Effect of Coal Byproducts Encapsulated Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer On Wheat Growth and Uptake of Nitrogen and Metals.

As a result of the ammonium nitrate fertilizer and fuel oil explosion in Oklahoma City, research is being conducted to reduce the explosive potential of ammonium nitrate.  Research by Dr. Darrell Taulbee and others at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Research has demonstrated that encapsulating ammonium nitrate with coal combustion byproducts will diminish its explosive potential.  Research is being conducted to determine if coal byproduct encapsulated ammonium nitrate can be used as a commercial agricultural fertilizer.  There are concerns of potential metal uptake by plants grown on soil fertilized with these materials.  The objective of this study is to determine the effects of coal byproduct encapsulated ammonium nitrate on wheat biomass, grain yield, and plant concentrations of nitrogen, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.  In this pot study, ammonium nitrate encapsulated by three coal byproducts [22.7 % class C fly ash (FAC), 21.1 % class E fly ash (FAE) and 20% flue gas desulfurization (FGD)] and one reagent grade ammonium nitrate fertilizer were mixed with 1.7 kg silt loam soil at 56 and 112 kg ha^-1  with three replications.  Each pot was planted with eight wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds and thinned to five after germination. There were two sets of plants, one to be harvested at the boot stage of growth and the other grown for grain.  Biomass and grain yield will be determined along with tissue concentrations of nitrogen, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Results will be presented.