Effect Of Different Composts Research Articles

16S rRNA metagenomic profiling of red amaranth grown organically with different composts and soils

In recent years organic food is gaining popularity as it is believed to promote better human health and improve soil sustainability, but there are apprehensions about pathogens in organic produces. This study was designed to understand the effect of different composts and soils on the status of the microbiome present in organically grown leafy vegetables. 16S rRNA metagenomic profiling of the leaves was done, and data were analyzed. It was found that by adding composts, the OTU of the microbiome in the organic produce was higher than in the conventional produce. The beneficial genera identified across the samples included plant growth promoters (Achromobacter, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, Sphingobacterium) and probiotics (Lactobacillus), which were higher in the organic produce. Some pathogenic genera, viz., plant pathogenic bacteria (Cellvibrio, Georgenia) and human pathogenic bacteria (Corynebacterium, Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, Streptomyces) were also found but with relatively low counts in the organic produce. Thus, the present study highlights that organic produce has lesser pathogen contamination than the conventional produce.Key points• 16S rRNA metagenomics profiling done for organic red amaranth cultivar• Microbial richness varied with respect to the soil and compost type used• The ratio of beneficial to pathogenic genera improves with the addition of compostGraphical

Effects of Different Biochar and Effective Microorganism Agent Improvement Approaches on the Nutrient Release Characteristics and Potential of Compost

The nutrient release characteristics of four types of composts, pure municipal sewage sludge compost, corn straw biochar (CSB) improved compost, effective microorganism agent (EM) improved compost, and CSB+EM improved compost, in coastal wetland soil were examined through a soil incubation experiment. The effects of different composts on the spectral characteristics of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microbial community were also investigated. The results demonstrated that the compost additions could significantly reduce soil pH, while increasing soil electrical conductivity and contents of plant available nutrients (e.g., dissolved organic carbon, NH4+-N, NO3--N, available phosphorus, and available potassium). By comparing the nutrient release potential among the improved composts, the CSB+EM-improved compost (CSB+EM-C) evidently had the highest nutrient release potential. Furthermore, the DOM in CSB+EM-C amended soil exhibited a higher humification degree than that of the other composts. The high-throughput sequencing results indicated that the compost additions increased the relative abundances of dominant bacteria at the phylum level, such as the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. CSB+EM-C exhibited a greater potential to improve the relative abundance of these dominant bacteria phyla than other improved composts. Overall, among all the improvement approaches, the combined use of CSB and EM agent was the optimal composting strategy owing to its highest potentials of nutrient supply and soil quality improvement. The present findings can provide a solid scientific theoretical basis for establishing an effective technology strategy involving the combination of municipal sewage sludge utilization and degraded coastal wetland soil remediation.

Effect of Poultry Manure-Derived Compost on the Growth of eucalypts spp. Hybrid Clones

Interspecific hybrids of E. grandis × E. camaldulensis were generated to widen the plantation area. The aim of this study was to assess root capability and development for six different clones of eucalyptus grown in substrates made with three different composts derived from poultry manure. A factorial design was used to assess the effect of different composts on six growth variables. The analysis detected a greater effect from the genotype than the substrate. E. grandis × E. camaldulensis hybrid vegetative propagation was successful in alternative substrates formulated from composted poultry manure. GC8 was the genotype that showed the greatest differences for four the different variables among the substrates, being both the most sensitive and the one with the highest values for all parameters measured. The hybrids’ vegetative propagation was determined in alternative substrates formulated from poultry manure compost. The physicochemical characteristics of substrates composed of pine bark and sawdust provided adequate conditions for the growth of eucalyptus. GC8 was the genotype most sensitive to the use of different substrates, showing significant differences in the ratio of roots/callus, radicular dry weight, and cutting dry weight. These clones might be a good option for evaluating compost-based substrates for forestry applications.

