Effects of Organic Amendment Application on Soil Quality and Garlic Yield in Central-Western Argentina

Abstract

Abstract:We analyzed during two garlic crop cycles, the effects of chicken manure and vermicompost on soil chemical and biological properties in an agricultural farm irrigated with municipal wastewater of central-western Argentina. Also we evaluate garlic yield and possible health risks as resulting from the organic amendments and the wastewater use. We found that: a) different doses and types of amendments did not have any significant effects on soil fertility; b) chicken manure and soil before planting, had E. coli and Salmonella spp.; and c) crop yields were quite similar in all treatments, only treatments with 8 Mg ha -1 of both amendments (chicken manure and vermicompost) without N fertilized, were significantly higher than control in both garlic assays. These results are probably the consequence of heavily tilled soils and poor quality of irrigation water with high abundance of enteric bacteria and labile organic matter content. We conclude that to obtain beneficial effects on soil fertility from organic amendment application, wastewater treatment systems must be improved and tillage practices must be reduced.

Influence of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on the functional diversity of microbial communities in the vegetable cropping system of the Indo-Gangetic plains

“…1). Poultry manure and vermicompost are good sources of nutrients [41][42][43] and might provide more substrates for utilization by the microorganisms, due to this maximum metabolic activity that was observed in the present investigation.…”

Raised Beds for Vegetable Production in Urban Agriculture

“…However, root crop yield response to compost and other organic amendments can be less pronounced relative to grain, fruiting, and vegetative crops (Wortman et al, 2017). Filippini et al (2012) found that 4 Mg ha -1 of vermicompost and chicken litter compost was insufficient for increasing garlic yield, but 8 Mg ha -1 did increase yield compared to a non-fertilized direct soil control. In a different study, a 1:1 mix of soil and vermicompost increased garlic yield nearly three-fold compared to soil alone (Argüello et al, 2006).…”

Editorial - Improvements In Agricultural Sciences

“…They observed that the influence of pigs on ammonia losses appeared to be most pronounced in the latter half of the fattening period, when the pigs excreted maximum amounts of nitrogen. In another investigation, Filippini et al (2012) [6] reported the effect of organic amendments like chicken manure and vermicomposting application on soil quality and garlic yield in central western Argentina. They concluded that to obtain beneficial effects on soil fertility from organic amendment application, wastewater treatment systems must be improved and tillage practice must be reduced.…”