Assessing long term effects of compost fertilization on soil fertility and nitrogen mineralization rate |
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Authors: | Marie Reimer Clara Kopp Tobias Hartmann Heidi Zimmermann Reiner Ruser Rudolf Schulz Torsten Müller Kurt Möller |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Fertilization and Soil Matter Dynamics, Fruwirthstr 20, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany;2. Department of Fertilization and Soil Matter Dynamics, Fruwirthstr 20, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Crop Production, In der Kolling 310, Landwirtschaftskammer für das Saarland, Bexbach, Germany;3. Department of Fertilization and Soil Matter Dynamics, Fruwirthstr 20, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Center for Agricultural Technology Augustenberg (LTZ), Kutschenweg 20, Institute of Applied Crop Science, Rheinstetten-Forchheim, Germany |
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Abstract: | Background Fertilization with organic waste compost can close the nutrient cycles between urban and rural environments. However, its effect on yield and soil fertility must be investigated. Aim This study investigated the long-term effect of compost on soil nutrient and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) concentration, nutrient budgets, and nitrogen (N) mineralization and efficiency. Methods After 21 years of annual compost application (100/400 kg N ha–1 year–1 100BC/400BC]) alone and combined with mineral fertilization, soil was analyzed for pH, organic carbon (SOC), nutrient (total N and P, Nmin, extractable CAL-P, CAL-K, and Mg), and PTE (Cu, Ni, Zn) concentrations. Yields were recorded and nutrient/PTE budgets and apparent net mineralization (ANM, only 2019) were calculated. Results N efficiency was the highest in maize and for mineral fertilization. Compost application led to lower N efficiencies, but increased ANM, SOC, pH, and soil N, and surpluses of N, P, and all PTEs. Higher PTE concentrations were only found in 400BC for Cu. Nutrient budgets correlated with soil nutrient concentration. A surplus of 16.1 kg P ha–1 year–1 and 19.5 kg K ha–1 year–1 resulted in 1 mg kg–1 increase in CAL-P and CAL-K over 21 years. Conclusion Compost application supplies nutrients to crops with a minor risk of soil-accumulation of PTEs. However, the nutrient stoichiometry provided by compost does not match crop offtakes causing imbalances. Synchronization of compost N mineralization and plant N demand does not match and limits the yield effect. In winter wheat only 65–70% of N mineralization occurred during the growth period. |
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Keywords: | nitrogen efficiency nutrient budget nutrient recycling phosphorus potassium potentially toxic elements soil organic carbon |
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