Does animal manure application improve soil aggregation? Insights from nine long-term fertilization experiments

Transformation of Biomass Waste into Sustainable Organic Fertilizers

“…These manures are organic in nature and contain desirable nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can be used as fertilizers to produce high yield and good quality crop products. The management of these livestock excretions are necessary as they may show detrimental effects on long-term application on soil aggregation [7]. The nutrients from the excretions will accumulate on the surface of the soil and these nutrients will be washed into water streams by rainfall or surface runoff, causing the growth of algae and resulting in eutrophication [12].…”

“…Nevertheless, the long-term animal manure application has shown to contribute towards soil aggregation. Macroaggregates are formed in soils with constant manure application and this affects the aggregate stability in soils [7]. Since salt content in animal feed are high in forage systems, the sodium ions originating from manure acts as a dispersing agent that reduces soil aggregate stability [22].…”

“…This also leads to the risk of soil salinization, especially in a humid region like south China [23]. However, in regions with constant rainfall, the aggregate stability is increased significantly as the soluble potassium and sodium ions can be easily leached under high rainfall conditions, where they accumulate less in those areas [7]. These nutrients will still be leached into the nearby water streams and are likely to cause groundwater pollution, which is a negative effect that needs to be considered.…”

“…The application of these organic fertilizers and soil amendments are very promising to increase food production and soil fertility while minimizing environmental damage [6]. Organic fertilization would improve crop yields and decrease the effects of groundwater contamination, which would otherwise be caused by using mineral fertilizers [7]. Furthermore, biofertilizers can also assists in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with pesticides and hydrocarbons.…”

Natural Organic Compounds for Application in Organic Farming

“…The numerous organic manures of animal origin include bird manure (specifically poultry manure), bovine manure, sheep manure, and pig manure, among others. The availability and use of such manures for crop production depend on the geographical area, manure price, extent of manure production, and management [42][43][44]. Marta et al [45] studied the influence of the application of animal manures in reducing the toxicity of soils contaminated with heavy metals, finding that their application corresponds to a good alternative of phytoremediation.…”