Effects of a 2‐Year Application of Different Residual Biomasses on Soil Properties and Potato Yield

Abstract

The increasing food demand encourages the overuse of agricultural lands and natural resources that often is not economic, social, and environmentally sustainable. This overuse can lead to the soil sickness, which causes the decline of the soil fertility through the development of soil‐borne diseases, the depletion of nutrients, and the loss of soil organic matter. Addition of residual biomasses is a good agricultural practice for improving soil properties and enhancing crop production, in the framework of a sustainable development. The study is performed in a 2 years field experiment using olive pomace residues (OPR), composts from municipal solid wastes (CMW), spent mushroom compost (SMC), and livestock manures based compost (BRX) for the fertilization of the potato crop. The aim of the study is to test the impact of different biomasses available in Apulia region, Italy, on soil fertility and potato growth. The application of BRX shows the highest potato yield in both seasons while OPR, CMW, and SMC significantly increases soil total nitrogen and organic carbon compared to BRX and un‐amended plots (CON). All treatments, except SMC, reduce the soil exchangeable K content, therefore, the application of BRX, OPR, and CMW should include the use of K based fertilizer to balance the high crop demand of K. Finally, SMC appears the best compromise for managing soil fertility and obtaining high potato yield.

The Effects of Root Aeration and Different Soil Conditioners on the Nutritional Values, Yield, and Water Productivity of Potato in Clay Loam Soil

“…The application of organic manure treatments had a significant effect on the potassium content in both growing seasons, especially under aerated conditions, due to a greater release of organically bound K from organic manure following its mineralization into inorganic forms. A similar finding was reported by Abdeldaym et al [43,44], who found that the application of spent mushroom compost (SMC) improved the soil-exchangeable potassium content. It was observed that the available iron content increased in both seasons following the addition of organic manure.…”

Reuse of Wasted Bread as Soil Amendment: Bioprocessing, Effects on Alkaline Soil and Escarole (Cichorium endivia) Production

“…The trial was performed in a cold greenhouse at the University of Bari (South Italy). The amended pots received WB or bWB at a dose of about 25,000 kg ha −1 , according to the good local agricultural practices [ 3 ].…”

“…Many agricultural soils are characterized by a low content of organic matter (OM) that represents a limiting factor for crop growth and production [ 1 ]; moreover, the OM decomposition rate also increases with a warm climate and intensity of cultivation [ 2 ]. In the perspective of sustainable agriculture, the reuse of organic waste as soil amendments is a promising tool to recover soil fertility [ 3 ]. Several soil properties, such as pH, nutrient availability, structure and water infiltration, long-term carbon sequestration, and soil biological activity, are positively influenced after the addition of organic amendments [ 4 ].…”

Combined Application of Various Sources of Organic Fertilizers With Biofertilizers for Improvement Potato Productivity and Soil Fertility Status

“…Adding organic fertilizers can; enrich soil with nutrients needed for plant growth (Zaki et al 2021) by increasing available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and the other micro-elements contents, via its effect on soil pH, encouraging proliferation of microorganisms, increasing microbial population and stimulating activities of microbial enzymes (Abou-Hussein et al, 2001). The use of various fresh or composted organic wastes has a role in potato production and soil fertility by improving organic matter, nutrient content, water hold capacity as well as aggregation of soil (Abdeldaym et al, 2018 andShehata et al, 2019). Zaki et al (2021) confirmed that application of organic additives has a positive effect on production and nutritional value of groundnut crop.…”