DIRECT AND RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF MIXING THE ADDED COMPOST TO A CALCAREOUS SOIL WITH SULPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS: 1- ON CROP YIELDS AND SOME SOIL PROPERTIES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Soil, Water and Environ. Res. Instit., Agric. Res. Centre, Giza, Misr (Egypt)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Nunaria
Agric. Res. Station, Egypt, during two successive growing seasons on a calcareous
sandy clay loam soil to study the direct effect of compost, sulphur and phosphorus on
yields of faba bean and their residual effect on succeeding maize crop as well as soil
physical and chemical properties. Two kinds of composts (compost A&B) both at two
levels (0 and 4 ton/fed) were applied in combination with two levels of sulphur (0 &
200 kg S Ifed) and lor two levels of phosphorus (0 & 13.5 kg P/fed). Application of
compost .in combination with S or P resulted in a significant increase in seed yield of
faba bean compared with the control (Co + So + Po) treatment or that received
compost A or B alone. A further insignificant (P>0.05) increase was occurred as a
result of application of Sand P with the compost. Maize grain yield, as an indicator of
the residual effect, showed a similar trend. A small but consistent improvement in soil
properties (pH, Organic carbon, total-N and saturation percent) and a noticeable
increase in available nutrient (P, Fe, Mn and Zn) contents of the soil were detected as
a result of the applied materials .. Maize grain yield was positively to correlated with
OC (P<0.05), total-N (P<0.01), available P(P<0.01) ,available Zn(P<0.05) and
inversely related to soil pH (P<0.10). Generally, the best treatment to improve and
sustain calcareous soil properties as well as increasing productivity of faba bean and
maize yields was the combined treatment of compost A or B each at 4 ton + 200 kg S
+ 13.5 kg P per feddan.

Keywords