2006 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? Animal production in the United States (U.S.) is valued at over $98.8 billion. Manure generated from these industries is estimated to exceed 335 million tons of dry matter per year. Manure, if properly managed, can be used agriculturally as a source of nutrients for crops and to improve soil properties. However, improperly managed manure can threaten soil, water and air quality, and human and animal health. Recycling manure-derived nutrients to crops not only reduces the need for commercial fertilizers and can improve soil physical properties. However, over-application or mismanagement of manure can degrade surface and groundwater quality with excess nitrogen, phosphorus, or pathogenic microorganisms. Gaseous emissions from livestock production facilities and from manure storage and application sites can be a nuisance and health concern for animals, neighbors and workers. Emitted compounds can also promote fine particulate (PM2.5) formation. Fine particulates are easily inhaled and can cause or exacerbate respiratory illnesses. This is especially a concern where air quality does not meet EPA standards. Limited data exist for emissions from large-scale dairy operations (>1,000 animals) that are typical in the western U.S. Soil and water interactions for western semi-arid calcareous soils are likely different than for soils in rainfed regions and require separate consideration. Reliable data and measurement methods are needed to quantify the impacts of animal production and manure application sites on air quality. Pathogen contamination of surface flow and groundwater from the application of animal waste is well documented. Animal waste applied to soil, followed by rain or irrigation, initiates solute and microbe movement into and through the soil that follows natural ground water drainage patterns and may contaminate adjoining surface water. These same bodies of water are often sources of drinking water and/or used for recreational activities. Human contact with recreational waters containing intestinal pathogens often spreads disease, underscoring the need to keep lakes and streams free of intestinal pathogens and excess nutrients. Information on manure nutrients, pathogens, and impact of production sites and manure handling and storage on emissions is necessary in order to develop best management practices to reduce the potential impact of animal production on air and water quality as well as practices to protect human and animal health. This project has three specific goals:. 1)to measure gaseous emissions from land application of manure and dairy operations,. 2)to determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential off-site nutrient losses, and. 3)to characterize soil physical property alterations in soils and microbial community shifts in soils receiving manure treatments using molecular probes to detect the presence of pathogens on or in soil, soil water, runoff and vegetables. This program falls within Components 1 (atmospheric emissions), 2 (nutrient management) and 3 (pathogens) of National Program (NP) 206, Manure and Byproduct Utilization. The emissions project focuses primarily on identifying chemical and physical mechanisms affecting emissions as well as developing emissions factors for manure application sites and large scale dairy operations in the Pacific Northwest semi-arid region. The research being conducted falls under the following focus areas of the National Action Plan: Focus Area 1, Understanding the Biological, Chemical, and Physical Mechanisms Affecting Emissions; and Focus Area 2, Emission Factors from Livestock Facilities. The emissions work also contributes to NP 203, Air Quality, specifically to (i) particulate emissions and (ii) ammonia and ammonium emissions components. The nutrient management project focuses on characterization of manure nutrients to identify impacts of feeding regimes on manure nutrient composition, phytoavailability, and subsequent reactivity in the environment as well as developing suitable tests for determining manure nutrients and potential for nutrient losses in the environment. In addition, research aimed at determining potential manure nutrient transport in an irrigated agricultural system is planned. This research falls under the following focus areas of the National Action Plan: Focus Area 1, Feeding and Management; and Focus Area 4, Management Tools for Indexing and Evaluating Nutrient Fate and Transport. The nutrient management work also contributes to: A) NP 101, Food Animal Production, specifically to the nutrient intake and utilization component; B) NP 106, Aquaculture, specifically to the sustainability and environmental compatibility of aquaculture component; C) NP 201, Water Quality and Management, specifically to the water quality protection and management component; and D) NP 202, Soil Resource Management, specifically to the nutrient management component. The pathogen project focuses on development of methods to identify and quantify pathogens and their fate and transport in the environment. This research will fall under the following focus areas of the National Action Plan: Focus Area 1, Methods Assessment and Development; and Focus Area 2, Fate and Transport. Attaining these objectives will provide benefits to producers, scientists, regulators, environmental groups and the general public. New gaseous emission monitoring technology will generate accurate information related to the impact of animal production and land application of manure on air quality. There is a great demand for information related to emissions as new regulations are currently being developed for the animal production industry. Information relating manure characteristics to nutrient phytoavailability and solubility will provide a tool to estimate potential impacts of manure applications based on standardized testing. Identifying the impact of altering animal diets on manure characteristics will provide information regarding whether or not these altered diets are a benefit in terms of protecting air and water quality. Methods developed for detection of pathogens in soil, soil water and on vegetable crops will allow better monitoring of pathogen transport from animal production sites and manure application sites providing data related to potential health risks. New management strategies and tools for animal production, manure handling and storage, and land application of manures will provide a means for animal production to continue while minimizing or alleviating many of the environmental risks associated with production facilities. 