Effect Of Different Organic Fertilizers Research Articles

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER PLUS INDIGENOUS MICROORGANISM (IMO) ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF LOWLAND RICENSIC RC 160 VARIETY

The use of organic fertilizers has become increasingly popular due to their potential to improve soil fertility, reduce environmental pollution, and enhance crop yields. This study was carried out at Purok 2, Kipalili San Isidro Davao del Norte, Philippines, from December 2021 to April 2022. This experimental study aimed to investigate the effect of different organic fertilizers plus Indigenous microorganism (IMO) in the lowland with 160 rice variety, specifically, the study aimed: (1.) to determine the effect of different organic fertilizers plus Indigenous Microorganism (IMO) on the characteristics of rice NSIC RC 160 variety and yield components. (2.) to identify which treatment will give the optimum yield of rice NSIC RC 160 variety as affected by different organic fertilizer plus Indigenous Microorganism (IMO). (3.) to evaluate the economic profitability of rice NSIC RC 160 variety as affected by different organic fertilizer plus Indigenous Microorganism (IMO). Additionally, the study was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with five treatments and three replications, Treatments were as follows. T1 (RR of NPK) T2 (Vermicast + IMO), T3 (Pig manure + IMO), T4 (Chicken Manure + IMO), T5 (Vermicast + Pig Manure + Chicken Manure + IMO). The different data gathered were statistically analyzed using the Analysis of Variance for comparison of means. However, results revealed that Organic Fertilizer plus Indigenous Microorganism (IMO), showed highly significant result in 2 of the data weight of 1000 grains and grain yield. The plant height, number of Panicle length and number of tillers, number of productive tillers showed no significant difference. In terms of economic analysis result revealed that treatment 4 with an RPC Value of 105. 64 % obtained the highest percentage of return on Production while T3 obtained the lowest RPC value. These findings suggest that organic fertilizer can be a viable alternative to chemical fertilizers in promoting sustainable rice production. Further studies on the long-term effects of organic fertilizer on soil quality and plant health are recommended. KEYWORDS: rice, organic fertilizer, Indigenous Microorganism (IMO), NSIC RC 160 variety

Effect of Different Organic Fertilizer on the Growth and Yield of Broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italic)

The field experiment was conducted at Nabogram Agro Farm, Mannannagar, Sadar, Noakhali during the period from October 2020 to January 2021 to evaluate the effect of different organic fertilizers on the growth and yield of broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italica). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisting of five treatments with three replications. The five treatments were T0 (No manure), T1 (Cowdung 5 t ha-1), T2 (Trichocompost 5 t ha-1), T3 (Vermicompost 5 t ha-1), T4 (Cowdung 50% + Trichocompost 50%) and T5 (Cowdung 50% + Vermicompost 50%). Data were collected in respect of plant growth and yield indicating characters at harvest. All the recorded parameters were statistically significant. For 100% curd initiation, maximum time (61 days) was recorded from T0 (Control), while minimum days (55 days) were recorded from T2 (Trichocompost 5 t ha-1). At harvest, the maximum plant height (64.70 cm), leaf length (35.05 cm), leaf breadth (32.32 cm), number of leaves per plant (14.66), the weight of full plant (1158.27 g), the marketable weight of curd (496.67 g), individual curd weight (320.67 g), diameter of curd (13.432 cm), marketable yield (19.242 t ha-1) were found in treatment T5 (Cowdung 50% + Vermicompost 50%) whereas lowest data recorded from treatment T0 (Control). So it is observed that T5 (Cowdung 50% + Vermicompost 50%) provides the highest results which may be more economical for the farmer according to the findings of this experiment. Vol. 10, No. 3, December 2023: 237-245

Chemical fertilizer reduction combined with organic fertilizer affects the soil microbial community and diversity and yield of cotton.

