Abstract
The impact of pig slurry and poultry litter fertilization on soils depends on the conditions of use and the amounts applied. This study evaluated the effect of organic fertilizers after different application periods in different areas on the physical properties and organic carbon contents of a Rhodic Kandiudox, in Concordia, Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil. The treatments consisted of different land uses and periods of pig and poultry litter fertilization: silage maize (M7 years), silage maize (M20 years), annual ryegrass pasture (P3 years), annual ryegrass pasture (P15 years), perennial pasture (PP20 years), yerba mate tea (Mt20 years), native forest (NF), and native pasture without manure application (P0). The 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm soil layers were sampled and analyzed for total organic carbon, total nitrogen and soil physical properties such as density, porosity, aggregation, degree of flocculation, and penetration resistance. The organic carbon levels in the cultivated areas treated with organic fertilizer were even lower than in native forest soil. The organic fertilizers and studied management systems reduced the flocculation degree of the clay particles, and low macroporosity was observed in some areas. Despite these changes, a good soil physical structure was maintained, e.g., soil density and resistance to penetration were below the critical limits, whereas aggregate stability was high, which is important to reduce water erosion in these areas with rugged terrain in western Santa Catarina, used for pig and poultry farming.
Highlights
Pig and poultry production are agricultural activities of a number of small and medium-sized farms in Santa Catarina, especially in the western and southern regions of the state
The use of organic fertilizers such as pig slurry or poultry litter is a practice adopted by the farmers to dispose of these residues which, if used correctly, can improve the soil quality (Seganfredo, 2007)
The soil use systems consisted of areas with different crops, treated with organic fertilizer based on pig slurry and poultry litter (Table 1) in eight treatments: maize silage after 7 years of application (M7); maize silage after 20 years of application (M20); annual pasture after 3 years of application (P3); annual pasture after 15 years of application (P15); perennial pasture after 20 years of application and without grazing (PP20); yerba mate after 20 years of application (Mt20); native forest (NF) and native pasture without fertilization (P0)
Summary
Pig and poultry production are agricultural activities of a number of small and medium-sized farms in Santa Catarina, especially in the western and southern regions of the state. It is worth remembering that the addition of organic residues is fundamental for carbon (C) recycling in the soil and can improve its physical quality (Brancalião & Morais, 2008). In this case, the main physical property related to organic C dynamics is soil aggregation, indirectly influencing the density, porosity, water retention, and infiltration capacity, which are all fundamental for the productive capacity of the soil (Silva et al, 2006). In rice paddy fields in Korea, an increase in organic carbon levels and an improvement in the soil physical properties were observed, evidenced by a reduction in soil density and increase in the number of large-sized aggregates after 41 years of organic compost application, in comparison with mineral fertilizer application and an unfertilized control treatment (Lee et al, 2009). The positive effect of organic material on aggregate formation and stability is noteworthy (Tisdall & Oades, 1982), important in soils degraded by periodic tillage, and on the increase of mechanical resistance in areas under no tillage, which is attenuated (Mosaddeghi et al, 2009)
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