Agronomic Value of Nutrients in Biosolids Randall Warden

Agronomic Value of Nutrients in Biosolids Randall Warden A & L Great Lakes Laboratories Fort Wayne, IN Quality Analyses for Informed Decisions

Presentation Outline § Assessment of nutrient levels § Soil testing § Biosolids analysis § Crop nutrient requirements and responsiveness § Process to determine nutrient value ($)

Assessing Nutrient Levels What is a Soil Test? § Analysis of a soil sample to determine nutrient availability to plants § Extract all or proportional part of plantavailable nutrients from soil § Goal – prescription fertilizer application

Sample P K Zn Mn p. H ID (ppm) 1 2 3 4 5. 6 9 VL 61 L 4. 6 6 VL 17 VL 6. 2 47 H 155 H 7. 6 12 L 149 M 1. 7 L 60 VH 1. 7 L 3 VL 3. 1 M 62 VH 6. 1 H 18 M

Soil Test Ratings Soil Test Unit Very Low Medium High Very High 0. 0 - 5. 0 5. 1 - 5. 8 5. 9 - 6. 9 7. 0 - 7. 5 7. 6+ % 0. 0 - 0. 9 1. 0 - 2. 5 2. 6 - 4. 9 5. 0 - 6. 9 7. 0+ ppm 0 -9 10 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 49 50+ Potassium % 0. 0 - 0. 7 0. 8 - 1. 4 1. 5 - 2. 6 2. 7 - 4. 0 4. 1+ Magnesium % 0. 0 - 5. 0 5. 1 - 10. 0 10. 1 - 15. 0 15. 1 - 25. 0 25. 1+ Calcium % 0. 0 - 45. 0 45. 1 - 55. 0 55. 1 - 75. 0 75. 1 - 85. 0 85. 1+ Sulfur (S) ppm 0 -3 4 -7 8 - 12 13 - 17 18+ Zinc (Zn) ppm 0. 0 - 0. 9 1. 0 - 2. 9 3. 0 - 4. 9 5. 0 - 10. 0 10. 1+ Manganese (Mn) ppm 0 -5 6 - 14 15 - 29 30 - 49 50+ Iron (Fe) ppm 0 -4 5 -9 10 - 50 51+ Copper (Cu) ppm 0. 0 - 0. 4 0. 5 - 1. 1 1. 2 - 3. 0 3. 1+ Boron (B) ppm 0. 4 - 0. 5 0. 6 - 1. 2 1. 3 - 2. 5 2. 6+ p. H Organic Matter Phosphorus (P 1) 0. 0 - 0. 3

Soil Test Ratings & Economics Soil Test Rating Probability of Economic Response to Fertilizer Application Very Low (VL) Very High Low (L) High Medium (M) Medium High (H) Low Very High (VH) None

Soil Test Ratings & Economics High Medium Low Probability of Crop Response ROI $ VL M Soil Test Nutrient Level VH

Nutrient Utilization (lbs/acre) CROP Alfalfa YIELD Nitrogen N Phosphate P 2 O 5 Potash K 2 O 10 T 600 150 116 250 80 160 50 120 87 27 50 20 60 12 600 57 209 86 60 40 140 200 bu. grain Corn stover 60 bu. Grain Soybeans Stover 100 bu. grain Wheat straw

Nutrient Utilization (lbs/acre) CROP Alfalfa Corn Soybeans Wheat YIELD Magnesium Mg Calcium Ca Sulfur S 10 T 53 280 51 200 bu. grain stover 18 47 4 38 15 18 60 bu. Grain 17 12 12 Stover 10 90 14 100 bu. grain 15 5 8 straw 13 21 16

Crop Nutrient Removal Crop Alfalfa 10 tons Corn 200 Bushels Soybeans 60 bushels Wheat 80 bushels B Pounds per Acre Zn Mn Fe Cu 0. 70 0. 65 1. 10 1. 50 0. 18 0. 19 0. 57 1. 35 1. 40 0. 15 0. 22 0. 30 0. 75 1. 05 0. 14 0. 08 0. 34 0. 55 0. 70 0. 09

Micronutrient Response Crop Mn B Cu Zn Fe Alfalfa Med High Low Med Corn Med Low Med High Med Soybeans High Low Med High Wheat High Low Low

Fertilizer Prices Change Nutrient Unit Nitrogen lb Phosphate (P 2 O 5) lb Potash (K 2 O) lb Sulfur (S) lb Zinc (Zn) lb Manganese (Mn) lb Copper (Cu) lb Boron (B) lb Lime ton 2004 $0. 35 $0. 19 $0. 18 $25. 00 2008 $0. 65 $0. 58 $0. 33 $0. 39 $1. 34 $0. 80 $1. 68 $0. 75 $30. 00

Current Crop Production Costs § Corn – 180 bu/A – medium soil tests § Nitrogen (210 lb x $0. 65/lb = $136. 50) § Phosphate (50 lb x $0. 58/lb = $29. 00) § Potash (200 lb x $0. 33/lb = $66. 00) Per acre fertilizer cost = $231. 50 Cost per 80 acres = $18, 520. 00