Long-term amendment of four different compost types on a loamy silt Cambisol: impact on soil organic matter, nutrients and yields

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the long-term effects of different composts (urban organic waste compost (OWC), green waste compost (GWC), cattle manure compost (MC) and sewage sludge compost (SSC)) compared to mineral fertilisation on a loamy silt Cambisol, after a 7-year start-up period. The compost application rate was 175 kg N ha−1, with 80 kg mineral N ha−1 and without. Soil characteristics (soil organic carbon (SOC), carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio and soil pH), nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)) and crop yields were investigated between 1998 and 2012. SOC concentrations were increased by compost applications, being highest in the SSC treatments, as for soil pH. N contents were significantly higher with compost amendments compared to mineral fertilisation. The highest calcium-acetate-lactate (CAL)-extractable P concentrations were measured in the SSC treatments, and the highest CAL-extractable K concentrations in the MC treatments. Yields after compost amendment for winter barley and spring wheat were similar to 40 kg mineral N ha−1 alone, whereas maize had comparable yields to 80 kg mineral N ha−1 alone. We conclude that compost amendment improves soil quality, but that the overall carbon (C) and N cycling merits more detailed investigation.

Effects of Different Types of Composts on Soil Characteristics and Morphological Traits of Two Dry Rangeland Species

Today, environmental protection and safe crop production are very important. The management of soil elements by compost is considered as important for sustainable agriculture. The mode of action of the composts is very different between various plant species. To evaluate the effects of different composts on soil structural and chemical properties and on morphological traits of two dry rangeland species (atriplex; Atriplex lentiformis and mesquite; Prosopos juliflora), a study was conducted in Fars Province of Iran during the year 2010. The study was a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included compost types: solid (SC) and liquid compost or compost tea (LC), solid-liquid mixture (XSL) and control (Con; non used compost) as the first factor, and two pasture plant species as the second factor. The results showed that the compost application had significant and positive effects on morphological traits such as plant height, stem diameter, plant volume, crown length, width, and area, and caused 15, 51.18, 70.67, 34.18, 18.35, and 64.94% increase on these morphological traits, respectively. Although soil acidity was not significantly affected by compost and species, the effects of compost were significant on organic matter percentage, soil phosphorous, and potassium contents. Soil nitrogen percentage was affected by both species and compost. Compost application caused a decrease in the amount of sodium compared with the control. Overall, the results of this study suggested that within the compost types, liquid compost was an advisable biofertilizer in a similar climate. Furthermore, the LC and the XSL are recommended for improving the morphological traits and the soil characteristics, respectively.

Effects of Sewage Sludge and Acacia dealbata Composts on Soil Biochemical and Chemical Properties

We studied the effects of different composts made of different mixtures of sewage sludge and Acacia plants on the soil biochemical and chemical properties. The proportions of mixed acacia plant and sewage sludge were: AL1/1 (50% acacia/50% sewage sludge), AL1/2 (33.3% acacia/66.6% sewage sludge), and AL1/3 (25% acacia/75% sewage sludge). Composts were added to the soil at a rate of 2%. Soil samples were collected during 150 days and analyzed for soil enzyme activities and chemical properties. An unamended soil was used as the control. Compared to the AL1/1 treatment, soil dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase and β-glucosidase activities decreased respectively by 14.6%, 15.4%, 12.5%, and 19.3% for AL1/2 treatment and by 20.7%, 25.6%, 23.7%, and 28.4% for AL1/3 treatment. Soil water-soluble carbohydrates and polyphenols were the greatest in AL1/1. The lowest contents of heavy metals in the AL1/1 compost may be responsible for the increase of soil biochemical and chemical properties.

