Organic Manure Research Articles

Functional diversity of the above-ground fungal community under long-term integrated, organic and biodynamic Vineyard Management

BackgroundSustainable agriculture increasingly emphasizes the importance of microbial communities in influencing plant health and productivity. In viticulture, understanding the impact of management practices on fungal communities is critical, given their role in disease dynamics, grape and wine quality. This study investigates the effects of integrated, organic, and biodynamic management practices on the diversity and function of fungal communities in a vineyard located in Geisenheim, Germany, focusing on above-ground parts such as bark, leaves, and grapes.ResultsOur findings indicate that while overall fungal species richness did not significantly differ among management systems across various compartments, the composition of these communities was distinctly influenced by the type of management system. In particular, leaf and grape compartments showed notable variations in fungal community structure between integrated and organic/biodynamic management. No differences were observed between organic and biodynamic management. Integrated management demonstrated a significantly higher abundance of mycoparasites in comparison to organic and biodynamic management, primarily attributed to the increased presence of Sporobolomyces roseus, Sporobolomyces ellipsoideus and Rhodotorula glutinis.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the importance of management practices in shaping fungal community composition and function in vineyards. Although overall species richness remained unaffected, community composition and functional diversity varied, highlighting the potential for strategic microbiome management to enhance vineyard sustainability and plant health.

The context‐dependent benefits of organic farming on pollinator biodiversity: A meta‐analysis

Abstract Agricultural intensification is driving declines in pollinator diversity and the degradation of pollination services worldwide. Organic management, which prohibits the use of synthetic inputs, has considerable potential for combatting these declines by enhancing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. However, the efficacy of organic farming for promoting pollinator diversity has recently been questioned. We conducted a meta‐analysis to determine the effect of organic management on pollinator species richness and abundance. We compiled 42 studies across four continents and calculated a Hedges' g effect size for each of 76 species richness and 57 abundance observations. We then estimated average effect sizes overall and across five moderators. Species richness and abundance of pollinating insects tended to be higher in organic farms than conventional ones, with average effect sizes of 0.68 and 0.74, respectively. Landscape context, crop type, pollinator group, sampling location, and sampling method were factors impacting the response of pollinator diversity/abundance to organic farming. We found benefits for pollinator diversity from organic farming in all landscape types, with the strongest response in simple compared with more complex landscapes. Pollinator diversity benefited the most in habitats within organic cereal systems and the least in organic pastures. Among pollinator groups, bumblebee diversity benefitted the most, while moths and hoverflies showed positive but non‐significant responses. Higher pollinator diversity/abundance was detected in organic farms at various sampling locations. Transect sampling showed the greatest diversity gains among sampling methods. Synthesis and applications. Our results affirm that organic farming has positive effects for pollinator species richness and abundance, but benefits are variable and not guaranteed. We recommend that future studies adopt a standard sampling protocol and cover a larger geographic range to understand the global potential of organic farming to promote pollinator biodiversity. Efforts to increase pollinator abundance and diversity through organic farming should focus on organic systems involving cereal phases, especially within simple landscapes, for the most positive outcomes. However, due to high variability in pollinator responses alongside the challenges to achieve economic profitability from organic farming, crafting organic farming systems to specific farm‐scale opportunities and needs may be necessary.

Standardization of Panchagavya for Enhanced Nutrient Content and Seed Germination in Sustainable Organic Farming