2.List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) Year 1 (2005) Objective 1 (Emissions) - Field test the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology to determine if there are detectable levels of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide on dairy farms and land application sites. Objective 2 (Nutrients) – Determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential for off site losses. Objective 2a - Collect manures for development of sequential extraction technique, analyze manures and publish a preliminary manuscript with a new extraction method. Objective 2b - Collect manures from animals fed a variety of low phytate barley diets. Objective 2c - Collect a variety of manures for use in lab and greenhouse. Objective 2d - Develop research plan and receive isotope hydrology training. Objective 3 (Pathogens) - Completion of field study on pathogen survival. Year 2 (2006) Objective 1 (Emissions) - Initiate field studies using the FTIR to determine emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from manure land application sites. Objective 2 (Nutrients) – Determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential for off site losses. Objective 2a - Collect and extract additional manures for validation of published method. Objective 2b - Collect manures from animals fed a variety of low phytate barley diets and characterize phosphorus composition. Objective 2c - Characterize manures and initiate incubation and growth chamber studies. Objective 2d - Complete first year irrigation monitoring and sample analysis. Objective 3 (Pathogens) - Complete cloning and sequencing of soil bacterial and fungal DNA. Year 3 (2007) Objective 1 (Emissions) - Continue field studies using the FTIR to determine emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from manure land application sites. Objective 2 (Nutrients) – Determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential for off site losses. Objective 2a - Collect and extract additional manures for validation of published method. Objective 2b - Collect manures from animals fed a variety of low phytate barley diets and characterize phosphorus composition. Objective 2c - Complete incubation and growth chamber studies. Objective 2d - Complete second year irrigation monitoring and sample analysis. Objective 3 (Pathogens) - Completion of comparison of pathogens in relation to soil bacteria and fungal diversity. Year 4 (2008) Objective 1 (Emissions) - Continue field studies using the FTIR to determine emissions of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from manure land application sites. Objective 2 (Nutrients) – Determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential for off site losses. Objective 2a - Collect and extract additional manures for validation of published method. Objective 2b - Collect manures from animals fed a variety of low phytate barley diets and characterize phosphorus composition. Objective 2c - Complete incubation and growth chamber studies. Objective 2d - Summarize and analyze field and lab results. Objective 3 (Pathogens) - Completion of comparison of pathogens in relation to soil bacteria and fungal diversity. Year 5 (2009) Objective 1 (Emissions) - Publish field emissions data. Objective 2 (Nutrients) – Determine the influence of manure characteristics on nutrient cycling and potential for off site losses. Objective 2a - Publish data with recommendations for phosphorus extraction and analysis of animal manures. Objective 2b - Publish data regarding the impact of feeding low phytate grains on phosphorus composition in manures. Objective 2c - Publish suggested methods for estimating phosphorus availability from manures based on manure type or simple testing procedures. Objective 2d - Final evaluation and presentation of conclusions. Objective 3 (Pathogens) - Completion of comparison of pathogens in relation to soil bacteria and fungal diversity and publication of results. 4a.List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. NP 206 Nutrient Management Problem Area 1. Animal Feeding and Management Product 3. Methodologies that help identify the impacts of feeding regimes on manure nutrient composition, phytoavailability, and subsequent reactivity in the environment. Phosphorus-31 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was used in several studies to characterize manure phosphorus and to determine how differences in manure phosphorus (P) fractions influenced the sorption of phosphorus in manure amended soils, as well as to examine the impact of altering animal diets on the composition of P in manure. Results indicated that when manures contain a relatively small range of organic phosphorus compounds (<30% of total P), that the amount of carbon added with the manures has a greater impact on phosphorus solubility in manure amended soils than the phosphorus in the manures and overrides the influence of soil chemical properties typically associated with phosphorus sorption. This effect was attributed to stimulation of microbial phosphorus uptake which is not always considered in studies of manure phosphorus dynamics following land application. Our research also provided evidence that organic carbon in manure forms stable complexes with phosphorus, enhancing phosphorus retention in manure amended calcareous soils. Results indicated that in addition to the amount of carbon added with manures, the type of carbon that is added is very important, in that manures having large concentrations of carboxylic functional groups (liquid manures) tend to have more soluble and more mobile phosphorus than manures that are dominated by aromatic groups such as fresh and composted manures. In terms of plant phosphorus uptake efficiencies, manures dominated by aromatic carbon compounds supplied phosphorus to plants more efficiently than phosphorus from fertilizers or carboxylic carbon dominated manures. 4b.List other significant research accomplishment(s), if any. None. 4c.List significant activities that support special target populations. None. 4d.Progress report. A significant body of research has been initiated and is underway to better understand the soil nutrient, gaseous emissions and soil microbial dynamics associated with animal waste utilization under irrigated conditions. Findings to date provide improved understanding of phosphorus availability from specific manure sources and their interactions with soil and compare the nutrient supplying efficacy and microbial dynamics of these resources. Additional research is laying the foundation for use of open path Fourier Transform Infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy to quantify gaseous and fine particulate emissions from land-applied animal wastes and concentrated animal rearing sites. These research thrusts will be reported more comprehensively in the future as the research effort in these areas proceed. 