Physicochemical and biochemical properties of an acid soil under potato culture amended with municipal solid waste compost

Abstract

Purpose A field trial was conducted on a silty-loam soil under potato culture in NW Spain, to assess the effect of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost in a heavily fertilized acid soil. Methods Three doses of compost (0, 30 and 60 Mg compost ha −1 soil) or inorganic fertilization (~ 140 N: 120 P 2 O 5 : 240 K 2 O kg ha −1 soil) were assayed. The effects of compost on soil physical, chemical (nutrient status and potentially toxic trace elements) and biochemical properties were evaluated after 1 and 5 months. Results Compost addition at the highest dose decreased bulk density and increased soil porosity and soil stability against water erosion. Soil pH, total organic C and N, cation exchange capacity and available P, Ca, Mg and K were also higher in compost-amended soils, whereas no effect on NH 4 + -N and NO 3 − -N was observed. Compost significantly increased soil microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity. Due to the high nutrient status in the control soil, potato yield was not increased by compost or inorganic fertilization. A negative consequence of compost addition was the increased extractability of trace metals such as Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni, although their total concentrations in soil or in potato tubers did not increase with respect to the control. Conclusions Overall, results show that positive effects of MSW compost can be expected even in rich soils that do not need fertilization for maintaining their productive function in the short-term. These positive effects prove the benefits of recycling urban wastes in agricultural soils as a sustainable way of waste management.Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Assessment of municipal solid waste management system in Lae City, Papua New Guinea in the context of sustainable development

“…Instead of waste recovery and reuse, the intense emphasis on preventive methods is increasingly known globally. Most of the current effort is still on recycling programs, which are important but not as effective as prevention or reduction strategies in achieving sustainability (Domínguez et al 2019 ).…”

“…Lack of MSW management and disposal is leading to significant environmental problems. This includes groundwater contamination due to leaching of waste dump (Abd El-Salam and Abu-Zuid 2015), surface water contamination due to run-off on the waste dump (Naveen et al 2018), bad odour (Sarkar and Hobbs 2002), rodents (Duh et al 2017), generation of inflammable gas such as methane within the waste dump (Noma et al 2012), frequent fires (Ibrahim et al 2017), the spread of epidemics due to stray animals (Mikalsen et al 2020), and soil acidity (Domínguez et al 2019).…”

Sustainable management of food wastes using effective microorganisms compost

“…The microbial activities digest and decompose bio degradable waste from complex to simple inan aerobic condition. [11][12][13] Fig. 2:…”

A Novel Technology for Processing Urban Waste Compost as a Fast-Releasing Nitrogen Source to Improve Soil Properties and Broccoli and Lettuce Production

“…Some research has shown the bene ts of using composts and other amendments to enhance soil chemical (pH and nutrient content) and biological properties such as soil microbial populations and plant growth [5]. Nonetheless, chemical compounds found in urban waste composts, particularly nitrogen (N), are not readily available to plants [6,7], so it is necessary to determine the availability of this element in the soil [8].…”

“…Therefore, information on the agricultural performance of UWC is important for growing vegetable crops that are widely cultivated in the green belts located around big metropolises that produce large amounts of urban solid waste. Additionally, there are recent reports that UWC increases productivity in broccoli [20], lettuce [21], and potatoes [6].…”