The soil microbial community plays an important role in modulating cotton soil fertility. However, the effects of chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer on soil chemical properties, microbial community structure, and crop yield and quality in arid areas are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of different organic fertilizers on soil microbial community structure and diversity and cotton growth and yield. High-throughput sequencing was used to study the soil bacteria and fungi in different growth stages of cotton. The field fertilization experiment had five treatments. The results indicated that the treatments of chemical fertilizer reduction combined with organic fertilizer significantly increased soil available nitrogen and phosphorus in cotton field. There were significant differences in the abundance of the bacterial and fungal communities in the dominant phyla among the treatments. At the phyla level, there were not significantly different in the diversity of bacteria and fungi among treatments. There were significant differences in the composition and diversity of bacterial and fungal communities during the entire cotton growth period (p = 0.001). The rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community structure was significantly affected by soil TK, NH4+, AK, TP, AN, and NO3-. The different fertilization treatments strongly influenced the modular structure of the soil bacterial and fungal community co-occurrence network. A reduction in chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer significantly improved cotton stem diameter and seed yield, and the effect of the biological organic fertilizer on plant growth and yield formation was greater than that of ordinary organic fertilizer. This study provide a scientific and technical basis for the establishment of environmentally friendly green fertilization technology for cotton in arid areas and the promotion of sustainable development of cotton industry.

Improving the physiological indices and biological yield of different Atriplex species with organic fertilizers in different irrigation regimes

Because of water crises, the cultivation of forage plants is greatly important in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In order to study the effect of different organic fertilizers and irrigation regimes on the growth and biochemical responses of different Atriplex species, this experiment was performed as a factorial split with three replications in the city of Bandar Abbas in 2017-2018. The main factor included three irrigation regimes (irrigation at 80, 60, and 40% of field capacity) and the sub-factor were different sources of fertilizer (poultry manure and sheep manure about 5 tons per hectare, and chemical fertilizer) and different species of Atriplex (A. canascens, A. leucoclada, and A. lelentiformis). Based on the results, increasing drought stress increased sodium (Na) and proline of the leaf and decreased the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and soluble carbohydrates. In irrigation of 40% of field capacity, the highest amount of leaf nitrogen was observed in sheep manure (1.47%), representing a significant increase compared to the chemical fertilizer. In irrigation of 80% of field capacity, the highest amount of leaf phosphorus (0.222%) was observed in chemical fertilizer. The highest levels of catalase and peroxides were obtained in poultry and sheep manure. Also, in the irrigation of 40% of field capacity, poultry manure and then sheep manure could show higher levels of soluble protein in the leaf, respectively. In general, this study showed the successful effects of organic fertilizers on increasing nutrient uptake and physiological traits and improving the biological yield of Atriplex.

Organic fertilization and mycorrhization increase copper phytoremediation by Canavalia ensiformis in a sandy soil

Organic fertilization and mycorrhization can increase the phytoremediation of copper-contaminated soils. The time of vermicomposting alters the properties of vermicompost, which can affect copper's availability and uptake. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effect of different organic fertilizers and mycorrhization on copper-contaminated soil phytoremediation. The soil was contaminated with 100 mg Cu kg-1 dry soil and received mineral fertilizer (MIN), bovine manure (CM), and vermicompost produced in 45 days (V45) or 120 days (V120), all in doses equivalent to 40 mg kg-1 dry soil of phosphorus. Half of the jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) plants were inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus clarus. At plant flowering, the dry mass and concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, P, and K in the soil, solution, and plant tissue were determined, in addition to mycorrhizal colonization, nodulation, photosynthetic pigments, and oxidative stress enzyme activity. Organic fertilization increased plant growth and copper accumulation in aerial tissues. These effects were more evident with the V120, making it suitable for use in copper phytoextraction. Mycorrhization increased root and nodule dry mass, making it recommended for phytostabilization. C. ensiformis nodulation in Cu-contaminated soils depends on vermicompost fertilization and mycorrhization. Hence, the copper phytoremediation by C. ensiformis is increased by using organic fertilization and mycorrhization.

Characterization of the volatile compounds in white radishes under different organic fertilizer treatments by HS‐GC‐IMS with PCA

AbstractOrganic agriculture and organic produce are attracting increasing attention around the world. In order to explore the effects of different organic fertilizers on the volatile flavour compounds of white radishes, six experimental groups were designed as follows: no fertilizer group (CK) and conventional chemical fertilizer group (CF) as the control, pig manure organic fertilizer (PMOF), sheep manure organic fertilizer (SMOF), earthworm manure organic fertilizer (EMOF), and earthworm manure organic fertilizer with the microbial agent (EMOF+M) as the organic groups. Headspace–gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS‐GC‐IMS) was used to detect the volatile flavour compounds of white radishes under six different planting conditions. A total of 26 volatile flavour compounds were identified qualitatively and the common characteristic flavour compounds of organic and conventional white radishes were determined, as well as the differences in the composition and content of volatile flavour compounds in different white radishes. The flavour fingerprint of white radish was established, and principal component analysis (PCA) clearly showed that the samples in a relatively separate space could be well‐distinguished. It provided a theoretical basis for the establishment and improvement of the evaluation system of volatile flavour substances of white radish, which was of great significance in the high‐quality production of white radish and the safe and sustainable development of organic vegetable industry.

