Phosphorus status of soils from the poultry zone in Puerto Rico

The poultry industry is the economic backbone of the south central region o f Puerto Rico, However, as in other poultry production regions in the U.S., concern has risen regarding its potentially damaging impact on the environ ment. Eutrophication of rivers and lakes, induced by excessive nutrient run off, has forced regulatory agencies to closely evaluate manure disposal pra ctices. Thus, the need is critical for environmentally sound management pra ctices in poultry producing areas,The impact of years of manure application s on the nutritional status of soils was ascertained by evaluating a number of samples from nine poultry farms of Puerto Rico. The farms were selected among those with the highest bird populations. Sixty-seven percent of the samples analyzed contained phosphorus levels (Olsen) in excess of what is c onsidered adequate to support crop growth. Fifty-six percent of these excee ded levels considered by some states as critical for water quality purposes . Measured levels ranged from undetectable values up to 900 mg/kg P.A diagn ostic tool known as the P index was used in an effort to identify areas of concern. According to this criterion, all farms studied had zones where nut rient runoff could threaten the quality of the surrounding water bodies.