gene. An initial molecular screening of the putative transgenic regenerated alfalfa shoots were conducted by genomic PCR with gene specific primers of npt II and phytase gene. Only positive transgenic alfalfa shoots amplified the target gene sequences from genomic DNA. Transgenic shoots were transferred to rooting medium. 2)Suppression subtractive hybridization library of Gulf ryegrass was constructed and screened to identify the possible Pi-responsive genes. Among these, 116 clones were selected and grouped into six functional categories. Obj 3.2:Malodors emitting from confined animal feeding operations are a growing problem for animal producers. Little is known of the processes or microbial species which produce odor in swine waste. We observed that minerals such as iron are influencing malodorant levels. It is unclear what role iron plays in malodorant production. Characterization of skatole-producing microbial populations in enriched swine lagoon slurry. This study indicates skatole production increased by 100-fold with the inclusion of 3-indole acetic acid, the penultimate compound in skatole production. Sub-Obj 4.3:Low-cost activated carbon samples prepared from a co-process of chicken wastes and coal showed 52% of capture efficiency for elemental mercury. It suggests that the coal provide a carbon carrier or trap for some active species, such as chlorine released from the chicken waste. These active species would likely provide or create the adsorptive sites on the surface of activated carbon for elemental mercury. Compared to coal, chicken waste has lower sulfur content but contains higher volatile matter (approx. 55 wt%). Also, a continuous NH3 emission monitoring study of a confined feeding operation (CFO) facilities was carried out using 4 commercial available NH3 monitoring systems. During a two-week period, it was found that the concentration of NH3 in the test poultry house showed an opposite trend to the ambient temperature. The local ambient temperature did not directly affect the NH3 concentration in the test poultry house; instead, it affected the venting system operation. Monitored activities through meetings, site visits, and presentations. 4.Accomplishments These publications are authored by Western Kentucky University no ARS authors involved: Sharma, N., Starnes, D., Sahi, S. 2007. Phytoextraction of Excess Soil Phosphorus. Environ. Poll. 146:120-127. Jain, A., Vasconcelos,M., Sahi, S., Raghothama, K. 2007. Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Adaptation to Phosphate Deficiency. Plant Breed. Res. 29:359-419. Sleugh, B.B., Gilfillen, R.A., Willian, W.T., Henderson, H.D. 2006. Nutritive Value and Nutrient Uptake of Sorghum-Sudangrass Under Different Broiler Litter Fertility Programs. Agron. J. 98:1594-1599. Sleugh, B.B., Gilfillen, R.A.,Willian, W. T. 2006. Broiler Litter Fertility Regimes Influence Forage Nutritive Value of Sorghum-Sudangrass. Online. Forage and Grazinglands doi:10.1094/FG-2006-092006-RS.