Articles
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER ON SOIL QUALITY
Article number
1076_19
Pages
165 – 169
Language
English
Abstract
The soils for production of grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) at Coquimbo region in Chile, contain a low level of organic matter and nutrients, which has resulted in low yields and vineyard life reduction.
A solution to the lack of organic matter is the addition of compost, which also improves several other production factors.
To evaluate the increase of soil microbial biomass and water stable aggregation of alluvial antropic miscellaneous soils (Entisols), in the Experimental Station of the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA-Chile) located at Vicuña (30°S, 70°44W), it was settled an assay with two treatments control without compost (T), and application of compost (C), prepared according to the requirements of the Chilean standard of compost production.
The compost application rate was 23 t ha-1 year.
The evolution curves of microbial biomass and water-stable aggregation were determined in soils, which demonstrating the differences between treatments.
Both parameters increased when compost was applied, microbial biomass control had 11.6 ug g-1 soil, while the application of compost treatment had 29.8 ug g-1 soil, a year after of the first application.
Regarding the water-stable aggregation, the value of treatment control was 24.5% and a treatment with application of compost almost doubled this value, reaching 42.3%, a year and four months after the first application.
A solution to the lack of organic matter is the addition of compost, which also improves several other production factors.
To evaluate the increase of soil microbial biomass and water stable aggregation of alluvial antropic miscellaneous soils (Entisols), in the Experimental Station of the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA-Chile) located at Vicuña (30°S, 70°44W), it was settled an assay with two treatments control without compost (T), and application of compost (C), prepared according to the requirements of the Chilean standard of compost production.
The compost application rate was 23 t ha-1 year.
The evolution curves of microbial biomass and water-stable aggregation were determined in soils, which demonstrating the differences between treatments.
Both parameters increased when compost was applied, microbial biomass control had 11.6 ug g-1 soil, while the application of compost treatment had 29.8 ug g-1 soil, a year after of the first application.
Regarding the water-stable aggregation, the value of treatment control was 24.5% and a treatment with application of compost almost doubled this value, reaching 42.3%, a year and four months after the first application.
Authors
C. Céspedes-León
Keywords
soil sustainability indicators, microbial biomass, water stable aggregation
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