The residual effects of vermicompost, leonardite and farmyard manure on soil properties

Abstract

The use of organic amendments on agricultural lands enhances soil nutrient concentrations and properties during mineralization processes. In this study, residual effects of vermicompost (VC), leonardite (L) and farmyard manure (FYM) and their doses (0, 20, 40, and 60 t ha-1 in dry weight) on soil properties were investigated. For this purpose, different doses of three organic amendments were mixed into the soil and after 90 days, tomato seedlings were planted in pots. At the end of the 10-week plant growth period, the experiment was terminated and then soil samples were taken and analyzed to determine the residual effects of organic amendments and their increasing doses. The results showed that residual effects of organic amendments and their doses significantly increased soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K), available iron (Fe) and available zinc (Zn), and especially at 60 t ha-1 application dose. Soil exchangeable calcium (Ca), available manganese (Mn) and available copper (Cu) were not changed by the applications. Soil reaction (pH) was decreased with residual effects of amendments and their doses compared to control, while soil electrical conductivity was increased due to mineralization. Residual effects of VC and FYM were more effective on soil properties than leonardite. Results showed that organic amendments could take advantage of the short-term benefits of nutrients supplied from manure application to improve soil quality and reduce fertilizer input cost.

Affiliated Institutions

• Akdeniz University TR
• Agricultural Research Center EG
• Agrárközgazdasági Intézet HU

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