Under laboratory conditions we studied the possibility of decreasing NH3 emissions from broiler litter by applying one of two nitrifier seeds (a material obtained from the top centimeters of the dirt floor of a chicken house, or Houston Black clay soil) at 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% w/w. Ammonia emission rates, total NH3 trapped in 0.1N H2SO4, and NOx −-N concentrations decreased at the highest application rate of either amendment, whereas CO2 emissions increased with the amendments' application rates. We hypothesize that the lack of a significant increase in NOx −-N concentrations was due to inhibition of nitrifiers by high NH4 +-N, salt and Cl− concentrations, and denitrification promoted by high water, availability of easily decomposable carbon sources, and limited O2 supply.
Acknowledgments
This project was funded by the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association.
Notes
1Data were averaged across amendments.
2 Values followed by the same letter in each row are not statistically different according to Duncan's Multiple Range Test (α = 0.05).