Organic fertilizer produced from chicken carcasses on soybean production

Authors

• Willian Silva Melo ¹
• Natalia Pereira * ²
• Edna Aparecida de Andrade ¹
• Reginaldo Ferreira Santos ¹
• Luiz Antônio Zanão Júnior ³

1. Western Paraná State University, Department of Energy Engineering in Agriculture, Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil
2. Western Paraná State University, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil
3. Rural Development Institute of Paraná, Department of Soil Science, Santa Teresa do Oeste, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate soybean production and nutrient availability in the soil using doses of organic fertilizer formed from chicken carcasses, compared to the use of mineral fertilizer.
Method The evaluated treatments, produced from chicken carcasses, were calculated to provide 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg ha^-1 of P₂O₅, that is, 0; 3.37; 6.71; 10.11 and 13.48 t ha^-1, respectively. We also evaluated an additional treatment, in which 60 kg ha^-1 of P₂O₅ were applied, through 400 kg ha^-1 of NPK 10-15-15; this was carried out in a rural area located in the municipality of Ubiratã, Western Paraná. After harvest, the plant production components of soybean were evaluated, as well as the P content in the soil. The data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The effect of the organic compost doses was evaluated by regression analysis and the additional treatment was compared by contrast analysis.
Results The use of organic compost doses based on chicken carcass in soybean cultivation resulted in linear increase in plant height, number of pods per plant, thousand grain weight productivity and oil content in the grains. It was also efficient in increasing P levels of the soil. Compared to mineral fertilizer, the use of organic compost resulted in greater amount of P available in the soil but had a lower productivity.
Conclusion Organic fertilizer from chicken carcass was able to increase the production components of soybean as well as to increase the soil P availability.

Highlights

• Soybean is one of the most important cultivated oilseeds in the world and to ensure high grain yield, it is essential to properly supply the nutrients through soil fertilization, which is usually done with mineral fertilizers.
• Organic fertilizers are an option mainly in regions with high production of poultry and pigs, where it is possible to take advantage of both manure and carcasses, as well as for their value in relation to mineral fertilizer.
• An organic compost based on chicken carcass with significant amounts of nutrients was obtained.
• Nutrients supply in the soil, via organic compost, resulted in taller plants and greater number of pods per plant, higher productivity, and higher grain oil content.
• The organic compost also resulted in a higher P content in the soil compared to the use of mineral fertilizer.

Keywords

• Organic waste
• Glycine max
• Phosphorus availability
• Poultry farms