Utilization of dry distillers grains and charcoal as nitrogen fertilizer in corn

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dc.contributor.author Shroyer, Kyle J.
dc.date.accessioned 2010-05-11T12:51:35Z
dc.date.available 2010-05-11T12:51:35Z
dc.date.issued 2010-05-11T12:51:35Z
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2097/4124
dc.description.abstract With the increase in bio-energy production there is also an increase in by-products. Without proper disposal, these by-products might cause future economic and/or ecological problems. Land application has potential as a disposal and/or nutrient cycling method if these by-products have nutritive value for agricultural crops. The purpose of the study was to compare the use of two by-products of bio-energy production, dry distillers grains (ethanol) and charcoal(pyrolysis), as fertilizer with urea in corn (Zea mays L.). The experiment consisted of four location-years in Kansas. Treatments were dry distiller’s grains (DDG) no-till and tilled for four location-years and char no-till and tilled for three location-years. No-till urea was used as a baseline for comparison at all location-years. The Nitrogen rates ranged from 45 to 180 kg N ha-1. All source material was spring applied before tillage and planting. The corn yields for DDGs and urea were the almost the same across tillage treatments and locations. For DDG no-till, DDG tilled, and urea, the rates at which to achieve the same yields were 97, 111, 78 kg N ha-1, respectively. Corn yields for char at all rates and tillage treatments were the same as no fertilizer. The char, because of immobilization or lack of decomposition, did not contribute to the nitrogen needs of the corn. Neither material showed any inhibitory or otherwise negative effects on the corn in terms of grain yield compared with the control. But both DDGs and char had to have large amounts of material applied to achieve the same amount of nitrogen as urea. Land application of DDGs and char has potential merit for disposal/nitrogen cycling with DDGs being preferred for its nitrogen contribution. en_US
dc.description.sponsorship ICM Ins., Colwich, KS en_US
dc.language.iso en_US en_US
dc.publisher Kansas State University en
dc.subject charcoal en_US
dc.subject biochar en_US
dc.subject DDG en_US
dc.subject dry distillers grains en_US
dc.subject no-till en_US
dc.subject corn en_US
dc.title Utilization of dry distillers grains and charcoal as nitrogen fertilizer in corn en_US
dc.type Thesis en_US
dc.description.degree Master of Science en_US
dc.description.level Masters en_US
dc.description.department Department of Agronomy en_US
dc.description.advisor Scott A. Staggenborg en_US
dc.subject.umi Agriculture, Agronomy (0285) en_US
dc.date.published 2010 en_US
dc.date.graduationmonth May en_US


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