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Aug. 11, 2024Rock Port, Mo. |  By: Jeremy Werner

New study looks at impact of poultry litter as a fertilizer

soybean field

ROCK PORT, Mo. - A six-year study at the University of Missouri’s Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center examined the impact of poultry litter on soybean crops in northwestern Missouri.

Conducted by MU Extension agronomy specialist Wayne Flanary, the research highlighted the benefits of using poultry litter as a fertilizer.

In 2018, ten tons of poultry litter were applied to each plot, adding valuable organic matter and nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

By 2023, results showed higher soybean yields in treated plots, though not statistically significant due to site variability.

Treated plots yielded up to 55.5 bushels per acre, compared to untreated plots yielding as low as 35.3 bushels per acre. Flanary emphasized that manure is an effective strategy for boosting crop yields, particularly in eroded soils.