Soil Biological Activity as Influenced by Green Waste Compost and Cattle Manure

Abstract

A laboratory incubation research was carried out to evaluate the effect of green waste compost (GWC) and cattle manure (CM), the traditional organic amendment, on soil quality indicators. The CM and GWC were applied to a sandy soil (Xeropsamment) at rates corresponding to 10 and 40 Mg ha−1. The pH, DOC, ATP, dehydrogenase activity and basal respiration in soil were monitored during a 60d incubation period. The results show that soil pH and DOC were affected at modest levels over the incubation by any of the two rates of both amendments. The ATP, dehydrogenase activity and respiration were enhanced by CM. Increase in application rates of CM from 10 to 40 Mg ha−1 greatly increased the biological parameters studied. The high levels of ATP and dehydrogenase resulting from addition of CM began to decline towards the end of incubation. At the highest addition rate, CM maintained higher levels of dehydrogenase activity compared to the other treatments over the entire experimental period, indicating a biochemical amelioration of the soil. Compared to CM, a less clear relationship between the GWC amendment and the tested biological parameters was found. Dehydrogenase and ATP in GWC treated soil were higher than control respectively only on the 15th and 30th day of incubation. Green waste compost showed a decreasing efficiency of soil respiration, particularly at the highest addition rate.