In areas of intensive pig production, pig slurry is used as an important nitrogen (N) source of crops, but is also a major cause of soil, air and water pollution. Strategies are required to reduce N losses from this organic material to the environment and to improve the agronomic efficiency as plant N source. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of a nitrification inhibitor (NI) and the split application of pig slurry (PS) on N accumulation and yield of no-till corn and wheat. The treatments consisted of the application of the recommended dose of PS in single and split applications (1/3 at prior to planting and 2/3 side dressed), with and without NI. Aside from these four treatments, one treatment with mineral fertilizer (NPK) recommended for corn and wheat was evaluated and another treatment without IN and fertilizer (control). The NI, containing dicyandiamide (DCD), was mixed with pig slurry, at a dose of 7 kg ha-1. The application of PS, prior to planting and after emergence, increased N accumulation and corn and wheat yield, providing similar results to those observed with mineral fertilization recommended for these two crops. The strategies of dividing the application of recommended PS doses to corn and wheat and to use DCD to inhibit nitrification did not affect N accumulation or yield of no-till corn and wheat.
organic manure; pig slurry; no-tillage; dicyandiamide (DCD)