The detrimental effects of chemical-intensive agriculture have spurred interest in eco-friendly farming practices, particularly organic farming. Central to organic farming are organic manures, including various liquid organic formulations such as Panchagavya, which are rooted in Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK). Due to the variability in local production methodologies, there is a pressing need to standardize the production techniques of liquid organic manures, specifically Panchagavya, and to characterize their properties. The study standardizes Panchagavya production to reduce local variability. Eight ingredients were used, with 81 different combinations. Physical and chemical properties of prepared Panchagavya were analyzed, and principal component analysis was performed to determine optimal combinations for improved soil health and crop productivity. The nitrogen content of different combinations of Panchagavya ranged from 1.12% to 2.66%, phosphorus between 0.12% to 0.385%, potassium between 0.345% to 0.65%. The Ca content ranged between 186.3 mg L⁻¹ and 256.66 mg L⁻¹. Mg content the range was between 52.1 mg L-1 to 92.4 mg mg L-1, S varies between 0.08% and 0.3%, the Fe content in Panchagavya ranged from 49.7 mg L⁻¹ to 53.1 mg L⁻¹, Mn content ranged from 2.60 mg L⁻¹ to 5.05 mg L⁻¹, Zn content ranged from 4.1 mg L⁻¹ to 6.35 mg L⁻¹, and Cu content ranged from 12.50 mg L⁻¹ to 14.95 mg L⁻¹. with higher levels associated with increased quantities of cow urine, milk, curd, and ghee. Germination study indicated that Panchagavya positively affected seed germination and root growth increased from 3.45% to 114.66%. The growth hormone indole acetic acid values was between 56.6 µg mL⁻¹ and 104.19 µg mL⁻¹. Similarly, the gibberellic acid values ranged from 138.34 µg mL⁻¹ to 185.23 µg mL⁻¹. From the 81 treatment 10 best treatment was selected by principle component analysis of nutrient content of Panchagavya. Microbial analysis of selected Panchagavya demonstrated significant populations: bacteria (7.57 to 8.03 log cfu mL⁻¹), fungi (4.3 to 4.73 log cfu mL⁻¹), and actinomycetes (3.15 to 3.9 log cfu mL⁻¹). The presence of IAA and GA further substantiates its efficacy as an organic fertilizer. This research confirms that Panchagavya enhances nutrient content, microbial activity, and hormone levels, resulting in improved seed germination and root development. These findings highlight its potential as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, promoting organic farming practices and contributing to healthier soils.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT (ISFM) PRACTICIES CHOICE AMONG MAIZE FARMERS IN ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

This study was carried out to analyzed socio-economic determinants of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices choice among maize farmers in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling procedure, 206 maize farmers were selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logit regression models were used to analyze the data collected. Findings revealed that majority of the farmers (about 60%) fell within the 20-40 years and they were predominantly male (62.1%), married (82.0%), and had a secondary education (40.3%). Farmers operated on an average farm size of 1.70 hectares. Majority of the maize farmers in the study area used intercropping with legumes (94%), organic manure (87%) and improved maize seed (79%) ISFM practices, the least practiced ISFM among the farmers were minimum tillage, crop residue retention and use of crop rotation. Socio-economic factors that were significant (P < 0.05) and positively influenced ISFM practices used among maize farmers were annual income, education level, and household size. Meanwhile gender (sex) have negative and significant (P < 0.05) influence on minimum tillage practice by the maize farmers. The study concludes on moderate use of ISFM practices among maize farmers in the study area. It was therefore be recommended that organized farmer’s programmes should be targeted toward educating the farmers on ISFM practices benefits and improving their income so as to facilitate adoption of ISFM practices for sustainable farm operation.

Integrated organic and mineral fertilizer strategies for achieving sustainable maize yield and soil quality in dry sub-humid inceptisols

