2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) This project seeks to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay through the development and testing of a litter incorporation technology that will minimize nutrient loss from no-till soils on the Delmarva Peninsula. The proposed research entails two specific objectives: (1) Modify existing injection technology to enable the direct incorporation of poultry litter into no-till soils found in coastal plain watersheds draining to the Chesapeake Bay. (2) Quantify the effect of the new litter incorporation technology on phosphorus and nitrogen losses in surface runoff and leaching from no-till soils found around the Monie Bay Component of the Chesapeake Bay Reserve. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) The project will involve three phases: (1) Development and refinement of the litter incorporator; (2) quantification of water quality benefits of the incorporator; and (3) outreach. We will design, construct, and test an implement to incorporate poultry litter into no-till soils. Preliminary testing of the litter incorporator will take place at Dr. Way’s laboratory in Auburn, AL. Beginning in April 2007, the incorporator will be used for the water quality assessment and outreach components of the project. Field trials will be conducted at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) research farm in Princess Anne, MD. Twelve field plots will be established to allow triplicate measurement of nutrient emissions and crop response under four treatments: no manure (control); broadcast; broadcast and cultivated; litter incorporator. The plots will be established on an Othello soil, which is widespread in the area, and has been shown to release nutrients in runoff and leachate. To ensure transfer of the litter incorporator technology, this project will culminate in a series of outreach activities conducting in cooperation with NERRS staff from the Monie Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Two field days will be held on poultry farms to demonstrate the new technology near the Monie Bay Reserve, coordinating with NERRS as well as University of Maryland Cooperative Extension (see info on Dr. Frank Coale, project advisor), Somerset and Wicomico County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Dr. Allen has coordinated outreach activities with them), and the Maryland Department of Agriculture. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Reimbursable Agreement whereby the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds ARS for research directed toward the development and testing of a novel technology for incorporating poultry litter to minimize nutrient losses to surface and ground waters. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 1902-13000-010-00D, "Optimizing Nutrient Management to Sustain Agricultural Ecosystems and Protect Water Quality." The objectives of research conducted under this agreement directly address related in-house CRIS project Objective 3: “Alternative Management Practices that Minimize Nutrient Export.” This project seeks to develop and test innovative methods of incorporating dry poultry litter into no-till soils of the Atlantic coastal plain to minimize nutrient losses to the Chesapeake Bay. Research involves collaboration of three ARS laboratories along with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and the University of Maryland. A novel litter injection technology developed by ARS’s National Soil Dynamics Laboratory (Auburn, AL) was modified to work with residue and soil conditions typical of the Delmarva Peninsula. We established 12 research plots at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Research Farm in Princess Anne, MD. Field runoff plots are used to monitor erosion and phosphorus losses in surface runoff, and monolith lysimeters track leaching losses of nitrogen and phosphorus. Litter was applied by three methods in March 2007 (injected, conventional no-till, conventional tillage). A field day was held for local conservation staff and researchers to demonstrate the litter injector and provide an overview of the project. Progress for this project was monitored by participation in meetings among members of the scientific research team and regular communication by phone and e-mail.