Studying Some Characteristics of Sandy Soil Amended by Water Hyacinth, Bean straw, and Compost

Abstract

T WO FIELD experiments were carried at the Ismailia Agricultural Research Station during the summer seasons of 2018 and 2019 to study some characteristics of sandy soil treated by three types of additives and cultivated by maize. Additives mixed with soil were the dried water hyacinth, straw of faba beanand compost each is loaded by 25, 50, and 100% of the recommended dose of nitrogen N and phosphorous P mineral fertilizers. Different treatments including control were distributed in a complete randomized block design with three replicates. Water holding capacity (%), field capacity (%), electrical conductivity (dSm-1), bulk density (g cm-3), cation exchange capacity (cmol c kg-1) and organic matter (%) content of soil before cultivation and after harvesting were estimated. Maize yield (kg ha-1) and some yield components were also calculated for different treatments. Results indicated that after harvesting, waterholding capacity increased significantly by 20% using dried water hyacinth, non-significantly by 10 and 5% using bean straw and compost, respectively, compared to control at 100% NP application rate. Field capacity increased by 37.5% using dried water hyacinth and bean straw and by 12.5% using compost compared to the control. Non-significant change was observed in soil EC (dSm-1) before planting and after harvesting. The application rate 100% NP showed the least bulk density values significantly decreased by 7.78% for compost, 4.44% for dried water hyacinth, and by 2.78% for beanstraw compared to the control. At application rates 50 and 100% NP, compost treatments provided the maximum available P and K in soil followed by dried water hyacinth then bean straw. At application rate 100% NP, yield of maize dry matter (kg ha-1) significantly increased by 120.34, 116.96 and 27.44% for dried water hyacinth, bean straw, compost, respectively. Seed yield (kg ha-1) increased significantly by 136.3, 135.85, and 33.63% for bean straw, dried water hyacinth, and compost, respectively.

Valorization of faba bean (Vicia faba) by-products

“…Crop residues left on the field can exert several positive effects on the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Faba bean straw has shown to increase the water holding capacity, the field capacity, and the cation exchange capacity of a sandy soil [79]. Straw retention in the soil significantly improved soil organic carbon content (SOC), while straw removal remarkably reduced SOC [80].…”

Nutrient use Efficiency in Calcareous Soil Amended by the Silicate, Humate and Compost

“…Obviously, K-Si, K-H and compost may enhanced the utilization efficiency of the N nutrient with compost being the most effective perhaps due to its long-term stability in soil and greater application dose. Compost can act as a supportive carrier for mineral fertilizers, which increase its efficiency compared to soluble humate and silicate salts quickly lost by leaching from soil [27,28].…”

“…Compost is resulted from the controlled biological decomposition of organic resources. Its organic matter content enhances soil chemical, physical and biological properties [27,28]. Despite compost is not a fertilizer, it can reduce the required dose of fertilizer, suppress soil-borne plant pathogens and efficient in improving plant growth [29].…”

Assessment of Water Hyacinth Biochar as a Soil Amendment for Sandy Soils

“…In Egypt, due to the negative impacts of water hyacinth on water courses beside that the large amount of money spent for their removal it becomes very important to find better solutions for the utilization of this aquatic plant (Gaurav, et al, 2020;Mohamed and Rashad, 2020). A number of weed control methods including physical/mechanical removal, chemical methods and biological control agents have been used in Egypt to eradicate or manage water hyacinth.…”