Maize is one of the important cereal crops grown in rainfed regions of northwestern Himalayas, however, persistent use of chemical fertilizers coupled with poor soil nutrients and water holding capacity due to coarse textured soils poses serious threat to sustaining maize yield and soil health. To address these bottlenecks, a long-term experiment with application of organic manures and mineral fertilizer provides insights to quantify changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), crop yield and rain water use efficiency (RWUE) in rainfed area having low water use efficiency. A twelve years field experiment was conducted under dry sub-humid Inceptisols in northern India to study the potential impacts of organic and mineral fertilization on maize (Zea mays L.) productivity, water use efficiency and soil quality. Ten treatments were assessed, involving different nitrogen levels (20, 30, and 40 kg N ha⁻¹) combined with 10 tha⁻¹ year⁻¹ of farmyard manure (FYM), in-situ green manure from sunhemp, and the incorporation of Leucaena leucocephala leaves at 5 tha⁻¹ year⁻¹, including an unfertilized control. Maize yield increased linearly with increasing nitrogen application rates. The combination of FYM @ 10t ha−1 and 40 kg N ha−1(T4) yielded the highest maize production. Manure addition improved soil organic carbon (SOC) and major soil nutrients (N, P and K) while unfertilized control showed decline in soil nutrients compared to their initial values. Compared with control, incorporation of 10 t ha−1 FYM increased SOC by 1.3, 1.41, 1.44 times at application rate of 20, 30, 40 kg N ha−1, respectively. Application of N@40 kg ha−1 + 10t FYM ha−1 showed highest rain water use efficiency (RWUE) and relative production efficiency index (RPEI) (2.74 kg ha−1 mm−1 and 82, respectively) and the lowest rank sum of 6. Highly significant positive relationship existed between RPEI and RWUE, RPEI and sustainability yield index (SYI), RWUE and SYI indicated the superiority of FYM in combination with mineral fertilizer. Regression models, correlating yield with monthly rainfall and crop growing periods, indicated that the integration of FYM (10 tha⁻¹) with 40 kg N ha⁻¹ was most effective in achieving the highest relative soil quality index (RSQI) of 76 and the greatest sustainability yield index (SYI) of 49.3%. Based on results, we recommend balanced fertilization (N@40 kg ha−1 +10t FYM ha−1) which is easily manageable by farmers as the optimal strategy for improving soil quality and achieving sustainable maize productivity in nutrient depleted Inceptisols of northern India.

Effect of Organic Manures and Biofertilizers on Yield Attributes, Yield and Economics of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata)

Background: Pulses are significant in India's agricultural economy not only for their worth as human food, but also for animals because of their high protein content. Pulses have unique ability of maintaining and restoring soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation as well as addition of ample amount of residues to the soil. Mung bean, also known as green gram (Vigna radiata) is a small green, and cylindrical-shaped legume that is widely cultivated in various parts of the world, including India, China, and Southeast Asia. Methods: The present study was carried out during the summer season of 2024 at Research Farm, School of Agriculture, OM Sterling Global University, Hisar. Seven treatment combinations comprising organic manures and biofertilizers were tested in randomized block design in three replications. Result: The results revealed that the yield and yield attributes viz., number of pods per plant (15.90), length of pod per plant (10.76 cm), number of seed per pod (11.05), 1000 grain weight per plant (37.00 g) and seed yield (1197 kg ha-1); Economics viz., gross returns (128212 ₹ ha-1), cultivation (43823 ₹ ha-1), net returns (86189 ₹ ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (3.05) were maximum in the treatment of Jeevamrutha @ 3000 l ha-1 through three splits at sowing, 30 and 45 DAS + Rhizobium +PSB. Whereas, significantly minimum for all above parameters were recorded under control.

An Analysis of Global Organic Farmland Leaders

Organic farming is one of the methods by which the world can target the global sustainable goals concerning production and consumption. Currently, organic farming is practiced in 188 countries worldwide, and 96.4 million hectares of agricultural land are under organic management. India ranks second in terms of total area under organic agricultural land and is a global leader concerning organic producers. During the period 2000-2020, India had the highest Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) concerning organic agricultural land at 41 percent. This study analyses the growth rate of the global organic players namely, Australia, India, Argentina, China, and France, in terms of organic farmland area. During the period 2000-2020, India had the maximum hectare multiplier value being 957.80, while Australia (6.74), Argentina (1.55), and France (6.89) had a hectare multiplier value in single digit and China (60.88) hectare multiplier value in double digit. This paper also analyses the major reasons resulting in this expansion.