Induced soil microbial suppression of banana fusarium wilt disease using compost and biofertilizers to improve yield and quality

Banana production has been severely hindered by fusarium wilt disease. The application of organic amendments to soil has been proposed as a strategy for management of the soil borne disease. The one-year effects of different composts and bio-organic fertilizer (BIO) on banana fusarium wilt disease incidence, crop yield, crop quality, and the soil microflora were investigated in field condition. A plate count method, real-time PCR, and PCR-DGGE were used to investigate the soil microflora. The BIO application more effectively controlled fusarium wilt disease. The highest total soluble sugars (TSS) to titratable acidity (TSS/TA) ratios, banana yield, culturable and total soil bacteria populations, and culturable actinobacteria population were observed from the BIO treatment. The ratio of bacteria to fungi (B/F) and actinomycetes to fungi (A/F) values from the plate count method and the B/F value from the real-time PCR analysis were also highest in the soils collected from the BIO application. Based on PCR-DGGE results, the soil bacteria structure was significantly altered in the soils collected from BIO treatment compared to the other treatments. All the results confirmed that application of bio-organic fertilizer could more effectively control fusarium wilt disease in field conditions by improving soil microbial communities.

The influence of compost on carbohydrates and minerals content in the mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

A study of the effect of different composts: horse manure and broiler chicken manure and the influence of flushes during the growing cycle on the carbohydrates and mineral composition of mushrooms (<i>Agaricus bisporus</i>) was carried out. In this study the strain Somycel 11 was used. It was found that mannitol, glucose and fructose contents in mushrooms growing on broiler chicken manure were significantly higher than on horse manure. Noticeable differences of macro- and microelement contents were observed, depending on the size of the fruit-body, flushes and type of compost. Phosphorus content in mushroom tissue of the first three flushes growing on horse manure was 2.7 times higher than in those from broiler chicken manure. Boron level in mushrooms in all flushes growing on broiler chicken manure was four times higher as compared with that on horse manure.

Changing of some parameters of the soil-plant system as an effect of different composts

Composting is an alternative way for practicing site-specific and environmental friendly plant nutrient supply. Our aim was to study the effect of different composts on plant and soil system. Pot experiment with acidic sandy soil blended with three composts in five (0%, 5%, 10%, 25% and 50%) proportion was set up. Our experimental plant was perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). After the harvest of ryegrass we measured the fresh and dry weight of harvested plants, the P-, K-, Mg-contents, and the pH of soils.The three composts had different effect on dry weight production and on nutrient-supply of soil. We established that one of the compost had significantly larger effect on the dry weight of ryegrass compared to the others. In this study we proved that favourable compost/soil proportion is different in the case of different composts.

Effects of Different Composts on Soil Nitrogen Balance and Dynamics in a Biennial Crop Succession

Italy is faced with increasing pressures to reduce the amount of refuse disposed of in landfills. Compost represents a contribution to solve this problem. To give information for the correct management of composts as nitrogen fertiliser, it is necessary to assess their nitrogen release rhythm compared with the crop needs. This semi-field trial investigated the performance of three different composts coming from food processing industry residues and municipal waste (C1), green cuttings residues and the organic fraction of municipal waste solid residues (C2), municipal sludge and green cuttings residues (C3) as nitrogen source on a two-year crop succession. The influence of compost used as N-fertilizer was studied in lysimeters over a period of 2 years (2003-2005). The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Padova University Faculty of Agricultural Sciences on potato (cv. Agata) and two catch crops (ryegrass - Lolium multiflorum Lam., cereal rye - Secale cereale L.), using three types of compost as unique nitrogen source, compared with an unfertilized control. The compost N-level was 200 kg ha−1 per year, applied prior to the potato crop. The experiment had a completely randomized design, with 12 replications. Nitric nitrogen concentration was measured every one-two weeks in the soil throughout the trial period. Crop yields were measured and samples of produce were taken to be analysed for N concentration and calculate N uptake. With the only exception of compost derived from food processing industry residues and municipal waste (C1), immediately after the first application, compost fertilization did not increase the nitrogen concentration in the soil compared to the unfertilized treatment. Potato yield, in both seasons, was increased by C1 application, while C2 and C3 did not induce significant differences with respect to the control. No significant differences in yield and N uptake were found in catch crops. Taking the whole crop succession, the application of compost maintained the apparent N balance (input-uptake) at around −100 kg ha−1, while it exceeded 400 kg of deficit without fertilization. The compost nitrogen mineralization rate was estimated at around 36-44%, without differences among compost types.

