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Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA
Summaries of Data from 1996 On-Farm Compost Trials
Summary of 1996 On-Farm Compost Trials
Twelve orchard sites were monitored in 1996 to begin to scientifically
quantify the effects of compost. These sites can be categorized
as : 1) existing orchard to which compost was applied as a topdress
2) old orchard site replanted in 1996 with a surface application
of compost either before or after planting 3) old orchard site or
new, incorporating compost in the planting hole 4) new orchard site
planted with a surface application of compost either before or after
planting.
Existing Orchards – Five orchard sites were topdressed with
compost. In all cases the compost was applied by hand shovel or
bucket. Composts included Nielsen chicken, Stutzman chicken, Sunland
chicken, Lincoln chicken, Hubbard chicken, and Cedar Grove yard
waste. Rates varied from 0 – 136 lb/tree. (Composts contain varying
amounts of water, which will influence how much a compost weighs).
Measurements were taken, not all at each site however: leaf N, SPAD
(leaf greenness), % increase in trunk cross sectional area, leader
growth, fruit diameter, fruit yield (lb. of fruit/tree), and soil
moisture.
In only one orchard did compost have a significant effect upon
leaf N and SPAD readings. This orchard is organically managed, and
relies upon compost for tree fertilization. The other sites used
conventional fertilizers as well as compost. No significant increase
in trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) was found after one season,
but some sites did show a trend of greater tree growth with higher
rates of compost. Trunk growth ranged from 9 – 40 %.
One sandy site was monitored for soil moisture. Checks were consistently
drier at 6" and 12" than composted areas.
Replant : old ground, surface application – At two orchard
sites compost was applied in bands. One used a compost spreader
and the other an adapted lime spreader. In one case the compost
was applied after the trees were planted, in the other the compost
was applied before planting and then tilled in. Composts included
were Stutzman chicken, Lincoln chicken, and Lincoln cow feedlot.
Leonardite was also applied. Rates were 0 – 45 tons/ acre. Measurements
taken included % TCSA and soil moisture.
No statistical differences were found after one season. However,
in most cases leonardite appeared to enhance trunk growth. Overall
trunk growth ranged from 24 – 47 %.
Replant or new planting : compost in the hole – Two orchard
sites were replants, one in 1995 and the other in 1996. A third
site was planted for the first time. In all cases compost was added
to and mixed with the soil material placed into the augured tree
hole around the tree’s roots. Materials added included leonardite,
Stutzman chicken, Cedar Grove yard waste, Sunland chicken, off-site
new soil, on-site old orchard soil, and a biosolid soil mix. Rates
ranged from 0 – 40 % volume of the augured hole (0 – 40 gallons
of compost/tree), and 0 – 2 cups of leonardite/tree. The Biosolid
mix treatment was 100% volume of the augured hole. Measurements
taken included % TCSA, electrical conductivity of the soil, and
leader growth.
Some trees did not survive their treatments: adding high-N composts
to the planting hole can raise soluble salts to levels which trees
can not tolerate. At the newly planted site, Cedar Grove treatments
grew the best, with leonardite enhancing growth. In the 1995 replant
study, re-using old orchard soil resulted in significantly poorer
tree growth. Adding increasing amounts of compost helped, but all
treatments receiving new soil grew better. Increasing the % of compost
with the new soil also increased trunk growth. This held true for
the first season as well as the second. In the 1996 replant, only
new soil (no old soil) was added to the planting hole along with
varying rates of compost. No significant trunk growth differences
were observed. Leader growth measurements showed that trees treated
with the biosolid mix did not grow as well as the others.
Replant : new ground, surface application – Two orchards
utilizing compost were planted on new ground: at one an adapted
lime spreader was used to apply the composts in a band, with the
compost tilled in before planting. At the second site materials
were applied 2 separate times after planting. Materials included
Cedar Grove yard waste, BION (a product recovered from dairy manure),
ground up fish, alfalfa, and organic minerals. Rates were 0 – 20
tons/acre for the Cedar Grove, and 5 gal/tree for BION. Measurements
taken included % TCSA, leaf N, SPAD (leaf greenness), leader growth,
and electrical conductivity of the soil.