Environment, Soil, and Digestate Interaction of Maize Silage and Biogas Production

In this study are presented the possibilities of using maize silage for biogas production. An experiment with maize silage took place over three years (2016–2018) in two localities, Ilandža, Alibunar municipality (L1—Locality 1) and Dolovo (L2—Locality 2), Serbia, and using two variants: a control with no digestate (C) and a variant with digestate, which was organic manure from biogas facilities (AD). In the AD variant, 50 t ha−1 of digestate was introduced into the soil just before sowing the maize. The following traits were examined: plant height (PH), biomass yield (BMY), biogas yield (BGY), and methane yield (MY). The effects of the studied factors (year, fertilization, and locality) on the biogas yield were significant (p < 0.5). The most favorable year for biogas production was 2016 (207.95 m3 ha−1), while the highest values of maize plant height, biomass, and methane yield were recorded in 2018 (2.48 m, 51.15 t ha−1 dry matter, and 258.25 m3 ha−1). The digestate exerted a significant influence (p < 0.5) on the values of all the tested maize parameters in all three experimental years. The biomass yield was positively associated with the plant height, biogas, and methane yield (r = 0.62 *; r = 0.70 *; r = 0.81 **) and positively but nonsignificantly associated with temperature (r = 0.42) and precipitation (r = 0.12). The application of the digestate before sowing improves the anaerobic digestion of maize silage and biogas production.

Effect of Organic Fertilization Based on Cattle Dung in Village Cultivation of Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) in Immature Phase in Northern Ivory Coast

This study aimed to determine the dose of organic fertilizer adapted to the agroecological conditions of the Ferkéssédougou zone during the immature or vegetative phase with a view to improving agricultural productivity in rainfed sugar cane cultivation. The trial was conducted using a Fisher block experimental design with three (3) repetitions and six (6) treatments including the control treatment. The observations mainly focused on growth parameters. Health monitoring was also carried out to detect the presence of diseases. Regarding growth parameters, no statically significant effect of fertilizers was observed between treatments. However, the fertilizers used had a positive impact in terms of gain compared to the control. Thus, three (3) groups of fertilizers stood out. Group 1 was composed of mineral manure at the normal dose (350 kg/ha of NPK), organic manure at the normal dose (20t/ha), double dose of compost (40 t/ha) and the organo-mineral mixture, namely the normal dose of compost (20t/ha) + half dose of mineral fertilizer (175 kg/ha of NPK). These treatments promoted good emergence, good elongation of the plants with large diameters and a large number of internodes. Group 2, composed only of half a dose of compost (10 t/ha), allowed us to have a large number of stems. For group 3, corresponding to the control treatment, no growth parameter was correlated. No symptoms of major illnesses were observed during the observations. The M1400/86 variety used is resistant to termite attack.

A review on green waste composting, role of additives and composting methods for process acceleration.

Effective disposal of green waste has been a challenging task faced by urban bodies for a long time. Composting can be an effective method to manage green waste by recovering nutrients that can be used as organic manure. However, there are some limitations to green waste composting, such as a low degradation rate and the requirement for high manpower and space. Many researchers have studied ways to minimize the limitations of green waste composting through different approaches. These include the use of co-composting materials, inoculating agents, and process modifications such as multi-stage composting. In this review, we systematically summarized the physicochemical characteristics of green waste and green waste compost, optimum ratios of additives, and process modifications during the composting of green waste reported in various articles. This review is helpful for early-career researchers and individuals new to the field of green waste composting by providing them with key concepts and recent developments in the field. The study suggests that the sustainable selection of additives or methods for composting green waste should depend on resource availability, climatic conditions, and the characterization of the feedstock.

