Micro-morphological Changes of Sandy Soils Through the Application of Compost Manure

Abstract

Compost material not only improves the structure of fi ne-textured soils but creates the structure coarse-textured soils as well. Compost was applied at the rates of 0 (Control) and 20 ton/ feddan /year to sandy soils (Typic Torripsamment) in order to investigate its potential for improving the soil properties. The experiment was conducted for two years in Wadi El–Natrun, El–Behaira Governorate, Egypt .The chemical and physical properties of the soils were affected directly by the compost application. Results from this study indicate that the soil structure and the cation exchange capacity were improved. Increasing in organic matter content and reduction in calcium carbonate content were due to the compost which is rich in humic acid. Thin sections of treated sandy samples were examined by polarized microscope. Macro and micro soil morphology were improved, especially the soil structure. Compared with the control treatment, the treated soil with compost had better aggregation in the surface layer due to change in fabric of ground mass and the altering changing of related distribution (C/F) from enaulic to chitonic and partly gefuric. The dominant voids (large vughs and chambers) were modifi ed to simple packing voids. Organic materials can be seen as coatings on pore walls

Keywords

• Compost, micromorphology, thin section