The balance of humus in the degraded heavy clay-loam chernozem under the influence of chicken manure and composts based on it

Abstract

Goal. To determine the effect of manure and composts on its basis upon the balance of humus in the degraded chernozem. Methods. Field — to determine the effect of organic fertilizers on the humus state of degraded chernozem, laboratory-analytical — to determine the composition of soil samples, calculation — to calculate the balance of humus, mathematical-statistical — to assess the reliability of the data. Results. In the field experiment, they studied the effect and the after-effect of poultry manure and composts on its basis upon the balance of humus in the degraded heavy clay-loam chernozem. It was established that the effect and the after-effect of compost based on chicken manure contributed to the increase of humus content on 8% and 6%, respectively, as compared to control. It is proved that for 3 years of researches in the 0–20 cm layer of degraded chernozem they achieved a positive humus balance. The results of calculation of the balance of humus in the degraded chernozem under the influence of chicken manure and compost had shown that the largest negative balance of humus in soil was in the control without fertilizer — 0.24 t/ha. The positive balance of humus 0.8 t/ha in the degraded chernozem was formed under the influence of chicken manure and compost. The direct influence of the after-effect of manure and composts on the balance of humus in the degraded chernozem was not fixed. Conclusions. For 3 years of researches, they reached a positive balance of humus in the degraded chernozem. The highest accumulation of humus was fixed under the influence of compost (manure + straw) — 0.19 t/ha, the lowest — under the influence of compost (manure + skins) — 0.10 t/ha. Accumulation of humus after the application of organic fertilizers was mainly due to the receipt of organic substances together with fertilizers. Greater influence of compost on the balance of humus in comparison with the dung can be explained by the increase of humification of the organic matter of the compost.