Toward Zero Waste: Sustainable Practices in Waste Management at ETUT

The paper discusses Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan's (ETUT) waste management initiatives, particularly its Zero Waste Program aimed at minimizing waste generation and promoting sustainability across campus. Strategies include educational campaigns, eco-friendly purchasing, and collaboration with vendors for waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. ETUT employs structured waste categorization, centralized repositories for reusable items, and a recycling plant with advanced sorting machinery. Innovative methods like paper recycling and composting are used, along with exploring plastic repurposing into fibers and fuel. Organic waste management includes composting, notably reducing landfill waste. Inorganic waste reduction involves paper recycling, plastic conversion, and electronic repair and donation. The program emphasizes waste reduction through recycling and reuse, including upcycling workshops. Hazardous waste from laboratories is managed with local authorities for safe disposal, while relevant associations for environmental safety oversee sewage disposal. These strategies highlight ETUT's commitment to sustainability, positioning it as a regional leader in responsible waste management.

Tata Kelola (Collaborative Governance) dalam Pengelolaan Sampah Organik di Pusat Daur Ulang Jambangan Kota Surabaya

This study aims to analyze collaborative governance in organic waste management at the Recycling Center (PDU) Jambangan, Surabaya City. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method by collecting data through in-depth interviews, direct observations in the field, and relevant documentation. The findings indicate that the collaboration process between the government, the community, and Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD), specifically PDAM Kota Surabaya in their role as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) executors, has been effectively implemented despite facing several challenges. Using the collaborative governance framework proposed by Ansell and Gash, this study finds that the success of collaboration heavily relies on facilitative leadership that can build trust and commitment among stakeholders. This collaborative process includes regular face-to-face dialogues, trust-building through transparency and openness, strong commitment to the process, continuous enhancement of shared understanding, and interim results achieved as motivation to continue the cooperation. This study concludes that collaborative governance at PDU Jambangan has made a significant contribution in reducing the volume of organic waste and enhancing public awareness of the importance of effective waste management. This success is achieved through joint efforts between the government, the community, and PDAM Kota Surabaya in creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management system

Phosphorus lability in a Ferralsol as affected by land-use change in the Brazilian Cerrado

ABSTRACT Low availability of phosphorus (P) is a constraint to agricultural development in tropical soils, owing to the high fixation of P in the soil matrix. Land-use change can modify soil P dynamics. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of land-use change on P fractions in a Ferralsol under different systems of use and management. Inorganic (Pi) and organic soil P (Po) fractions were assessed by sequential fractionation using H2O, NaHCO3, NaOH, hot concentrated HCl and H2SO4-H2O2 as extractants. The systems in the study were as follows: pasture (PAST), no-tillage system (NT), organic cultivation (ORG) with 2, 6, 8 and 10 years of organic management, and conventional continuous cropping tillage (CT). A native Cerrado forest (F) area was used as reference. In general, Po forms predominated over Pi, with exception of the CT soil, where Pi represented 41% of the total P. On average, conversion of F into the CT system reduced levels of Po in the soil by up to 72%. The soil P resilience index showed that P inputs in the CT and NT systems were insufficient at recovering P availability after the land-use change. On the other hand, the most recent ORG systems demonstrated the greatest efficiency at restoring the equilibrium of the soil P state. The hypothesis that less intensive agricultural systems increase the soil labile P pool, enhancing available P levels, was confirmed. Agricultural systems that used organic inputs and reduced soil disturbance were found to be more efficient at recovering and maintaining soil P availability.

Decomposition characteristics of woody peat and its mixtures with liable organic materials in a newly reclaimed saline-alkali soil: A one-year incubation experiment

