Long-term effects of quality-compost treatment on soil

Abstract

The effects of the addition of compost, prepared from vegetable market refuse and stomach contents of slaughtered cattle, were studied in a sandy soil contained in pots and kept in a greenhouse environment. Comparison was made between: i) a treatment involving pots containing compost mixed with 5% soil, ii) four treatments in which increasing quantities of compost homogeneously taken from the same lot (0, 10000, 20000, 30000 kg ha -l) were integrated with NPK mineral fertilizer to equalize available nutrients; iii) an untreated control. At 3, 4, and 5 years from the date of treatment, after various other crops, sunflower was planted. The yield obtained, though it fell off from year to year, was approximately double in the case of 95% compost. The other four treatments also resulted in production increases compared with the untreated control. Production was found to rise progressively with increasing quantities of compost. The improvement in soil chemistry and microbiology, as shown by analyses performed 5 years after treatment with compost, suggests that the rise in crop production may be attributed to an overall improvement in all components involved in the fertility of the soil used, in our experimental conditions.

Rendimento de feijão-caupi cultivado com esterco bovino e adubo mineral

“…Uma vez que o experimento foi instalado em solo com teores elevados de P e K, acredita-se que os benefícios do esterco bovino sobre o rendimento do feijão-caupi, na presença e ausência de adubo mineral, devam-se não somente ao suprimento de nutrientes, mas também a melhoria de outros constituintes da fertilidade do solo, no fornecimento de água, no arranjamento da sua estrutura por meio de formação de complexos húmus-argilosos e consequente aumento na CTC, (Marchesini et al, 1988;Yamada & Kamata, 1989), proporcionando melhor aproveitamento dos nutrientes originalmente presentes. Essas condições provavelmente permitiram ao feijão-caupi o seu potencial de produção de vagens e grãos verdes e secos, induzida pela sua constituição genética.…”

Biological Treatment of Leachates of Microaerobic Fermentation

“…Long-term effects include increased sequestration of organic C, increased N content, increased soil microbial biodiversity, decreased bulk density and increased crop quality and yields (Diacono et al 2010;Ingham, 2008;Ros et al, 2006;Meier-Ploeger et al, 1989;Marchesini et al 1988). Some studies have shown that use of compost fertilizers instead of inorganic fertilizers can decrease the amount of fertilizer needed from 400 kg/ha inorganic fertilizer to 4 kg/ha compost material, which could decrease the price of agricultural fertilizing by 50 % or more (Blenkinsop, 2012;USDA, 2011;Ingham, 2008).…”

“…(Eitzer, 1995). Compost can be used to sequester carbon (C) and other essential nutrients into soil and improve soil fertility in the long and short term, thus increasing agricultural productivity (Diacono et al 2010;Ros et al, 2006;Meier-Ploeger et al, 1989;Marchesini et al 1988).…”

Effects of microaerobic fermentation and black soldier fly larvae food scrap processing residues on the growth of corn plants (Zea mays)

“…These include increased sequestration of organic C, increased N content, increased soil microbial biodiversity, decreased bulk density and increased crop quality and yield (Marchesini et al, 1988;Meier-Ploeger et al, 1989;Ros et al, 2006;Diacono and Montemurro, 2010). Carbonell et al (2011), Akanbi and Togum (2002), Sullivan et al (2002) and others have shown that compost amendment instead of, or in combination with, nitrogen fertilizer amendment increases both crop productivity and profit margins.…”