5.Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. NP 206, Problem Area 2. Emission Factors from Livestock Facilities. Product. Fact sheets and guidelines on emission factors based on definable animal or input units that adequately represent regional climate, management input, and other factors. We have demonstrated through a specific cooperative agreement with the University of Idaho that OP-FTIR technology can be used to measure emissions from open lot dairies in Southern Idaho. We have measured ammonia, nitrous oxide, and methane concentrations using OP-FTIR at an open lot dairy in Southern Idaho during three seasons (spring, summer, and winter). In addition, air speed and direction, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure, and soil temperature have been measured via a portable weather station. Passive denuders were also used at these sites for comparison of Ammonia (NH3) with the OP-FTIR data. In addition we have measured ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide gaseous emissions during and following material applications with OP-FTIR. Air temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure and soil temperature were also recorded with a portable weather station at each site. Ammonia emissions data collected will contribute towards developing a support module for ammonia emissions from open lot dairies and land application sites. Testing of OP-FTIR will contribute towards the development of new technologies to quantify emission factors based on improved technologies for concentration measurements. NP 206, Problem Area 1. Animal Feeding and Management. Product 3. Methodologies that help identify the impacts of feeding regimes on manure nutrient composition, phytoavailability, and subsequent reactivity in the environment. The use of sequential extraction was evaluated for characterizing manure phosphorus (P) via Phosphorus-31 NMR, leading to development of a simpler extraction technique to separate manure P into readily soluble/available and more resistant pools. This research eliminates the need for non-destructive soil and manure P extraction techniques, thus allowing better identification of P compounds to predict reactivity of these materials. NWISRL scientists performed field and laboratory studies to develop an improved phosphorus extraction technique that gives a better estimate of manure’s phosphorus reactivity. This simpler, more accurate technique to define soluble/labile and resistant P pools in manure provides a low cost easily adopted routine test for analytical laboratories which allows the environmental risk associated with manure land application to be better predicted. We have used 31P-NMR in several studies to characterize manure phosphorus and to determine how differences in manure P fractions influence the sorption of phosphorus in manure amended soils, as well as to examine the impact of altering animal diets on the composition of phosphorus in manure. We have demonstrated that when manures contain a relatively small range of organic phosphorus compounds (<30% of total P), that the amount of carbon added with the manures has a greater impact on phosphorus solubility in manure amended soils than the phosphorus in the manures and overrides the influence of soil chemical properties typically associated with phosphorus sorption. This research also provided evidence that organic carbon in manure forms stable complexes with phosphorus enhancing phosphorus retention in manure amended calcareous soils. Results indicated that the type of carbon added in manures plays an important role in subsequent phosphorus reactions and microbial responses to manure additions. Manures having large concentrations of carboxylic functional groups (liquid manures) tend to have more soluble and more mobile phosphorus than manures that are dominated by aromatic groups such as fresh and composted manures. In terms of plant phosphorus uptake efficiencies, manures dominated by aromatic carbon compounds supplied phosphorus to plants more efficiently than phosphorus from fertilizers or carboxylic carbon dominated manures. This work has provided insight into the impact of manure characteristics on manure phosphorus solubility and plant uptake which will be useful for developing manure management strategies that enhance nutrient usage while protecting the environment. NP 206, Pathogens Problem Area 2a. Inactivation Rates and Transport Characteristics of Pathogens from Animal Agriculture. Problem Area. Data on the ability of various pathogens to contaminate or infect various crops. It was determined that fresh manure added to soil at rates to meet crop phosphorus uptake needs increased fecal coliform numbers in potato rhizosphere soil, and on skins of fresh potatoes, but not in bulk soil, whereas comparable rates of compost did not increase fecal coliforms in any of these media; additional findings provide insights to soil management options and product handling to reduce risks from coliforms associated with organic fertilizer sources. Escherichia coli survival in soil or transference to harvested root vegetables affects the likelihood of transport away from application sites over time and the potential to contaminate food or surface/groundwaters, with adverse affects to humans and livestock. NWISRL scientists ran field studies that identified the relative risks of coliform contamination in harvested potatoes and in soil when using fresh manure versus compost as a phosphorus nutrient source. This information will help farmers, consumers and environmental regulators make safer choices regarding management practices and purchase of foods from organic farming systems. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? None. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). None. Review Publications Leytem, A.B., Turner, B.L., Raboy, V. 2005. Linking manure properties to soil phosphorus solubility: importance of the carbon to phosphorus ratio. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 69:1516-1524. Leytem, A.B., Westermann, D.T. 2005. Phosphorus availability to barley from manures and fertilizers on a calcareous soil. Soil Science. 170(6):401-412.