Soil Physical Properties and Wheat Yield as Influenced by Varying Levels of Different Organic Materials

Abstract

The quantity and quality of organic amendments play vital role in changing or amending the soil physical properties and crop yield. The improvement in soil physical properties and crop growth is well correlated with the organic carbon status of soil. The behavior of carbon supplied through different materials may vary in the soil. This study was designed with an objective to observe the variation in the response to the different manures applied in the soil with respect to differences in physical properties and crop yield. To accomplish this objective a field trial was executed in September, 2011 at two different sites i.e. Research Farm, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi and Koont Farm, Chakwal, using wheat as a test crop for two years (2012 and 2013). Three organic amendments i.e. Municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), Farmyard manure (FYM) and Poultry litter (PL) each at four levels i.e. 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1% of soil organic carbon were applied in a two factorial randomized complete block design with four replications. The manures were characterized on the basis of humic (Humic acid and Fulvic acid) and non humic (Total polysaccharides and Microbial biomass carbon). Soil samples were analyzed for field saturated hydraulic conductivity, total organic carbon, bulk density, moisture content and wheat crop yield. The results showed clear differences in physical properties with respect to the different applied materials. These results suggest that the variation among the organic amendments depends upon the humic composition of materials rather than total organic carbon.