No significant differences were observed at the site where compost
was applied before planting. All trees grew well, with trunk growth
increases of 99 – 106%. The second site did show significant differences
in % trunk growth. The BION treatment did best, followed by a mix
of BION, fish, and alfalfa. Least growth was seen in the K-mag,
rock P, sulfur, bloodmeal, and alfalfa mix. Trunk growth ranged
from 87 – 110 %.
For more information, contact David Granatstein or Patty Dauer,
Washington State Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Wenatchee,
WA. Tel (509) 663-8181 ext.222 email: granats@wsu.edu.
This research was conducted as part of a cooperative effort
between WSU and The Food Alliance. Funding for this project comes
from a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Integrated Farming
Systems program.
Summary of 1996 Data
All data are reported as the % increase in trunk cross-sectional
area (TCSA)
| Van Winkle Desert Rose |
|
| Gala on EMLA 26 |
Year 1 |
| Check |
22.4 |
| 5 gal Lincoln Chicken compost |
25.1 |
| 10 gal Lincoln Chicken compost |
23.9 |
| 15 gal spread over weed strip |
25.5 |
| 15 gal incorporated |
24.8 |
| 20 gal spread over weed strip |
24.1 |
|
average
|
24.3 |
| |
|
| Cook |
|
Fuji
|
Year 1 |
| Check |
32.3 |
| 1 scoop (6 lb) chicken compost |
35.6 |
| 2 scoops (12 lb) chjcken compost |
37.6 |
| 4 scoops (24 lb) chicken compost |
37.9 |
|
average
|
35.8 |
| |
|
| Goehry |
|
| Fuji on Mark |
Year 1 |
| North end check |
15.4 |
| South end check |
16.1 |
| BION, 2–2 1/2 gallons |
14.7 |
| BION, 4 – 5 gallons |
12.0 |
| Cedar Grove, 2–2 1/2 gallons |
16.8 |
| Cedar Grove, 4 – 5 gallons |
17.2 |
| Stutzman, 2–2 1/2 gallons |
10.1 |
| Stutzman, 4 – 5 gallons |
10.6 |
|
average
|
14.1 |
| |
|
| Pheasant |
|
| Cameo |
Year 1 |
| Check |
9.48 |
| Sunland 1" Incorporated |
10.14 |
| Sunland 1" Surface |
11.41 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Incorporated |
9.38 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Surface |
13.03 |
| Cedar Grove 2" Incorporated |
13.02 |
| Cedar Grove 2" Surface |
9.64 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Incorporated +1" Surface |
14.25 |
|
average
|
11.29 |
| |
|
| Pheasant |
|
| Jonagold |
Year 1 |
| Check |
17.77 |
| Sunland 1" Incorporated |
15.99 |
| Sunland 1" Surface |
20.05 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Incorporated |
13.54 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Surface |
13.20 |
| Cedar Grove 2" Incorporated |
10.63 |
| Cedar Grove 2" Surface |
16.40 |
| Cedar Grove 1" Incorporated +1" Surface |
15.76 |
|
average
|
15.42 |
| |
|
| LBO |
|
| grafted trees |
Year 1 |
| Check |
42.16 |
| 10 gal Hubbard |
39.61 |
| |
|
| LBO |
|
| Red Delicious |
Year 1 |
| Check |
25.36 |
| 5 gal Lincoln |
26.93 |
| 10 gal Lincoln |
32.73 |
All data are reported as the % increase in trunk cross-sectional
area (TCSA)
| 1995 ZurHausen Replant |
|
|
2 Year |
| Scarlet Red Delicious |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Cumulative |
| Old soil + 0% compost |
49.2
|
107.7 |
207.10 |
| Old soil + 5% compost |
51.0 |
74.8 |
166.03 |
| Old soil +10% compost |
46.7 |
111.5 |
210.80 |
| Old soil +20% compost |
54.1 |
138.7 |
264.81 |
| Old soil +40% compost |
47.3 |
152.2
|
273.58 |
|
average
|
49.7 |
117.0 |
224.5 |
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Stevens Replant –
