Physicochemical and biochemical properties of an acid soil under potato culture amended with municipal solid waste compost

• Published in: International journal of recycling of organic waste in agriculture Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 171 - 178
• Main Authors: Domínguez, Marta, Paradelo Núñez, Remigio, Piñeiro, Juan, Barral, María Teresa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2019; Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch; OICC Press
• Subjects: acid soils; Acidic soils; Agricultural land; Agricultural management; agricultural soils; Agricultural wastes; ammonium nitrogen; Aquatic Pollution; Bulk density; Calcium; Cation exchange; cation exchange capacity; Cation exchanging; Composting; Composts; Copper; crop yield; Culture; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; enzyme activity; Fertilization; fertilizer application; field experimentation; Heavy metals; Lead; Loam; Loam soils; Magnesium; Microbial biomass; Microorganisms; Mineral fertilizers; MSW composts; Municipal solid waste; Municipal waste management; Nickel; nitrate nitrogen; Nutrient status; Organic amendments; Organic chemistry; Organic soils; Original Research; Phosphorus pentoxide; Porosity; potassium; Potatoes; recycling; silt loam soils; Soil amendment; Soil chemistry; Soil erosion; soil microorganisms; Soil pH; Soil porosity; Soil properties; Soil quality; Soil stability; Spain; toxicity; Trace elements; Trace metals; Tubers; Urban agriculture; Vegetables; Waste management; Waste Water Technology; Water erosion; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc; Spain; Soil quality; Organic amendments; Microbial biomass; Heavy metals
• ISSN: 2195-3228; 2251-7715
• DOI: 10.1007/s40093-019-0246-x

Purpose A field trial was conducted on a silty-loam soil under potato culture in NW Spain, to assess the effect of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost in a heavily fertilized acid soil. Methods Three doses of compost (0, 30 and 60 Mg compost ha −1 soil) or inorganic fertilization (~ 140 N: 120 P 2 O 5 : 240 K 2 O kg ha −1 soil) were assayed. The effects of compost on soil physical, chemical (nutrient status and potentially toxic trace elements) and biochemical properties were evaluated after 1 and 5 months. Results Compost addition at the highest dose decreased bulk density and increased soil porosity and soil stability against water erosion. Soil pH, total organic C and N, cation exchange capacity and available P, Ca, Mg and K were also higher in compost-amended soils, whereas no effect on NH 4 + -N and NO 3 − -N was observed. Compost significantly increased soil microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity. Due to the high nutrient status in the control soil, potato yield was not increased by compost or inorganic fertilization. A negative consequence of compost addition was the increased extractability of trace metals such as Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni, although their total concentrations in soil or in potato tubers did not increase with respect to the control. Conclusions Overall, results show that positive effects of MSW compost can be expected even in rich soils that do not need fertilization for maintaining their productive function in the short-term. These positive effects prove the benefits of recycling urban wastes in agricultural soils as a sustainable way of waste management.