Effects of different organic fertilizers on growth and yield potential of Solanum melongena (eggplant) in Malaysia

Eggplant is a vegetable crop where its growth rate and yield quality are largely influenced by fertilizer application. The application of organic fertilizer has high economic advantages when compared to inorganic fertilizer. The study aimed to determine the growth of eggplant and quantify its fruit yield based on the fresh weight as affected by different organic fertilization. The experiment was conducted in the Greenhouse 3, UiTM Malacca Branch, Campus Jasin from March to July 2022 with 4 treatments and 4 replications by using the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments consisted of T0 (control), T1 (252g chicken dung), T2 (252g vermicompost), and T3 (252g biochar) with two split applications. The results showed that the application of chicken dung had significantly increased the plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, plant fresh weight and dry weight, and number of flowers compared to the other treatments. This study confirmed that chicken dung was the best organic fertilizer for eggplant’s growth and yield potential.

Farklı Organik Gübrelerin Ispanakta Bitki Gelişimi, Verim, Kalite Özellikleri ve Element İçerikleri Üzerine Etkileri

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different organic fertilizers on plant growth, yield, quality properties and element contents in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). The research was carried out under open field conditions in Bolu province. In the study, Matador spinach variety was used and seven different applications were examined. The applications were as follows: 1) Control, 2) Chicken manure, 3) Turkey manure, 4) Sheep manure, 5) Cattle manure, 6) Vermicompost and 7) Chemical fertilizer. The experiment was established in randomized complete block design with three replications. According to the research findings, significant differences were found among the applications. In general, organic fertilizer applications significantly increased yield, plant height, plant wet weight, plant dry weight, dry matter content, number of marketable leaves, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and selenium contents of the plant in comparison with control and chemical fertilizer. The highest yield was determined in cattle manure application. It was observed that cattle manure increased the yield by 88.08% compared to the control and increased the yield by 41.16% compared to the chemical fertilizer. In organic fertilizer applications, heavy metal contents such as arsenic, chrome, cobalt, and nickel were found to be lower than the control and, aluminum and cadmium contents were found to be lower than chemical fertilizer. As a result, it was determined that organic fertilizers examined in the study have positive effects on plant growth, yield, quality properties and element contents of spinach and organic fertilizers can be used successfully for sustainable agriculture in spinach cultivation.

Growth, yield and microbial contamination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown under two types of cultivation system as influenced by different organic fertilizers

Increasing popularity of lettuce in the tropics is becoming evident due to its widespread use in health and nutrition. Lettuce, a ready-to-eat vegetable is expected to be safe and of good quality. A study was conducted to assess the effect of different organic fertilizers on the growth, yield and microbial contamination of lettuce grown under two types of cultivation system. This was carried out in a combined analysis arranged in randomized complete block design with the following treatments: without organic fertilizer (control), cow manure, fresh chicken dung, dried chicken dung, vermicast and goat manure. Results showed that lettuce grown under structure performed better than in open field as manifested by early heading, bigger polar head size, longer and broader leaves and more compact head. Among the organic fertilizers used, dried chicken dung and vermicast enhanced the yield and yield components of lettuce. Microbial contaminants like E. coli were detected in soils applied with organic fertilizers. The highest microbial count was recorded in fresh chicken dung-treated soils in both open field and under structure. E. coli contamination in lettuce leaves was more evident in the open field than under structure. Regardless of soil and crop samples, treated or not, positive detection of Salmonella was observed.

Effects of Different Organic Fertilizers on Sweet Potato Growth and Rhizosphere Soil Properties in Newly Reclaimed Land