Gala |
|
|
|
| With Leonardite |
Year 1 |
|
|
| Control |
45.9
|
|
|
| Stutzman 10 T/A |
47.0 |
|
|
| Stutzman 20 T/A |
41.5 |
|
|
| Stutzman 30 T/A (1 rep only) |
28.5
|
|
|
| Lincoln Ck 15 T/A |
41.6 |
|
|
| Lincoln Ck 30 T/A |
40.8 |
|
|
| Lincoln Ck 45 T/A (1 rep only) |
7.4 |
|
|
|
average
|
40.9 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| Without Leonardite |
|
|
|
| Control (2 reps only) |
34.9 |
|
|
| Stutzman 20 T/A (2 reps only) |
29.9 |
|
|
| Stutzman 30 T/A (1 rep only) |
23.9 |
|
|
| Lincoln Ck 30 T/A (2 reps only) |
32.4
|
|
|
| Lincoln Ck 45 T/A (1 rep only) |
30.9 |
|
|
|
average
|
29.3 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Brownfield Replant |
|
|
|
Gala
|
Year 1 |
|
|
| Lincoln Cow Feedlot, Low – 2 ton/A |
42.5 |
|
|
| Lincoln Cow Feedlot, Medium – 3 ton/A |
40.4 |
|
|
| Lincoln Cow Feedlot, High – 5 ton/A |
43.1 |
|
|
| Lincoln Chicken, Low – 3 ton/A |
43.1 |
|
|
| Lincoln Chicken, Medium – 5 ton/A |
44.1 |
|
|
| Lincoln Chicken, High – 7.5 ton/A |
47.2 |
|
|
|
average
|
43.4 |
|
|
All data are reported as the % increase in trunk cross-sectional
area (TCSA)
| 1995 ZurHausen Replant |
|
|
2 Year |
| Scarlet Red Delicious
on M111 |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Cumulative |
| New soil + 0% compost |
68.5 |
133.1 |
280.33 |
| New soil + 5% compost |
56.3 |
152.8 |
288.53 |
| New soil +10% compost |
79.7 |
140.0 |
323.63 |
| New soil +20% compost |
96.3 |
117.4 |
324.92 |
| New soil +40% compost |
102.2 |
134.5 |
367.78 |
|
average
|
80.6
|
135.6 |
317.0 |
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 ZurHausen Replant |
|
|
|
| Gala |
Year 1 |
|
|
| Check |
111.3 |
|
|
| Sunland 10% |
113.8 |
|
|
| Sunland 20% |
97.4 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove 10% |
124.7 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove 20% |
111.4 |
|
|
| Biosolid 100% |
40.8 |
|
|
|
average (Biosolid not incl)
|
111.7 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Goehry new planting |
|
|
|
| Cameo on M26 |
Year 1 |
|
|
| Check |
99.0 |
|
|
| 10 T/A Cedar Grove |
99.4 |
|
|
| 20 T/A Cedar Grove |
106.3 |
|
|
|
average
|
101.6 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Goehry Compost In-The-Hole
new planting |
|
|
|
Cameo on M26
|
Year 1 |
|
|
| Check |
57.5
|
|
|
| Leonardite, 1 cup |
86.3 |
|
|
| Stutzman, 2.5 gal |
38.1 |
|
|
| Stutzman, 2.5 gal + leo, 1 cup |
19.3 |
|
|
| Stutzman, 4 gal |
58.6 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove, 2.5 gal |
97.7 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove, 5 gal |
91.3 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove, 5 gal + leo, 1 cup |
114.0 |
|
|
| Cedar Grove, 5 gal + leo, 2 cup |
139.6
|
|
|
| root dip, alliette |
64.1 |
|
|
| no root dip |
96.2 |
|
|
|
average
|
78.4 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Sullivan new planting |
|
|
|
| Cameo |
Year 1 |
|
|
| K-mag, rock P, sulfur, bloodmeal |
45.5 |
|
|
| BION + ground fish |
77.9 |
|
|
| BION |
85.5 |
|
|
|
average
|
69.6
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1996 Sullivan new planting |
|
|
|
Fuji
|
Year 1 |
|
|
| K-mag, rock P, sulfur, bloodmeal |
107.6
|
|
|
| BION + ground fish |
125.8 |
|
|
| BION |
141.7 |
|
|
|
average
|
125.0 |
|
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Updated
February 26, 2004
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