Influences of ammonium-nitrate, food waste compost and bacterial fertilizer on soluble soil nitrogen forms and on the growth of carrot (Daucus Carota L.)

Abstract

This paper reports a greenhouse study to compare the effects of  food waste compost, bacterial fertilizer and their combination with the effect of mineral fertilizer on yield of carrot and the available nutrient content of soils. The study was conducted on calcareous chernozem and acidic sandy soils and consisted of 8 treatments in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The NH4NO3 resulted in reduced growing of carrot plant in sandy soil, and the treatment effect of mineral fertilizer was not observed significantly in chernozem soil. Sandy soil showed higher response of growth of carrot to food waste compost fertilization than chernozem soil. Sole application of EM-1 bacterial fertilizer did not have marked effect on yield parameters and sizes of roots. When EM-1 bacterial fertilizer was applied together with ammonium-nitrate or with compost in chernozem soil, the weights of roots and the sizes of roots in some cases became higher compared to the values of appropriate treatments without inoculation. In sandy soil the diameter of roots slightly increased when EM-1 bacterial fertilizer was applied with ammonium-nitrate and with ammonium-nitrate+compost combination compared to appropriate treatment without inoculation. In chernozem soil the maximum weights and sizes of roots were achieved with the combined treatment of ammonium-nitrate+compost+EM-1 bacterial fertilizer and in sandy soil with compost treatment. Our results of soluble nitrogen content of soils are in good agreement with yield parameters of carrot. Results suggest that food waste compost could be a good substitute for mineral fertilizer application in carrot production mainly in sandy soil. EM-1 bacterial fertilizer did not cause marked effect on yield and yield parameters of carrot plant, but its combination with other fertilizers promises a little bit higher yield or plant available nutrient in the soil. These effects do not clear exactly, so further studies are needed.

Keywords

• nitrogen fertilizer, food waste compost, bacterial fertilizer, carrot, soil, nutrients

References

1. Jászberényi, I., Loch, J., Sarkadi, J., 1994. Experiences with 0.01 M CaCl2 as an extraction reagent for use as a soil testing procedure in Hungary. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 25: 1771-1777.
2. Houba, V.J.G., Jászberényi, I., Loch, J., 1991. Application of 0,01 M CaCl2 as a single extraction solution for evalution of the nutritional status of Hungarian soils. Debreceni Agrártudományi Egyetem Tudományos Közleményei. 30. 85-89. p.
3. Clark, M.S., Horwath, W.R., Shennan, C., Scow, K.M., 1998. Changes in soil chemical properties resulting from organic and low-input farming practices. Agronomy Journal 90: 662–671.
4. Saxena, A.K., Tilak, K.V.B.R., 1994. Interaction among beneficial soil microorganisms. Indian J. Microbiol., 34, 91–106.
5. Council of the European Union, 1999. Directive 1999/31/EC, of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste
6. Pathak, D.V., Khurana, A.L., Singh, S., 1997. Biofertilizers for enhancement of crop productivity – a review. Agricultural Reviews 18: 155–166.
7. Elherradi, E., Soudi, B., Chiang, C., Elkcemi, K., 2005. Evaluation of nitrogen fertilizing value of composted household solid waste under greenhouse conditions. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 25 (2): 169-175.
8. Cegarra, J., Alburquerque, A., Gonzálvez, J., Tortosa, G., Chaw, D., 2006. Effects of the forced ventilation on composting of a solid olive-mill by-product (“alperujo”) managed by mechanical turning, Waste Management 26: 1377–1383.

9. Roberts, P., Edwards –Jones, G., Jones, D.L., 2007. In-vessel cocomposting of green waste with biosolids and paper waste. Compost Science and Utilization 15: 272–282.
10. Chang J.I., Tin-En. H.,, 2008. Effects of compositions on food waste composting. Bioresource Technology 99(17):256-278.
11. Levis J.W., Barlaz, M.A., Themelis, N.J., Ulloa, P., 2010. Assessment of the state of food waste treatment in the United States and Canada. Waste Management 30(8-9): 1486-1494.
12. Higa, T., Wididana G.N.. 1991. Changes in the soil micro flora induced by Effective Microorganisms. P.153-162. In J.F. Parr, S.B. Hornick and C.E. Whitman(ed.) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Kyusei nature farming U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., USA.
13. Richardson, A.E., 2001. Prospects for using soil microorganisms to improve the acquisition of phosphorus by plants. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 28(9): 897 – 906.
14. Wu, S.C., Cao, Z.H., Li, Z.G., Cheung, K.C., Wong, M.H., 2005. Effects of biofertilizer containing N-fixer, P and K solubilizers and AM fungi on maize growth: a greenhouse trial, Geoderma 125: 155–166.
15. Hegedus, S., Kristo, I., Litkei, Cs., Vojnich, V., 2008. Impact of bacterial fertilizer ont he component of industrial poppy varieties. Cereal Research Communications 36: 1719-1722.
16. Schweinsberg-Mickan, M.S., Müller, T., 2009 Impact of effective microorganisms and other biofertilizers on soil microbial characteristics, organic-matter decomposition, and plant growth. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 172: 704-712.
17. Kádár, I., Pusztai, A., 1997. N-műtrágyák hatásának vizsgálata tenyészedény-kísérletekben III. Sabvanyú homoktalaj (Nyírlugos) Agrokémia és Talajtan 46(1-4): 245-256.
18. Kincses, S. - Nagy, P. T. - Kremper R. (2008): A mű és baktériumtrágya hatása a növény-talaj rendszer makrotápelem-forgalmára tenyészedénykísérletben. 50. Jubileumi Georgikon Napok Keszthely 09.25-25, 202-206.
19. Sánchez, E., Soto, J.M., Garcia, P.C., López-Lefebre, L.R., Rivero, R.M., Ruiz, J.M., Romero, L., 2000. Phenolic compounds and oxidative metabolism in green bean plants under nitrogen toxicity. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 27: 272-277.
20. Hegde, D.M., Dwived, B.S., Sudhakara, S.N., 1999. Biofertilizersfor cereal production in India—a review. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 69: 73– 83.
21. Vance, C.P., 1997. Enhanced agricultural sustainability through biological nitrogen fixation. In: Bio Fix of Nitrogen for Eco and Sustain Agric. Proc. NATO Adv Res. Work, Ponzan, Poland, 10–14 September 1996, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, pp. 179–185.