Biosolids Analysis - Anaerobic Parameter Lime Lbs per Dry Ton % Lbs perper Dry Available Ton Available Unit Cost (lb) 175 Dry Ton Unit 100% Available 175 Cost$0. 015 (lb) 28. 1 100% Nutrient Value Nutrient $2. 63 Value $0. 65 $18. 27 175 28. 1 $0. 015 $2. 63 87. 1 40% 34. 8 $0. 58 $20. 21 Phosphorus (P 2 O 5) (PSC*) $18. 27 Plant Available Nitrogen 3. 1 (PAN)100%28. 1 3. 1 $0. 65 $0. 33 $1. 02 Potassium (K 2 O) 87. 5 55% 34. 8 48. 1 $0. 58 $0. 00 $20. 21 Calcium (Ca) Phosphorus (P 2 O 5) (PSC*) 9. 3 55% $0. 00 Magnesium (Mg) 3. 1 5. 1 $0. 33 $1. 02 Potassium (K 2 O) 49 55% 27. 0 $0. 39 $10. 51 Sulfur (S) 3. 6 65% 27. 0 2. 3 $0. 39 $1. 34 $10. 51 $3. 14 Zinc (Zn) 58. 3 65% 2. 3 37. 9 $1. 34 $0. 00 Iron (Fe) $3. 14 Zinc (Zn) 1. 6 65% $0. 80 $0. 83 Manganese (Mn) 1. 0 $0. 80 $0. 83 Manganese (Mn) 1. 5 65% 1. 0 $1. 68 $1. 64 Copper (Cu) BDL 65% 1. 0 0. 0 $1. 68 $0. 75 $1. 64 $0. 00 Boron (B) 0. 0 Nutrient $0. 75 Boron (B) “Maximum” Value $0. 00 $58. 25 Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) Lime

Biosolids Analysis – N-Viro Parameter Lime Lbs per Dry Ton 726 $0. 65 $10. 89 $2. 43 726 3. 7 $0. 015 27. 6 20% 5. 5 $0. 58 $3. 20 Phosphorus (P 2 O 5) (PSC*) $2. 43 Plant Available Nitrogen 6. 9(PAN)100% 3. 74 6. 9 $0. 65 $0. 33 $2. 28 Potassium (K 2 O) $3. 20 449 55% 27. 6 247 $0. 58 $0. 00 Phosphorus (P 2 O 5) (PSC*) Calcium (Ca) 35. 2 55% $0. 00 Magnesium (Mg) 6. 9 19. 4 $0. 33 $2. 28 Potassium (K 2 O) 106. 6 20% 21. 3 $0. 39 $8. 31 Sulfur (S) 21. 3 1. 2 $0. 39 $8. 31 Sulfur (S) 1. 9 65% $1. 34 $1. 65 Zinc (Zn) 61. 6 65% 1. 2 40. 0 $1. 34 $0. 00 $1. 65 Iron (Fe) Zinc (Zn) 1. 2 65% $0. 80 $0. 62 Manganese (Mn) 0. 8 $0. 80 $0. 62 Manganese (Mn) 0. 28 65% 0. 2 $1. 68 $0. 31 Copper (Cu) 1. 1 65% 0. 2 1. 0 $1. 68 $0. 75 $0. 31 $0. 00 Boron (B) 1. 0 Nutrient $0. 75 Boron (B) “Maximum” Value $0. 75 $29. 70 Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) Lime 3. 744 Lbs per Dry Unit Nutrient Lbs per % Available Ton Available Cost (lb) Value Dry Ton Unit Nutrient 100%Available 726 Cost $0. 015 $10. 89 (lb) Value 100%

2007 Michigan Soil Test Summary Soil Test Percent of Soil Samples by Test Rating* V Low Medium High V High p. H 1. 7 10. 3 49. 4 23. 2 15. 5 Phosphorus 2. 2 10. 6 15. 1 26. 8 45. 3 Potassium 1. 2 9. 4 49. 5 29. 8 10. 0 Sulfur 1. 2 40. 1 41. 2 17. 5 Zinc 31. 6 40. 0 23. 2 5. 3 9. 8 14. 6 62. 4 9. 3 0. 2 44. 9 42. 4 12. 5 27. 0 35. 1 5. 8 0. 8 Manganese 4. 0 Copper Boron 31. 3 * > 50, 000 samples

Biosolids Marketing Approach § Disposal: no value for nutrients, large $ incentive for nutrient use, no cost recovery § Partial cost recovery: price < fertilizer, less user $ incentive, labor, fuel § Market Value: $ price fertilizer, organic matter, micronutrients, nutrient availability, labor, fuel, demand, communication

Opportunities and Challenges § Increasing fertilizer costs ($/A) § Fertilizer availability - timing § Cost recovery § Fair valuation of biosolids nutrients (test) § Nutrient need (test) § Availability of nutrients (treatment process) § Stewardship § Consistency of Communication

Time to Stop – Questions?