The combined application of woody peat with labile organic materials has been shown to be an effective strategy for rapidly improving soil organic matter (SOM) and soil fertility in newly reclaimed lands. However, their decomposition dynamics, which can be greatly influenced by the residue-mixing effect, are not well understood. Therefore, this study investigated the decomposition characteristics and residue-mixing effect of woody peat, corn straw, organic manure and their binary mixtures in a newly reclaimed saline-sodic soil through a 360-day incubation experiment. The results revealed that both straw and organic manure contained large amount of O-alkyl C, leading to rapid degradation in mass and organic C (OC). In contrast, woody peat is rich in alkyl C and aromatic C, exhibiting the highest alkyl C/O-alkyl C (A/O-A) ratio and aromaticity. As a result, woody peat only lost less than 6.4% OC and showed minimal changes in mass and nitrogen content within a year, indicating strong degradation resistance in the saline-sodic soil. The combination of woody peat with straw or organic manure induced significant non-additive synergistic effects on mass and OC loss, aromatic C, carbonyl C, A/O-A ratio and aromaticity. This suggests that the addition of woody peat significantly slowed down the degradation of the mixtures and prolonged the retention of OC in soil. On the contrary, the mixing of straw and organic manure led to significant non-additive antagonistic effects on mass and OC loss, indicating that their combination accelerated the decomposition of the mixture. Consequently, this study suggests that, in contrast to the applicated of various labile organic materials, the combined application of recalcitrant woody peat with labile organic materials can extend the presence of organic matter in the soil, thereby promoting a sustained increase in active and passive SOM content and soil fertility.

Bio-organic substitution in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) cultivation: Optimum strategy to lower carbon footprint and boost net ecosystem economic benefit

The partial substitution of organic manure for chemical nitrogen fertilizers, known as organic substitution, is widely regarded as a cleaner and more sustainable production strategy. However, few studies have quantified greenhouse gas emissions, product income and net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB) using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, particularly for typical tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) production. Here, we quantified the yield and quality of a typical tobacco production in Qujing, Yunnan, China, through field experiments and calculated its carbon footprint and NEEB using the LCA approach. Four organic substitution strategies were established with equal nitrogen inputs, including synthesized chemical fertilizer (SN), farmyard organic manure (NF), commercial organic manure (NC), and bio-organic (Trichoderma viride Pers.) manure (NT), each substituting 15% of synthesized nitrogen fertilizer. Compared to the SN strategy, the NT strategy significantly increased yield and income by 10.3% and 9.6%, respectively. In contrast, the NF strategy significantly reduced income, while the NC strategy showed no significant difference. Both the NC and NT strategies significantly reduced N2O cumulative emissions (by 15.9% and 8.0%, respectively), increased δSOC (by 38.4% and 15.0%, respectively), and decreased carbon footprint compared to the SN strategy. However, the NF strategy significantly increased the income-scaled carbon footprint, even though it also notably reduced N2O cumulative emissions (by 22.6%) and increased δSOC (by 7.9%). The NT strategy achieved a win-win scenario of low environmental risk and high economic returns of tobacco production with significantly increased NEEB (by 10.6%) compared to the SN strategy (37.60 × 103 CNY yr−1). This suggests that the bio-organic Trichoderma manure substituting 15% synthesized nitrogen fertilizer is the best organic substitution strategy for sustainable tobacco production.

Effect of different level of fertilizer and various organic manure on growth and yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Effect of different level of fertilizer and various organic manure on growth and yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Effect of different foliar application of organic liquid manures on yield and economics of cotton in cotton + greengram intercropping system in natural and organic farming practices

Effect of different foliar application of organic liquid manures on yield and economics of cotton in cotton + greengram intercropping system in natural and organic farming practices

Effect of different foliar application of organic liquid manures on yield and economics of cotton in cotton + greengram intercropping system in natural and organic farming practices

Effect of different foliar application of organic liquid manures on yield and economics of cotton in cotton + greengram intercropping system in natural and organic farming practices

Effect of different types of organic manures and mulching on growth and yield of carrot (Dacucs carota L.)

Effect of different types of organic manures and mulching on growth and yield of carrot (Dacucs carota L.)

Effect of different farming practices and foliar application of liquid organic manures on soil biological properties in soybean

Effect of different farming practices and foliar application of liquid organic manures on soil biological properties in soybean