Evaluation of the influence of additives from different types of compost on the soil properties

Metodi Mladenov

Abstract: The current study presents the results of the performed analyzes and the comparison of the effects of additives of different types of compost on the soil properties. Three different compost types were obtained using different methods of production -“home” composting method for the production of two of the composts was applied and the industrial composting installation from “tunnel” type for the third one was used. Also two different types of soil (a and b) with characteristics allowing a clear traceability of the changes in observed parameters of the prepared mixtures were used. Various mixtures from three types (aA, aB and bC) with different ratio between the raw materials (composts and soils) were used. The mixtures were tested for the following parameters: active acidity (pH), conductivity, potential acidity (exchange and hydrolytic), relative and bulk density, porosity, cation-exchange capacity, carbon content, phosphorus (P2O5) – total and available. The obtained results for influence of composts on the soil properties are presented. It has been established that the most significant influence of the composts additives is on pH, porosity and carbon content. There are also direct ratio dependencies of changes of some of the indicators depending on the quantity of the compost used.

Keywords: amendments; compost; soil parameters; soil properties

Date published: 2019-12-06