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Organic amendment based on vermicompost and compost: differences on soil properties and maize yield.
Manuel Tejada1, Concepción Benítez
1Departamento de Cristalografía, Mineralogía y Química Agrícola, E.U.I.T.A. Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain. mtmoral@us.es
Summary
Animal vermicompost significantly improved soil health, plant nutrition, and maize yield compared to vegetal vermicompost and cotton gin compost. These findings highlight the benefits of organic amendments for sustainable agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Agronomy
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Soil quality is crucial for agricultural productivity and sustainability.
- Organic amendments are widely used to improve soil properties.
- Different organic waste materials vary in their composition and impact on soil.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of animal vermicompost (VCD), vegetal vermicompost (VGF), and cotton gin compost (C) on soil biological properties.
- To assess the impact of these amendments on maize (Zea mays cv. Tundra) nutrition and yield.
- To determine the optimal organic amendment and application rate for Typic Xerofluvent soils.
Main Methods:
- Field experiment conducted over 3 years on a Typic Xerofluvent soil.
- Application of VCD, VGF, and C at two rates (1780 and 3560 kg fresh organic matter/ha).
- Analysis of soil microbial biomass, enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, urease, etc.), leaf nutrient content (N, P, K), pigments, soluble carbohydrates, and crop yield.
Main Results:
- All organic amendments positively affected soil biological properties, plant nutrition, and crop yield.
- VCD showed the most significant increase in soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities, followed by VGF and C, especially at higher application rates.
- Leaf nutrient content, pigments, soluble carbohydrates, and crop yield were highest in VCD-amended soils, indicating superior nutrient availability and plant growth promotion.
Conclusions:
- Animal vermicompost (VCD) is a highly effective organic amendment for improving soil biological properties, plant nutrition, and maize yield on Typic Xerofluvent soils.
- The greater labile organic matter fraction in VCD likely contributed to its superior performance compared to VGF and C.
- Sustainable agricultural practices can be enhanced through the strategic application of well-composed organic amendments like VCD.
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