It is well known that soil fertility is poor in most newly reclaimed land, which has been developed as an effective way to compensate farmland occupation. In order to ameliorate the soil quality of the newly reclaimed land, this study investigated the effect of commercial organic fertilizer (COF) (0.45, 0.90, 1.35 and 1.80 kg/m2), sheep manure (SM) (0.45, 0.75, 1.05 and 1.35 kg/m2), mushroom residue (MR) (1.50, 2.25, 3.00 and 3.75 kg/m2), and chemical compound fertilizer (CCF) (0.075 kg/m2) on the growth of sweet potato, soil pH, organic matter content (OMC), available phosphate, total nitrogen, available potassium, exchangeable Ca and Mg, as well as bacterial and fungal microbial composition during 2019–2021. The results from this study indicated that the COF, SM, MR, and CCF did not significantly change the soil pH, but significantly increased the OMC, which has been regarded as the most significant soil quality parameter. This suggests that the soil amendments used in this study have great potential to improve the soil quality in newly reclaimed land. However, these soil amendments exhibited a differential effect on sweet potato biomass, nutrient elements and the microbial community of the newly reclaimed soil, which depend on the kind and concentration of organic/chemical fertilizer, the application time, as well as the plant and soil parameters. The change was also observed on the bacterial and fungal soil microbial community, which provides us with a microbial basis to understand why organic fertilizer has a great effect on soil improvement. Overall, our results suggest that soil amended with organic fertilizers has great potential for the production of sweet potato in immature soil from the new reclamation land.

The effect of organic fertilizers on the yield components of corn plant, protein and starch content of grain

The importance of organic fertilizers for sustainable agricultural production is an undeniable fact. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of different organic fertilizers on the growth and quality properties of maize plants. Three different types of organic fertilizers; cattle manure, vermicompost and leonardite, and their doses of 2.500, 5.000, 7.500 and 10.000 kgha-1 were used in the experiment. In addition, conventional production and non-fertilized production were used as control applications. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiments were repeated to assess the residual effects of the treatments. Fertilizers were applied in 2018 to determine the residual effects of organic fertilizer applications in the second year. In the research; plant height, ear diameter, ear grain weight, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, protein ratio, oil ratio and starch ration were examined. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of different organic fertilizers on the yield components and grain content of the corn plant. These features varied between 180.72-157.87 cm, 39.38-33.59 mm, 117.1-62.2 g, 261.2-237.1 g, 4416.8-1712.9 kg ha-1, 7.8-5.9%, 2.5-2.1% and 74.7-73.8%, respectively. According to the results, the 2500 kgha-1 and 5000 kgha-1 doses of vermicompost had the highest values for the oil ratio and protein ratio, on the other hand the leonardite application of 10.000 kgha-1 for the starch ration had the highest value. Generally, conventional fertilizer application had the highest values for yield components.

Early evaluation of use of fermented chicken manure products in practice of apple nutrient management

According to the Green Deal efforts, the importance and relevance of organic fertilization will increase in the near future. Therefore, the investigation of the effects of different organic fertilizers on soil productivity and nutrient supply is a priority area of agricultural research. Organic fertilizer experiment was conducted in an eight-year-old apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchard at Debrecen-Pallag. In the trial Pinova cultivar was used. In this study, two different fermented chicken manure products were added to the soil (in 20 cm depth) to test their effects on soil nutrient status, plant uptake and fruit quality. It was found that the applied treatments slightly increased the pH and nutrient levels in almost all cases, but significant effect was not observed in all treatments compared to the control. Leaf nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) were measured in the experiment. Leaf nutrient status was not affected by the fermented chicken manure treatments. However, used treatments had strong effects on the fruit characteristics and inner parameters, such as fruit diameter and Brix value. Moreover, it was established that the applied organic fertilizers increased the yield significantly.

Combined Organic and Inorganic Fertilization Can Enhance Dry Direct-Seeded Rice Yield by Improving Soil Fungal Community and Structure

Direct seeding of rice has emerged as a strategy for sustainable rice (Oryza sativa L.) production because of advantages, such as fewer production links, labor and farmland water-saving, easy mechanization, and high economic benefits. However, few studies have investigated the effects of different organic fertilizers on soil fungal community and rice yield in dry direct-seeded paddy fields. In order to select the best combination of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer, field experiments were used to evaluate the role of no fertilizer (F0); CF, conventional NPK fertilizer, OF1, biochar + conventional NPK fertilizer; OF2, seaweed bioorganic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilizer; OF3, Jishiwang bioorganic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilizer; and OF4, attapulgite organic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilizer on microbial structure and diversity and rice yield. Under Jishiwang bioorganic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilization, the number of fungal OTUs was 365 and ranged from 1 to 9. The Ascomycota relative abundance was increased by 28.25% under Jishiwang bioorganic fertilizer application compared with CF, but the Basidiomycota decreased. Sordariomycetes and Leotiomycetes relative abundances were increased under organic fertilization. The relative abundance of dung saprotrophs, fungal parasites, and leaf saprotrophs was increased under organic fertilizer compared to CF, and animal pathogens decreased, but organic fertilizers also increased plant pathogens. Rice yield was increased under Jishiwang bioorganic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilizer and was positively correlated with Ascomycota and Sordariomycetes relative abundances. The use of Jishiwang bioorganic fertilizer + conventional NPK fertilizer improves fungal community diversity and rice yield.

