more... > Louisiana Agriculture Magazine > Past Issues > 1999 > Spring > Researcher begins testing water from cotton fields treated with litter [Image: Jim Rabb] Can poultry litter be used to fertilize cotton? That’s thequestion an LSU Agricultural Center researcher will attempt toanswer with a new project in northwest Louisiana cottoncountry. Flowers give old tires a ‘brake’ [Image: Butterfly on a plant] Automobile tires are accumulating in waste dumpsthroughout the United States. Research exploring the useof shredded tires could reduce the number of waste tires.One use is in horticulture Poultry Litter: Nutrient source or disposal problem? [Image: Calhoun Research Station] Eutrophication. Pfisteria. Hypoxia.These environmental problems have plagued the Chesapeake Bay area in recent years. According to reports, the problems may be related to the excessive amounts of nutrients – especially phosphorus – that enter the watershed from areas of intensive poultry production surrounding the bay. Using municipal waste in Louisiana sugarcane [Image: sugarcane] Previous research with sugarcane production in Louisianahas shown that semi-banding 10 tons per acre of composted municipal waste under sugarcane rows or placing 40 tons per acre of the compost on top of cane in opened rows at planting can result in increased sugar yields.  more articles... Black Gold: Using organic matter in horticulture [Image: photo of R.J. Constantin] To many gardeners and horticulturaloperations, organic matter is considered“black gold.” Since ancient times, it hasbeen used both as a mulch on top of thesoil and as an amendment incorporatedinto the soil. Compost Facility Operator Training Course attracts students worldwide [Image: Facility operator training school] Disposal of solid waste is a growing concern to municipal officials and corporate managers, and in some sections of thecountry, critical. As the population grows and industrial productionincreases, so does waste. At the same time, disposal costs have increased, often dramatically, because of increased regulationand centralization of waste disposal sites. Impact of poultry litter rates on annual ryegrass production [Image: photo of a cow] Poultry litter manure is a renewable fertilizer resource that contains all the plant nutrients required for plant growth and reproduction. Governmental, health and safety concerns for use of organic wastes on agricultural land [Image: photo of a byprobuct] Sewage sludge was the first non-farm organic material to be applied to farm land in large quantities, and it became the first organic material whose application was covered by federal regulations. States now also have regulations governing the land application of sewage sludge. Beneficial use of industrial wastes [Image: applying sludges to fields] Research at the LSU Agricultural Center and other land grant universities has shown that non hazardous industrial wastes can be used to enhance the productivity of crops,especially forage crops Increasing cotton yield on drought-prone soils by mulching paper mill sludge [Image: paper mill sluge in the field] Previous studies with paper mill sludge have shown that this by product of paper manufacturing decreases cotton yields when it is applied either soil incorporated or as vertical mulch. Beneficial use of municipal and industrial wastes in cotton production [Image: Photo of a cotton field] Certain soils in the southern states may have low pH, low organic matter content and natural shallow hard pans that limit root development. Costs and environmental concerns will lead to more use of organic wastes in agriculture [Image: Photo of Donald Boquet] Beneficial use in agriculture of organic wastes generated by municipalities, industry and agricultural commodities is receiving considerable attention as an alternative method of disposal because of the rising costs and environmental concerns associated with present disposal methods. Agricultural scientists work to sustain the environment [Image: Photo of William Brown] This issue of Louisiana Agricultureis devoted to Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) research programs that focus on the beneficial recycling or reuse of organic wastes. Turning trash into treasure LSU Ag Center scientists teach how to make ‘rich’ compost at training school [Image: photo of Rodrick Henderson ] It is like turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse. Participants in the LSU Agricultural Center’s semiannual compost facility operator training school learn to transform garbage into something valued by society. Click for more information...