Temporal variability in organic amendment impacts on hydro‐physical properties of sandy agricultural soils

Abstract

Organic amendments (OAs) can improve the hydro-physical properties of a soil and thereby potentially enhance the resilience of agricultural systems to droughts and floods. An OA's contribution to this resilience, however, depends on the timeliness of its impacts, as soil improvements should be achieved when droughts are most frequent or flood risks are greatest. Yet little is known regarding the temporal variability of OA impacts or the influence of OA quantity and quality thereupon. In this research, therefore, we investigated at two agricultural sites the temporal variability of improvements in soil bulk density, aggregate stability, infiltration capacity and water retention after the application of compost, farmyard manure, bokashi, a selection of organic residues from landscape maintenance, and a combination of these residues with manure. Results showed that, depending on management practices and soil type, OAs decrease bulk density by up to 9.8%, increase infiltration capacity by up to 108.1%, aggregate stability by up to 60.0%, and water retention by up to 77.8% relative to unamended controls within 3 years of repeated application. However, the magnitude of these improvements varies up to 96% between seasons, depending on the soil property and OA treatment. On average, for all treatments, impacts relative to the control varied between different seasons by 5% for bulk density, 47.1% for infiltration capacity, 22.6% for aggregate stability, and 26.3% for water retention. When offsetting OA nutrient differences with mineral fertilizers, this variability showed a stronger correlation to differences in OA application quantity than quality (i.e., chemical composition). Results suggest that disregarding temporal variability in OA impacts can result in an inaccurate valuation of OAs as either effective or ineffective in improving soil resilience, given that impacts may, instead of their frequently presumed persistency, actually be highly transient or lagged. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the potential intra-annual variability of OA impacts on soil hydro-physical properties when designing OA application strategies to ameliorate the effects of specific seasonal climatic challenges.

Assessment of soil quality in irrigated arid lands under organic agriculture systems

“…Organic farming practices led to a signifi cant enhancement of soil fertility in both soil types. Compared to uncultivated soils, organically farmed Torripsaments exhibited higher CEC, available N, P, K, and SOM [27,34,35]. This aligns with previous research by [15] who reported increased soil fertility due to organic amendments.…”

Land Valuation Systems in Relation to Water Retention

“…Organic soil modifications may improve hydrophysical properties and potentially improve the resistance of agricultural systems to drought and flooding. The application of compost, organic residues, and manure, for example, leads to a reduction in volume weight, higher infiltration capacity, and a greater ability to hold water [38][39][40][41]. This has also been demonstrated in Sierra Nevada, USA, where adding organic matter to the soil has increased soil retention, giving plants an extra 35 days without water stress during a dry summer [42].…”

Organic Nutrient Management Affecting Growth and Yield in Strawberry (Fragaria× ananasa Duch.) cv. Flavia under Punjab Conditions

“…Applying organic manures not only provides plants with essential nutrients but also enhances soil fertility by improving its structure and increasing organic matter concentration (Kok et al, 2023). Vermicompost application stimulates root growth and nutrient absorption, resulting in higher production (Lim et al, 2015) while the biochar, a byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, aids in long-term carbon sequestration, holding onto water and nutrients and releasing them slowly over time (Shukla et al, 2019, Yang et al, 2020.…”

“…Panchgavya contains essential macro and micronutrients and growth hormones crucial for plant development, enhancing soil biological activity and promoting bene cial microorganisms. In addition to bulky organic manures, biofertilizers like vascular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) aid in uptake of essential elements in the soil, particularly phosphorus (Kok et al, 2023).…”

“…14), increased average berry weight (16.53 g), elevated yield per plant (447.88 g), and greater yield e ciency (0.47 kg/cm 2 ). In contrast, the control group (T 10 ) displayed the least favourable outcomes, with the lowest numbers of fruits per plant (19.08), average berry weight (11.00 g), yield per plant (198.85 g), and yield e ciency (0.29 kg/cm 2 ).…”