The effect of different organic fertilizers in the removal of heavy metals from the soil and water

The effect of different organic fertilizers in the removal of heavy metals from the soil and water

Soil properties under different supplementary organic fertilizers in a restoration site after kaolin mining in the Eastern Amazon

Mining is one of the economic activities that most degrade ecosystems, and the rehabilitation of such environments in the Brazilian Amazon is still a challenge. The first step is to recover the soil quality for plant reestablishment. In this study was evaluated the effect of different organic fertilizers, supplementary to chemical fertilizers, on the physical and chemical attributes of a minesoil after kaolin mining in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil. Nine trenches measuring 1 m × 40 m and 1 m in depth were opened in a reconstructed area after kaolin mining. They were 6 m apart from each other and filled with topsoil from areas destined for new mine pits. Then 40 cm × 40 cm × 40 cm pits were opened along the trenches. They were 1.5 m apart from each other within each trench, and 400 g pit−1 of simple superphosphate, 130 g pit−1 of urea and 130 g pit−1 of potassium chloride were applied in five treatments: three treatments along the trenches, in the planting rows with; i) addition of topsoil; ii) sawdust; iii) cattle manure, and two treatments between the planting rows; iv) sawdust; and v) without sawdust. Two hundred and fifty seedlings of six heliophilous tree species were planted, being randomly distributed. One hundred and forty-four disturbed (original structure altered) and 144 undisturbed (structure equal to the original soil) samples were collected for evaluation of the physical and chemical attributes of minesoil. Besides soil, other variables were assessed: plants abundance, height, diameter at breast height as well as litter stock. The treatments did not differ significantly in relation to the effects on abundance, height, diameter and litter stock, either in the planting rows or between them. The organic matter was higher in the Manure treatment at depths of 0.0–0.1 and 0.2–0.4 m. The sawdust coverage between trenches increased Ca and base saturation, but decreased N due to the high Carbon/Nitrogen ratio. Planting using trenches, topsoil, chemical and organic fertilization and sawdust coverage resulted in good physical and chemical properties of the soil and enabled greater efficiency in restoring the area mined for kaolin in the Amazon.

Effects of Different Organic Fertilizers on Improving Soil from Newly Reclaimed Land to Crop Soil

The rapid development of cities in the recent 10 years caused a reduction in the cultivated land area, which only accounts for 14% of the total land area in China. Land development and reclamation have been regarded as an effective way to compensate farmland occupation. However, most of the newly reclaimed land has poor soil fertility and suitability; in some cases, the production capacity is only 10–30% of the occupied farmland. In order to ameliorate the soil quality of the newly reclaimed land, this study evaluated the effects of commercial organic fertilizer (0.75, 1.50, and 2.25 kg/m2), mushroom residue (1.50, 2.25, and 3.00 kg/m2), biogas slurry (150, 225, and 300 kg/m2), vegetable cake (0.30 and 0.60 kg/m2), and chemical compound fertilizer (37.50 g/m2) on the pH, moisture content and organic matter content (OMC), available phosphate, total nitrogen, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and number of total bacteria and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, as well as the growth of maize seedlings. The results from this study indicate that the soil quality (OMC is an indicator) was ameliorated by chemical and organic fertilizers, in particular commercial organic fertilizers, which caused a 9.35–16.35% increase in moisture content, a 11.56–18.72% increase in pH, a 1.73–2.15 fold increase in OMC, a 338.44–491.41% increase in available P, a 36.80–48.14% increase in total N, a 95.32–128.34% increase in alkaline hydrolysis N, a 92.57–178.38% increase in total bacterial numbers, and a 7.57–20.87 fold increase in microbial biomass carbon compared with the control. The pot experiment further indicated that soil amended with commercial organic fertilizers caused a 20.35–30.55% increase in the height and a 12.50–16.67% increase in the total dry weight of maize seedlings. In addition, representative strains with the ability to dissolve phosphorus and fix nitrogen were successfully isolated using the culture method, and were then identified based on colony morphological observation and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, which help us to not only understand why organic fertilizer has great effect on soil improvement, but also provides beneficial microbial resources for further study.