Long‐term effects of compost amendment of soil on functional and structural diversity and microbial activity

AbstractWe studied the effects of applying different composts (urban organic waste, green waste, manure and sewage sludge), mineral fertilizer and compost plus mineral fertilizer on chemical, biological and soil microbiological parameters over a 12‐year period. The organic C and total N levels in soils were increased by all compost and compost + N treatments. Microbial biomass C was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased for some compost treatments. In addition, basal respiration and the metabolic quotient (qCO2) were significantly higher in all soils that had received sewage sludge compost. The Shannon diversity index (H), based on community level physiological profiling, showed a higher consumption of carbon sources in soils treated with compost and compost + N compared with the control. The utilization of different guilds of carbon sources varied amongst the treatments (compost, compost + N or mineral fertilizer). Cluster analysis of polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis patterns showed two major clusters, the first containing the mineral fertilization and compost treatments, and the second, the composts + N treatments. No differences in bacterial community structure could be determined between the different types of compost. However, the results suggest that long‐term compost treatments do have effects on the soil biota. The results indicate that the effects on the qCO2 may be due to shifts in community composition. In this study, it was not possible to distinguish with certainty between the effects of different composts except for compost derived from sewage sludge.

Effect of different composts on growth and nitrogen composition of Chinese mustard in an acid red soil

A pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different kinds of composts on the growth and nitrogen (N) composition of Chinese mustard in acid red soil. There were six treatments including a lime‐chemical fertilizer treatment and a control plot of conventional chemical fertilizer. The plants were harvested 37 days after transplanting and the growth and N composition of these plants were measured. The soil was also sampled, and selected chemical properties were determined after harvesting the plants. The results show that different composts affected the growth and soil chemical properties significantly. The pH, nitrate nitrogen (NO3‐N), ammonium N (NH4‐N), electrical conductivity (EC), and 1 N ammonium acetate exchangeable potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) were all significantly affected by the compost treatment. The growth of plants in the control treatment was significantly lower than that of the compost‐treated and lime‐treated plants, suggesting that the acid Oxisol is unfavorable for the growth of Chinese mustard. Some composts could increase the growth of Chinese mustard. The lime‐treated plants had higher concentrations of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b than those of the compost‐treated plants. There were no significant differences between treatments in the concentrations of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, however, there was a close correlation between the total chlorophyll concentrations and the shoot yield of the plants. The NO3‐N, soluble reduced N, and insoluble N concentrations in leaf blades and petioles of Chinese mustard varied significantly according to the compost applied. The hog dung compost B could adequately supply nutrients especially N for plant growth and caused little NO3‐N accumulation in plant tissues.

Microbial biomass C and alkaline phosphatase activity in two compost amended soils

Addition of compost from various sources and of different maturity may affect the soil biochemical properties. A field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different composts, spring-applied alone or in combination with ammonium nitrate (AN), on microbial biomass C (MBC) and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in two soils cropped with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. 'Messier') in eastern Quebec, Canada. The experiment was conducted in 1994 and 1995 at different sites on a Kamouraska clay (Orthic Humic Gleysol) and a Saint-André sandy loam (Fragic Humo-Ferric Podzol). Treatments included composts at 180 kg N ha−1, composts at 90 kg N ha−1 supplemented with AN, AN at 90 kg N ha−1, and an unfertilized control. Soil MBC and APA were measured 30 d after compost application and at wheat harvest. Additional sampling was made the following spring. Generally, larger MBC and APA values were found at wheat harvest in soils treated with composts alone than with AN alone or unfertilized. These effects were related to soil C content and climatic conditions. Compost type affected soil biochemical properties which could be attributed to the total C supply and material maturation state. Compost addition constitutes an efficient short-term way to promote soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity in cold climates. Key words: Compost, fertilizer, microbial biomass, soil enzyme, wheat