Pig slurry applications to alfalfa: Productivity, solar radiation utilization, N and P removal

A field study was carried out over 4 years at one site in the Low Po Valley, Northern Italy, to examine the effect of various levels of pig slurry applications on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) productivity, solar radiation utilization, and nutrient removal. Treatments consisted of three liquid pig manure rates, estimated to provide in total 300, 450 and 600 kg N ha−1 year−1 (PS300, PS450, PS600, respectively), and one unfertilized control (named as Control). Treatments were applied on the second and third year of crop stand (1994 and 1995), whilst during the subsequent fourth and fifth years of crop stand (1996 and 1997) the residual effects of previous treatments were investigated. Regardless of crop age and year-to-year variability, pig slurry tended to increase annual forage production during the 2 years of fertilization and the subsequent biennium of stand duration. Overall, the forage dry matter production, accumulated over four growing seasons and 17 cuts, was 39 000 kg ha−1 for the Control, 44 500 kg ha−1 (+14%) for PS300, to 49 800 kg ha−1 (+28%) for PS450 and 45 800 kg ha−1 (+17%) for PS600. Nitrogen concentration in shoot dry matter was not influenced by the treatment applied. P concentration, on the other hand, was substantially increased by all three rates of pig slurry application, with an evident residual effect observed during the last 2 years of crop stand. However, the evident increase of P availability, assured by pig slurry fertilization, resulted in most of cases in luxury consumption of P by the crop plant. A strong linear relationship was found between cumulative forage dry matter and accumulated incident global solar radiation. Pig slurry fertilization increased significantly the slope of the regressions with respect to the Control. Since enhanced N and P availability may reduce the carbon costs for sustaining root nodules and symbiotic organisms, it seems likely that the crop plant must gain advantage in terms of dry matter produced per unit of radiation intercepted. However, further research is needed to clarify whether the effect of manure is attributable to improved alfalfa efficiency in converting intercepted solar energy into forage dry matter, to enhanced canopy cover thus higher radiation capture per unit of soil area, or to a combination of both mechanisms.