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Effects of Compost and Manure Application Rate on the Soil Physico-Chemical Layers Properties and Plant Productivity

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Abstract

The effects of manure and compost application rates on organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents and their distribution in soil layers as well as basil growth on the amended soils were investigated. Five plots were experimented where the amended substrate was used at a rate of 10% manure, and 10%, 20% and 40% compost, compared to unamended control soil. After 3 months, the soil OC content showed a high mineralization with the compost compared to the manure used at 10%, reflecting a higher biodegradable compost organic matter (OM) fraction that contributed to soil microorganisms activity increase. As a result, a difference in vertical OC distribution in the soil layers was observed. Moreover, the compost rate increase improved the soil cation exchange capacity and the soil base saturation percentage by 41%, 56% and 76%, and by 46%, 77% and 140%, respectively. This improvement indicated the importance of the aggregate established at the 20% and 40% compost rates compared to the 10% compost rate treatment. Basil yields were the highest at low compost rate (10%) treatment. This short term study highlighted the benefits of the compost use and its potential effects on the soil structure and the basil plant productivity improvements while using low amendment rate, exhibiting the high stability of the soil aggregates newly established.

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Abbreviations

OC:

Organic carbon

TN:

Total nitrogen

AW:

Available water

BN:

Branches number

BS:

Base saturation

CEC:

Cation exchange capacity

EC:

Electrical conductivity

LA:

Leaf area

LN:

Leaves number

NH4+ :

Mineral nitrogen

Norg:

Organic nitrogen

PD:

Particle density (ρs)

PL:

Plant length

RL:

Root length

SD:

Shoot diameter

SOC:

Soil organic carbon

SOM:

Soil organic matter

TN:

Total nitrogen

ti:

At the initial time (at 0 days of the experiment)

tf:

After culture-cycle (at 90 days of the experiment)

PCA:

Principal component analysis

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Acknowledgements

This study was held at the Tunisian Union for Aid to Mentally Disabled El Amal “U.T.A.I.M.”, an agricultural educational center in Sfax-Tunisia, in join with the research unit of “Urbain and coastal environments” in the framework of its Research and Development activities through an integrated aromatic and medicinal plants multiplication and culture project. The authors are grateful to Mrs. Olfa Sellami, the director of the U.T.A.I.M., Mr. Ridha Sellami and Mr. Mohamed Zribi for providing the field and agronomic technical assistance. Special thanks are expressed to El Kindi composting company in Tunisia for providing the compost.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development (LASED), University of Sfax, National Engineering School of Sfax, B.P. 1173-3038, Sfax, Tunisia

    Saoussan Masmoudi, Salwa Magdich, Hafedh Rigane, Khaled Medhioub & Emna Ammar

  2. Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, B.P. 1171-3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Saoussan Masmoudi & Hafedh Rigane

  3. Preparatory Institute of Engineering Studies, B.P. 1173-3038, Sfax, Tunisia

    Khaled Medhioub

  4. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, B.P. 1177-3018, Sfax, Tunisia

    Ahmed Rebai

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  1. Saoussan Masmoudi
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Correspondence to Emna Ammar.

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Masmoudi, S., Magdich, S., Rigane, H. et al. Effects of Compost and Manure Application Rate on the Soil Physico-Chemical Layers Properties and Plant Productivity. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 1883–1894 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0543-z

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