Response of Lima Bean to Inorganic Nitrogen and Broiler Manure Sources and Rates

Abstract

Applying animal manure to crops is a good disposal practice that also recycles nutrients. A 2‐year study was conducted involving lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) and two N sources, ammonium nitrate (AN, 340 g N kg⁻¹), and broiler chicken manure (BM, 10 g N kg⁻¹). The sources were tested at five N rates (0, 67, 135, 202, and 269 kg N ha⁻¹) in a split‐plot design with N source as the main plot and N rate as the subplot. Treatments were replicated three times in 2000 and four times in 2001. Leaf tissue (early flowering stage) was analyzed for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). Although most nutrients were within or above the sufficiency range, K and Cu limited crop production for all treatments. There was no difference between N sources for fresh pod yields. The highest fresh pod yield occurred at 213 kg N ha⁻¹, but the critical point was obtained with 100 kg N ha⁻¹, a rate agreeing with current University of Florida recommendations.

Keywords:

• Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.)
• organic amendments
• broiler manure
• fertilization recommendations
• N fertilization
• soil testing

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Florida Agricultural Experimental Station and is approved for publication as Journal Series no. R‐10700. We thank Jim Chichester and Howard Palmer for their technical support.