Effect of application of some organic amendments on soil properties, extractable micronutrients and their chemical fractions in a sandy loam soil

Abstract

In a 120-day incubation study, farmyard manure (FYM), mushroom compost (MC), poultry manure (PM), vermi-compost (VC), biogas slurry (BS) and biochar from Lantana sp.; a common weed (BC) each added at 15 t ha-1 significantly increased soil electrical conductivity and organic C content, however, only VC failed to increase soil organic C content significantly but increased soil pH when compared with the control sample. Among organic amendments, FYM, MC, VC and BS increased DTPA-extractable Zn and Mn in soil significantly when compared with the control sample, while BC was significantly effective in regard to increasing both DTPA-extractable Mn and hot water soluble B when compared with the control sample. Application of FYM and MC significantly increased DTPA-extractable Cu and Fe, respectively when compared with the control sample. Simple correlation and path coefficient analysis were performed to identify key chemical fractions of micronutrients in soil having the direct and indirect effects on availability of micronutrients in organically amended soils. Based on soil extractable concentrations of micronutrients in organically amended soils, FYM appeared to be the best source of Zn, Cu and Mn, while MC could serve as the best source of Fe. Biochar from Lantana sp. may serve as a good source of B