Optimising the management of manures in southern NSW cotton production II

This project, a continuation of CRDC project DU1603, aims to assist cotton growers in the irrigated Riverina region of southern NSW better estimate how chicken manure may be applied to reduce synthetic fertiliser inputs without compromising cotton yield and quality. Cotton is now a significant crop in this area and likewise chicken production has significantly increased. Growers are therefore increasingly interested in using poultry litter for soil health. However, there is limited information on its costs and benefits for the region’s clay-loams and grey clays. This project will recommend ways to integrate chicken manure into conventional fertiliser programs, and measure success from productivity per N unit, per P unit, per hectare of land, and provide some economic analysis about supplementing mineral fertiliser with manures.