Effects of Different Organic Fertilizers on Some Bioactive Compounds and Yield of Cherry Tomato Cultivars

The tomato is an important fruit, both fresh and processed, for human nutrition worldwide, and plays a significant role in agriculture. Especially in the agricultural system where chemical fertilizers are not used, there may be significant differences in the quantity and quality of tomatoes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of four types of fertilizer applications (microbial, compost, mixture [2 t da−1 manure +2 t da−1 compost +300 g 100 L−1 microbial fertilizer], and manure) on some bioactive compounds and yield of three hybrid cherry tomato cultivars (Pekbal F1, Yeniceri F1, and Inci F1) obtained from two Turkish seed companies. Interactions between cultivars and fertilizers were investigated for qualitative and quantitative parameters. The highest yields were obtained by application of the compost in Inci, Pekbal, and Yeniceri (1780, 1790, and 668 kg da−1, respectively). Inci F1 had the highest total soluble solids (8.82%) followed by Yeniceri (7.64%) and Pekbal (6.90%). Yeniceri was the least-producing cultivar with four different fertilizer applications. Another important parameter, vitamin C, was highest (32.18 mg 100 g−1) in Inci F1 followed by Yeniceri (30.44 mg 100 g−1) and Pekbal (30.20 mg 100 g−1). Pekbal and Inci cultivars were the most productive under the different applications. Among the organic fertilizers used in this study, compost application was the most productive for all three cherry tomato cultivars.

Effects of Different Organic Fertilizers and Fertilization Method on Red Pepper Growth and soil Chemical Properties

Effects of Different Organic Fertilizers and Fertilization Method on Red Pepper Growth and soil Chemical Properties

The Effect of Different Organic Fertilizers on Yield and Soil and Crop Nutrient Concentrations

At present, organic fertilizers are not widely used in intensive arable agriculture, and not much is known about their effects on crop nutrition. In a field experiment at Rothamsted, UK, anaerobic digestate (AD), compost, farmyard manure (FYM), straw, and mixes of amendment + straw, were applied at: 1, 1.75, 2.5 or 3.5 t carbon ha−1, with all plots receiving the same input of mineral fertilizer. After five seasons of application, plots receiving non-straw amendments had greater straw and grain yield of 28% and 18% respectively, and plots receiving the highest amendment rate had a 37% higher straw and 23% higher grain yield, compared to control plots. Whereas, the straw-only amendment did not increase yield compared to the control. The concentrations of secondary and micro nutrients in the crop, particularly P, Ca, and S in the straw, and P and Fe in the grain, were significantly greater in the crop receiving non-straw amendment compared to the control. Interestingly K, Fe, and Zn were greater in the crop straw treated with the straw-only amendment. Therefore ‘biomass dilution’ of secondary and micro nutrients did not occur in the higher-yielding amended plots after five seasons, and organic fertilizers would improve the quality of high-yielding, intensively produced crops. The study also demonstrates that portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) could be a reliable, cost-effective tool for screening potential organic fertilizers.

Crop and Soil Response to Organic Management Under Mediterranean Conditions

Organic agriculture can contribute to maintain the long-term sustainability of the agroecosystems, preserve and improve soil quality and guarantee good quality food products. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different organic fertilizers and a biostimulant on crop performance and soil properties. The research was performed in an experimental farm in Southern Italy and covered a 2-year rotation of lentil and durum wheat for a period of 4 years. An organic commercial fertilizer and a compost, obtained from municipal wastes, with and without a commercial biostimulant, were compared in a randomized complete block design. The results showed that compost, as the only nutrient source, did not significantly decrease lentil and wheat grain yields, even though, in 2011 and 2012, wheat grain quality was better with the organic commercial fertilizer. Probably, the mineralization rate of compost, depending also on environmental conditions, and, consequently, the nutrient availability was not enough to meet the needs of wheat crop. Biostimulant significantly increased the straw yield of lentil by 20% and the weight of 1000 seeds of wheat by 4%. At the end of the experiment, the compost, applied at low doses, significantly increased soil TOC content (+ 3.4%) compared to the organic commercial fertilizers. Conversely, the biostimulant seemed to have no effect on the soil properties. Overall, under the local Mediterranean conditions, the compost may be used as an alternative nutrient source, with positive effects for lentil and wheat productivity, economic sustainability and soil fertility.