Effect of Organic Manures and Chemical Fertilizers on Soil Properties and Crop Yield in a Wheat–Maize Cropping Sequence

Abstract

This study was conducted at Sids Agricultural Research Station, ARC, Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt Egypt (29°  24́  N latitude, 31°  04́  E longitude and 30.4 m above mean sea level), during two winter seasons (wheat, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023) and two summer seasons (maize, 2022 and 2023) to evaluate the effect of organic manures, FYM or compost or its residual effect in combined with N, P and K fertilizers on soil properties and wheat or maize as second crop productivity. The experiment consist of fifteen treatments for wheat viz., T1= absolute control, T2= 50 % RRF, T3= 100 % RRF, T4= 28 t ha-1 FYM, T5= 28 t ha-1 FYM+50 % RRF, T6= 28 t ha-1 FYM+100 % RRF, T7= 56 t ha-1  FYM, T8= 56 t ha-1 FYM+50 % RRF, T9= 56 t ha-1 FYM+100 % RRF, T10= 17 t ha-1 compost, T11= 17 t ha-1 compost+50 % RRF, T12= 17 t ha-1 compost+100 % RRF, T13= 34 t ha-1 compost, T14=34 t ha-1 compost+50 % RRF and T15=34 t ha-1 compost+100 % RRF. However, the maize as second crop after wheat not supplied with organic manure, only received inorganic fertilizers as wheat. According to the results, 56 t ha-1 FYM or 34 t ha-1 compost or its residual effect in combined with 100% RRF is the best treatments for improving soil properties (pH, EC and organic matter) and fertility (available N, P and K) as well as wheat and maize yields and its components and nutrient status (N, P and K concentration and uptake). 34 t ha-1 compost gave wheat or maize yield somewhat nearly to 100% RRF, consequently the possibility to save about 50% of the inorganic fertilizers by using high level of compost. In general, compost surpassed FYM in its effect.