The Journal "Agriculture and Forestry"
Časopis "Poljoprivreda i šumarstvo"
- Since 1955 -
Year 2022, Volume 68 Issue 4 (15.12.2022)
| Year : | 2022 |
| Volume : | 68 |
| Issue : | 4 (15.12.2022) |
| Authors : | Mariana HRISTOVA, Ana KATSAROVA, Veselina VASILEVA, Nikolai DINEV |
| Title : | EVALUATION OF SOIL QUALITY INDICATORS IN ORGANIC FERTILIZATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE |
| Abstract : | Sustainable agriculture is the yield of agricultural products with good quantity and quality, but with care for the soil in the future. Nowadays, agriculture practices have led to humus reduction in the cultivated soil layer, even in sustainable soils. Applying the principles of the circular economy, composting and organic fertilization are ways to increase the organic matter in the soil. However, whether entirely organic fertilization is an alternative to sustainable agriculture is the aim of this article. The following soil quality indicators are assessed – organic carbon; total nitrogen; ratio C:N. The results present vegetation experience with two scenarios. The first scenario is with Luvisol (LV) and the second is with Fluvisol (FL). Each scenario has an addition of various organic ameliorants. The period of experiment covers the composting period and two vegetation cycles - lettuce and spinach aftereffect. The evaluation is against control variants and limits values. The two soils have different physicochemical characteristics. Luvisol has a higher total carbon content and total nitrogen than Fluvisol. In the end, the 1st soil has increased the SOM up to 4% compared to the second soil, where the improvement is no more than 2%. Accordingly, the nitrogen content is higher in Luvisol than in Fluvisol. In conclusion, we can say that organic fertilization alone is not an alternative to sustainable land management principally because nitrogen depletes after the first growing season in both scenarios of the experiment. |
| For citation : | Hristova, M., Katsarova, A., Vasileva, V., Dinev, N. (2022). Evaluation of soil quality indicators in organic fertilization as an alternative to sustainable agriculture. Agriculture and Forestry, 68 (4): 155-164. doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.68.4.12 |
| Keywords : | manure, composting, organic carbon, total nitrogen, ratio C:N |
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