2021
Assessment of N Fixation and Soybean Yield Response to the Application of Distillers Co-Products
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
DiseaseField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Jasper M. Teboh, North Dakota State University, Carrington Research Extension Center
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
QSSB
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$12,780
Institution Funded:
North Dakota State University, Carrington Research Extension Center
$12,780
Brief Project Summary:

Co-products of ethanol production, wet distillers grains and condensed distillers solubles can be used as fertilizer. Due to their high phosphorus and nitrogen content, their application could contribute high amounts of nutrients, which could impact nitrogen fixation. The objectives of this project are to determine the impact of distillers grains application on soybean seed yield and quality and to assess soybean leaf ureide-N content as an index of nitrogen fixation in response to nitrogen from distillers grains.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, applicators, extension specialists

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report Word file

Why the research is important to North Dakota farmers
Wet distillers grains (WDG) and condensed distillers solubles (CDS) are coproducts of ethanol production. They can be used as fertilizer input. Due to their high phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) content, application of WDG and CDS as P sources could contribute high amounts of N, which could impact N fixation. The objectives were to assess the impact of distillers grains on soybean yields and quality, and nitrogen fixation (ureide content in the leaves).

Research conducted
Two trials were conducted on dryland and under irrigation to assess soybean response to the application of 40 lbs of P from WDG, CDS, and triple super phosphate (TSP). Treatments included a control (no added P). The dryland site had 16 lbs P and 10 lbs N/ac, while the irrigated site had 16 lbs P and 34 lbs N. At 40 lbs P, CDS and WDG contributed 30 and 66 lbs N respectively (Table 1). To the TSP and control treatments, 30 lbs N was added as urea. Treatments were applied and incorporated on half of each plot (5 x 25 ft2) before seeding. At V5 stage, leaf samples were analyzed for ureide-N content as an indicator of soybean N fixation in the nodules.


Final findings of the research
Phosphorus application did not impact yields and seed quality.
Yields were greater on dryland than under irrigation (Figure 1), probably because irrigated soybean was at R5 during an early September frost when the dryland crop was at maturity (R8).
Leaf ureide-N concentration was not different between treatments, probably because the 66 lbs N from WDG was only slowly available and therefore, had no negative effect on N fixation.

Recommendations to North Dakota and soybean farmers and industry
From these and past results on cereals, farmers should feel confident about the fertilizer value of distillers grains, which have produced no known negative effects on crops grown in North Dakota. Any application of distillers grains as fertilizer sources should be done based on the nutrient analysis, to determine the quantity to apply. Also take into consideration the cost of acquisition and application versus conventional fertilizers.


Figure 1. Soybean yield response to distillers grains as sources of fertilizers

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.