EVALUATION OF ORGANIC FISH-BASED FERTILIZER FOR POTENTIAL USE IN COTTON PRODUCTION.

The aquaculture industry in Mississippi, primarily catfish, provides a possible source of organic nutrients that could be used in row-crop production systems in the areas where processing plants are located. The by-product fish-based fertilizer (FBF) material could provide an alternative nutrient source if the material can be used profitably in row-crop production. A series of studies were designed and established to evaluate FBF for cotton production. The material was evaluated as an in-furrow starter source, as a foliar nutrient source during the season, and in association with plant growth regulator (PGR). Organic FBF was evaluated from 2004 through 2006 at the Delta Research and Extension Center and at the Tribbett Satellite Farm under irrigated and non-irrigated culture. Climatic conditions were quite variable during the studies and yields ranged as low as 750 lb/acre to more than 1500 lb/acre depending on the year. Hurricanes in 2005 greatly reduced the harvestable yields in all studies. In general there was no significant yield response to applications of the organic FBF evaluated in these studies. The low levels of fertilizer nutrients available in the FBF material were not sufficient to alter crop yields. Since cotton is a perennial, year-to-year variations are in growth and development is common. The potential for organic fish-based fertilizer material would appear to be outside traditional row-crop production where higher levels of available nutrients are required over a short growth period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]