Researchers believe the discovery of new uses for poultry litter will expand the market for this byproduct.

Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station researchers are considering the use of the litter as a horticulture fertilizer.

"There are several good reasons to look at using poultry litter outside of traditional land application to pastures. For one thing, the nutrient level of poultry litter-and especially the nitrogen level-is high, making it very useful in gardening," said Dr. Richard Harkess, MAFES horticulturist.

Harkess is interested in using poultry litter as a fertilizer for potted plants grown in commercial nurseries and in home gardens. He and his team have assessed the benefits of adding heat-processed, pelleted poultry litter as part of a potting mix and determined the best application rates for litter.

MAFES scientists are working with the Southwest Mississippi Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc.