Nutritional Status and Indigenous Mycorrhizal Infection of Berseem Clover and Barley Fertilized with Poultry Litter and Compost in an Organic Farming System

Abstract

Organic farming is an agricultural system that is receiving increased attention in forage crop production. The incorporation of composts and manures from different animal and plant sources into forage production systems would positively affect forage yield and quality through enhancing the nutritional status of the plant. Field trials were carried out at SEKEM organic farm, in Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2012 and 2013. Main aim was to study the effect of application of compost and poultry litter on shoot fresh and dry weights (g plant-1), nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) concentration (%) and uptake (g plant-1) of barley and berseem clover, as well as to examine the variation in root mycorrhizal infection under the organic farming system. Results revealed that the tested forage crops responded differently to the applied amendments. When fertilized with compost, barley produced the highest fresh and dry weights, amounting to 99.67 and 17.37 (g plant-1), respectively. Compost application also enhanced P concentration (0.36%) and uptake (6.25 g plant-1) and N uptake (35.61 g plant-1) in barley plants compared to poultry litter and control (no fertilization). On the other hand, berseem clover recorded its highest fresh and dry weights with the application of poultry litter, 2.50 and 0.27 (g plant-1), respectively. In addition, application of poultry litter significantly enhanced P (0.08 g plant-1) and N (0.84 g plant-1) uptake in beseem clover, while P and N concentrations were similar under compost and poultry litter application. Although root mycorrhizal infection was detected in both crops, that were organically fertilized, its percentage didn't vary significantly among the tested organic amendments. The current results suggest that, under the organic farming system, fertilizing barley with compost and berseem clover with poultry litter would improve yield and quality of the end fodder through improving the nutrients' uptake and concentration in the plants.