Short-term effects of organic amendments on properties of a Vertisol.
Application of organic waste products as amendments has been proposed as a management option whereby soil quality of Vertisols could be improved. An incubation experiment was, therefore, conducted for 4 weeks under controlled temperature conditions (30 degrees C) to identify those potential organic amendments that might improve the quality of a Vertisol. Twelve organic amendments were investigated: cotton gin trash from three sources, cattle manure from two sources, green waste compost, chicken manure from three sources including a commercial product, biosolids and two commercial liquefied vermicomposts. Except for the biosolids, no other organic amendments had any effect on soil microbial biomass and respiration. Compared with NO3-N levels in the control, there was a 50% decrease in soil amended with 10 t ha(-1) green waste compost (65 microg g(-1)). The three different types of chicken manures increased the NO3-N concentration from 75% (228 microg g(-1)) to 226% (424 microg g(- 1)) over the control. Approximate recovery of P added by the amendment as resin-extractable soil P was 53% for cattle manure and 39% for chicken manure. Application of cattle manure resulted in a 22% increase in soil-exchangeable K over levels found in control. Organic amendments application also resulted in a significant increase in exchangeable Na concentration. Some of the organic wastes, viz. cotton gin trash (10 t ha(-1)), cattle manure (10 t ha(-1)), biosolids (10 t ha(-1)) and composted chicken manure (3 t ha(-1)) have value as a source of nutrients to soil and hence showed potential to improve Vertisol properties.
Ghosh
Subhadip
S
Agronomy and Soil Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia. subhadip00@rediffmail.com
Lockwood
Peter
P
Daniel
Heiko
H
King
Kathleen
K
Hulugalle
Nilantha
N
Kristiansen
Paul
P
D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D002417:Cattle; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D003368:Gossypium; D008372:Manure; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D008372:Manure; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil