Requirements and Safeguard Measures for Using Soil Fertilizer in Organic Agriculture:A Case Study of Fushun City in Liaoning Province

This paper summarized the requirements of organic agriculture for soil environment,fertilizer application and irrigation water quality,put forward safeguard measures for organic agriculture in terms of soil,fertilizer and water,and finally came up with recommendations for strengthening the use of soil fertilizers in organic agriculture.

Improvement of soil fertility and rice yield after long-term application of cow manure combined with inorganic fertilizers

Fertilization is an effective technique to improve soil fertility and increase crop yield.The long-term effects of different fertilizers on soil considerably vary.Over 38 consecutive years of different fertilization positioning experiments in a double cropping rice field of Qiyang Red Soil Experimental Station,seven different fertilization treatments including CK(no fertilization),NPK(nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium fertilizer),M(cow manure),NPKM(nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium with cow manure),NPM(nitrogen and phosphorus with cow manure),NKM(nitrogen and potassium with cow manure),and PKM(phosphorus and potassium with cow manure)were applied to study the effects on rice yield,soil fertility,and nutrient apparent balance in a paddy field.The results showed that the annual average yields of rice in NPKM,NPM,NKM,PKM,M,NPK and CK treatments ranged from 6214 to 11562 kg ha-1.Yields under long-term organic and inorganic treatments(NPKM,NPM,NKM and PKM)were 22.58,15.35,10.53 and 4.41%,respectively,greater than under the NPK treatment.Soil organic carbon(SOC),total nitrogen(TN),available nitrogen(AN)and available potassium(AK)concentration with long-term organic and inorganic treatment(NPKM,NPM,NKM and PKM)were significantly higher than in inorganic fertilizer(NPK)treatments.Soil total phosphorus(TP)and available phosphorus(AP)contentration with organic fertilizer combined with inorganic N and P fertilizer treatment(NPKM,NPM and PKM)were significantly higher than with inorganic fertilizer alone(NPK treatments).The average annual rice yield(11562 kg ha-1),SOC(20.88 g kg-1),TN(2.30 g kg-1),TP(0.95 g kg-1),TK(22.50 g kg-1)and AP(38.94 mg kg-1)concentrations were the highest in the NPKM treatment.The soil AN concentration(152.40 mg kg-1)and AK contentration(151.00 mg kg-1)were the highest in the NKM treatment.N and P application led to a surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil,but NPKM treatment effectively reduced the surplus compared with other treatments.Soils under all treatments were deficient in potassium.Correlation analysis showed that SOC,TN,AN,TP,and AP contentration was significantly correlated with rice yield;the correlation coefficients were 0.428,0.496,0.518,0.501,and 0.438,respectively.This study showed that the combined application of N,P,and K with cow manure had important effects on rice yield and soil fertility,but balanced application of N,P,and K with cow manure was required.

Manure substitution improves maize yield by promoting soil fertility and mediating the microbial community in lime concretion black soil

Synthetic nitrogen(N)fertilizer has made a great contribution to the improvement of soil fertility and productivity,but excessive application of synthetic N fertilizer may cause agroecosystem risks,such as soil acidification,groundwater contamination and biodiversity reduction.Meanwhile,organic substitution has received increasing attention for its ecologically and environmentally friendly and productivity benefits.However,the linkages between manure substitution,crop yield and the underlying microbial mechanisms remain uncertain.To bridge this gap,a three-year field experiment was conducted with five fertilization regimes:i)Control,non-fertilization;CF,conventional synthetic fertilizer application;CF_(1/2)M_(1/2),1/2 N input via synthetic fertilizer and 1/2 N input via manure;CF_(1/4)M_(3/4),1/4 N input synthetic fertilizer and 3/4 N input via manure;M,manure application.All fertilization treatments were designed to have equal N input.Our results showed that all manure substituted treatments achieved high soil fertility indexes(SFI)and productivities by increasing the soil organic carbon(SOC),total N(TN)and available phosphorus(AP)concentrations,and by altering the bacterial community diversity and composition compared with CF.SOC,AP,and the soil C:N ratio were mainly responsible for microbial community variations.The co-occurrence network revealed that SOC and AP had strong positive associations with Rhodospirillales and Burkholderiales,while TN and C:N ratio had positive and negative associations with Micromonosporaceae,respectively.These specific taxa are implicated in soil macroelement turnover.Random Forest analysis predicted that both biotic(bacterial composition and Micromonosporaceae)and abiotic(AP,SOC,SFI,and TN)factors had significant effects on crop yield.The present work strengthens our understanding of the effects of manure substitution on crop yield and provides theoretical support for optimizing fertilization strategies.

Drivers of the Chemical Quality of Market Gardening Soils in the Urban and Peri-Urban Environment of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso): Impact of Fertilizers Sources and Sites Location

Urban and peri-urban agriculture plays a key role by providing many goods and services. In particular, it provides diversified food and employment for vulnerable groups (youth and women). However, it often involves negative externalities due to non-conventional soils fertility management practices. This study aimed to investigate the chemical quality of soils over six (06) sites of the market gardening area of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) as affected by fertilizers uses and sites location. Thirty (30) representative market gardening farms, located in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, were randomly selected from a baseline survey database. Within each farm, composite soil samples made up of 3 individual cores were taken over the 0 - 15 cm soil depth for determining soils carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus contents and pH-water. These data were normalized and summarized to compute a synthetic Soil Fertility Index (SFI). The data processing was focused on a Principal Component Analysis and an Ascendant Hierarchical Classification in order to make a typology of the vegetable farms. Fertilizers management effects on soils quality were compared through Variance Analysis (ANOVA) following a GLM procedure in Rstudio software. As main results, soils chemical parameters, except for available K, were affected by the location of the sites. Soils in urban farms are less acidic (on average pH = 6.9), while semi-urban and rural sites (Samadeni, Nakaguana) have more acidic soils. However, the latter site had the highest values of C and N. Moreover, the long-term application of organic matter sources results in improving of the chemical quality of the market garden soil. The SFI is positively correlated with the rate of applied organic fertilizers, and the cultivation duration. On the other hand, soil quality tends to decrease with the expansion of the area, due to a dilution effect of the organic fertilizer doses. All these results suggest that there is a real scope to reinforce the position of the market garden as an opportunity for recycling organic wastes and sequestration of carbon by promoting relevant fertilization packages that strongly rely on organic matters sources (Compost, Biochar, etc.).

Effect of Soil Fertility and Planting Density on the Partitioning of the Above-Ground Biomass of Eucalyptus in a Plantation (Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo)

Afforestation and reforestation are useful approaches to improve carbon sequestration. With the advent of forest plantations, growing environment conditions have become increasingly restrictive for light, soil nutrients, and interactions between trees to acquire available resources. Tree biomass data are essential for understanding the forest carbon cycle and plant adaptations to the environment. The distribution of tree biomass depends on the sum of multiple stand conditions. The data are from a dedicated experiment with two very contrasting areas of fertility, and two planting densities, including a high density at planting in order to achieve thinning. The plant material consists of the high-performance clones of Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis and the reference clone E. PF1. We hypothesize that the distribution of biomass changes as the intensity of competition changes and that this is accelerated by the fertility of the sites in time. The results indicate that fertilization, planting density and clones have an impact on biomass partitioning.

Analysis of the Fertilizing and Bioremediation Potential of Leaf Litter Compost Amendment in Different Soils through Indexing Method

This research study explored the efficacy of leaf litter compost as a sustainable soil amendment with the objective of promoting soil health and mitigating the accumulation of potentially toxic elements. The investigation encompassed the impact of various organic compost amendments, including leaf compost, cow dung manure, kitchen waste compost, municipal organic waste compost, and vermicompost. The study employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to evaluate soil nutrient levels and concentrations of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) such as arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, and lithium. The fertilization and bioremediation potential of these compost amendments are quantified using an indexing method. Results indicated a substantial increase in overall nutrient levels (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur) in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic composts. Fertility indices (FI) are notably higher in compost-amended soils (ranging from 2.667 to 3.938) compared to those amended with chemical fertilizers (ranging from 2.250 to 2.813) across all soil samples. Furthermore, the mean concentrations of PTEs were significantly lower in soils treated with leaf compost and other organic compost amendments compared to those treated with chemical fertilizers amendments. The assessment through the indexing method revealed a high clean index (CI) for leaf compost amendment (ranging from 3.407 to 3.58), whereas the chemical fertilizer amendment exhibits a relatively lower CI (ranging from 2.78 to 3.20). Consequently, leaf compost and other organic composts exhibit the potential to enhance sustainable productivity, promoting soil health and environmental safety by improving nutrient levels and remediating potentially toxic elements in the soil.

Evaluation of Soil Fertility Quality and Environmental Driving Factors in Different Soil Types of Artificial Forests

The aim was to clarify the environmental driving factors of soil fertility indicators in artificial forests of Guangxi and comprehensively evaluate the soil fertility level.By collecting data on the current status of soil in artificial forests,the spatial distribution of major soil fertility indicators was analyzed,and the distribution map of the fertility index of artificial forests in the entire region and the comprehensive fertility index of artificial forests of different soil types were obtained.Canonical correspondence analysis method was used to analyze soil fertility indicators and environmental factors,and the environmental driving factors of soil fertility indicators for artificial forests of the main soil types in Guangxi were obtained.The results showed that over 90%of the soil fertility index of artificial forests in the entire region was between 0.20 and 0.50.The order of soil fertility index of different soil types of artificial forests from high to low was yellow brown soil>yellow red soil>yellow soil>red soil>limestone soil>latosolic red soil>laterite.In artificial forests of latosolic red soil,the correlation between soil alkaline nitrogen and organic matter,annual average temperature was high,while the correlation between soil available phosphorus and organic matter,pH was high,and the correlation between soil available potassium and environmental factors such as slope,altitude,rainfall,accumulated temperature,and slope aspect was high.In artificial forests of red soil,the correlation between soil alkaline nitrogen and slope,altitude was high,while the correlation between soil available phosphorus and accumulated temperature,rainfall was high,and the correlation between soil available potassium and pH was high.In artificial forests of limestone soil,there was a high correlation between soil alkaline nitrogen and slope,organic matter,a high correlation between soil available phosphorus and accumulated temperature,rainfall,and a high correlation between soil available potassium and pH.

Effect of Different Rates and Mixtures of Solid Household Waste and Faecal Sludge-Based Composts on Soil Fertility and Productivity of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Dschang, West Cameroon

The unbalanced and inadequate use of fertilizers is one of the causes of soil degradation. Combined with the ever-increasing population, it is necessary to find sustainable agricultural production alternatives. The present work aims to determine the effect of different rates and mixtutes of organic amendments on soil fertility and the performance of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). In the field, treatments consisted of solid household waste and faecal sludge in the ratios of 3/5 (V1), and a mixture of faecal sludge and household waste in the ratio of 3/5 with 900 worms (V2). At the end of the composting process, V1, V2 composts and the poultry manure (PM) were applied at rates of 4, 5 and 6 t∙ha−1 in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Soil samples were collected before and after the experiment and analyzed. The main results revealed that at the end of the composting process, there was a progressive improvement in the physico-chemical properties of V1 and V2 composts. In particular, the C/N ratio, phosphorus (P) and total nitrogen (TN) initially at 16.49 ± 0.42 (V1, V2), 21.06 ± 0.07 mg∙kg−1 (V1, V2), 0.76% ± 0.08% (V1, V2) respectively, increased after 60 days to 12.40 ± 0.41 (V1), 9.74 ± 0.28 (V2) for C/N, 21.94 ± 0.63 mg∙kg−1 (V1) and 22.04 ± 0.04 mg∙kg−1 (V2) for P, 0.96% ± 0.0% (V1) and 1.22 ± 0.04 (V2) for TN. The application of 6 t∙ha−1of PM had the greatest influence on the diameter and weight of the flower heads (27.16 ± 4.01 t∙ha−1 and 230.83 ± 2.64 t∙ha−1), while 4 t∙ha−1 of V2 gave the tallest sunflower plants (110.07 ± 73.28 cm) as well as the diameter at the crown (19.30 ± 9.07 cm). However, CEC was most influenced by 4 t∙ha−1 of V1, while 4 t∙ha−1 of PM had the greatest effect on organic carbon and phosphorus. However, 5 t∙ha−1 of PM showed the highest sunflower production and yield (1.67 ± 0.21 t∙ha−1). The combination with 900 earthworms is recommended for composting and 5 t∙ha−1 of PM is recommended to obtain a better sunflower production.

Effects of the Application of Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer on Rapeseed Yield, Agronomic Characters and Soil Fertility

In order to study the effects of controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （CRNF） application on rapeseed, a simulated experiment was carried out with 3 types of paddy soils in Dongting Lake area for 4 consecutive years of applying CRNF under double rice cropping system after planting rapeseed crop in the fallow season. The effects of CRNF application on rapeseed yield, agronomic characters and soil fertility were studied in this paper. The results showed that CRNF application improved the growth of rapeseed plant and increased rapeseed yield of CRNF treatments in the purple calcareous clayed paddy soil （PCS） and alluvial loamy paddy soil （ALS） which respectively increased by 12.2% and 9.8% compared with applying urea, re- spectively. The rapeseed yield in 70% CRNF treatment obviously decreased com- pared with urea treatment. The contents of available N and organic carbon in soil increased by 25.0% and 3.2% in CRNF treatment in the ALS after rapeseed crop, respectively; and available N increased by 13.5% in the PCS. Both rapeseed yield and soil fertility in CRNF treatment and 70% CRNF treatment were lower than those in CK treatment in the reddish yellow clayed paddy soil （RYS）. The results al- so indicated that the functions of CRNF application on rapeseed yield increase and soil nitrogen fertility improvement were very obvious in the PCS and ALS.

Effect of Continuous Application of Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer in Various Types of Soil in Dong-Ting Lake Region under Double Rice Cropping System

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the effects of continuous application of controlled release nitrogen fertilizer under double rice cropping system. [Method] By modeling three types of paddy soils in Dong-Ting Lake area, four treatments as no fertilizer （CK）, urea, controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （CRNF） and 70% controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （70% CRNF） were designed in the micro-plot trials from 2005 to 2008. [Result] The rice yield in treatment CRNF at N 150 kg/hm2 was increased by 10.3%, 8.0% and 2.4% compared with treatment of urea, in alluvial sandy loamy paddy soil （ALS）, purple calcareous clayey paddy soil （PCS）, and reddish yellow loamy paddy soil （RYS）, respectively; and the yield in treatment of 70% CRNF was increased by 6.1%, 2.6% and -0.8%, respectively. The ranking order of nitrogen uptake amount by plant in early rice and late rice was CRNF 70% CRNF urea CK in all three types of soil. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in above three types of soil was 60.7%, 59.6% and 56.3%, increased by 23.8%, 19.4% and 16.3% compared with that in treatment of urea, respectively. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in early rice was increased year by year, and was higher than that of 70% CRNF during the whole experiment stage, while that in late rice was increased first and then decreased from the 3rd year. [Conclusion] Continuous application CRNF could alleviate the decreasing of soil nitrogen fertility and organic carbon especially in ALS, increase rice yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency in double-rice cropping system.

Effects of Dairy Cattle Manure and Chemical Fertilizers on Fertility of Soils Grown with Cichorium intybus

[Objective] The aim was to explore recycling utilization of manure of dairy cattle through returning of manures into fields. [Method] Effects of dairy cattle ma- nure and chemical fertilizer on fertility of soils grown with Cichorium intybus were in- vestigated through a pot experiment. [Result] After manure of dairy cattle was ap- plied, it can be concluded that organic matter, total N, total P, alkali-hydrolyzable ni- trogen, available P, activities of urease and invertase in soils increased by 0.14-1.28 times, 43.8%-79.7%, 17.4%-30.8%, 147%-188%, 7 times, 17.2%-38.5%, and 1.36%- 3.34%, respectively. Furthermore, organic matter, total N. urease and invertase activi- ties in group of M7F3 increased most; total P and available P achieved the best in group of M3F7. These indicated that the applied manures of dairy cattle would maintain and improve soil fertility, providing better soils for Cichorium intybus. [Conclusion] The research provides reference for recycling of cattle manures and construction of ecological cyclical pattern of ＂grass planting-cattle breeding-methane fermentation-returning of manures into fields＂.

Effects of N,P and K Fertilizers on Growth of Clover Nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia and Soil Fertility after Plantation

In order to develop organic rice and increase paddy soil fertility by cloverorganic rice rotation, the effects of N, P and K fertilizers on growth of clover nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and soil fertility after plantation were investigated, thereby providing certain reference for reasonable cultivation of clover and improvement of soil fertility. A two-year experiment was conducted from 2012 to 2013. The clover was cultivated after rice every year, and different levels of N, P and K fertilizers were applied before winter. In the treatment group, no fertilizer was applied. The effects of different fertilizers and different application amounts on clover yield, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia quantity, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia weight and soil fertility after plantation were analyzed. The results showed that the application of N, P and K fertilizers in the early stage had significantly effect on the growth of clover. When the application amount of N fertilizer was 75 kg/hm^2（N 46%）, the clover yield, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia quantity and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia weight were highest. The soil nitrogen content after plantation increased with the increase of the application amount of N fertilizer, while the P and K content decreased and then increased with the increased application amounts. Soil available P content increased with the increased application amounts of N and P fertilizers, but it did not change significantly with the increased application amount of K fertilizer. Soil available K content increased first and then decreased with the increased application amounts of N and P fertilizers.When the application amounts of N and P fertilizers were 150（N 46%） and 300（P_2O_5 12%） kg/hm^2, soil available K content reached the maximum. Soil organic matter content increased with the increased application amounts of N, P and K fertilizers. Therefore, in the cultivation of clover, appropriate application of N, P and K fertilizers in the early stage can improve clover yield and soil fertility.

Impacts of chemical fertilizer reduction and organic amendments supplementation on soil nutrient,enzyme activity and heavy metal content

Excessive use of agro-chemicals （such as mineral fertilizers） poses potential risks to soil quality. Application of organic amendments and reduction of inorganic fertilizer are economically feasible and environmentally sound approaches to de- velop sustainable agriculture. This study investigated and evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer reduction and partial substitution of organic amendment on soil fertility and heavy metal content in a 10-season continually planted vegetable field during 2009-2012. The experiment included four treatments： 100% chemical fertilizer （CF100）, 80% chemical fertilizer （CF80）, 60% chemical fertilizer and 20% organic fertilizer （CF60＋OM20）, and 40% chemical fertilizer and 40% organic fertilizer （CF40＋OM40）. Soil nutrients, enzyme activity and heavy metal content were determined. The results showed that single chemical fertilizer reduction （CF80） had no significant effect on soil organic matter content, soil catalase activity and soil heavy metal content, but slightly reduced soil available N, P, K, and soil urease activity, and significantly reduced soil acid phosphatase activity. Compared with CF100, 40 or 60% reduction of chemical fertilizer supplemented with organic fertilizer （CF60＋OM20, CF40＋OM40） significantly increased soil organic matter, soil catalase activity and urease activity especially in last several seasons, but reduced soil available P, K, and soil acid phosphatase activity. In addition, continu- ous application of organic fertilizer resulted in higher accumulation of Zn, Cd, and Cr in soil in the late stage of experiment, which may induce adverse effects on soil health and food safety.

Effects of Long-Term Combined Application of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Microbial Biomass,Soil Enzyme Activities and Soil Fertility

Soil health is important for the sustainable development of terrestrial ecosystem. In this paper, we studied the relationship between soil quality and soil microbial properties such as soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in order to illustrate the function of soil microbial properties as bio-indicators of soil health. In this study, microbial biomass C and N contents （Cmic ＆ Nmic）, soil enzyme activities, and soil fertility with different fertilizer regimes were carried out based on a 15-year long-term fertilizer experiment in Drab Fluvo-aquic soil in Changping County, Beijing, China. At this site, 7 different treatments were established in 1991. They were in a wheat-maize rotation receiving either no fertilizer （CK）, mineral fertilizers （NPK）, mineral fertilizers with wheat straw incorporated （NPKW）, mineral fertilizers with incremental wheat straw incorporated （NPKW＋）, mineral fertilizers plus swine manure （NPKM）, mineral fertilizers plus incremental swine manure （NPKM＋） or mineral fertilizers with maize straw incorporated （NPKS）. In different fertilization treatments Cmic changed from 96.49 to 500.12 mg kg^-1, and Nmic changed from 35.89 to 101.82 mg kg^-1. Compared with CK, the other treatments increased Cmic ＆ Nmic, Cmic/Corg （organic C） ratios, Cmic/Nmic, urease activity, soil organic matter （SOM）, soil total nitrogen （STN）, and soil total phosphorus （STP）. All these properties in treatment with fertilizers input NPKM＋ were the highest. Meantime, long-term combined application of mineral fertilizers with organic manure or crop straw could significantly decrease the soil pH in Fluvo-aquic soil （the pH around 8.00 in this experimental soil）. Some of soil microbial properties （Cmic/Nmic, urease activity） were positively correlated with soil nutrients. Cmic/Nmic was significantly correlated with SOM and STN contents. The correlation between catalase activity and soil nutrients was not significant. In addition, except of catalase activity, the soil pH in this experiment was negatively correlated with soil microbial properties. In conclusion, soil microbial properties reflect changes of soil quality and thus can be used as bio-indicators of soil health.

Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield

By two years （2007-2008） located fertilizer experiment, the effect of long-term combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on black soil fertility and crop yield was investigated in Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province. The results showed that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers could increase the organinc matter, alkaline nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium. At the same time, the increasing application of organic fertilizer could reduce the soil bulk density and improve the field moisture capacity. Field moisture capacity and organic matter of the combined application of high quantities of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers AtB5 treatment increased the fhstest, organic matter increased by 3.33 g. kg and field moisture capacity increased by 11.25% than the beginning of the experiment. Under the same fertilization, the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers＇ increasing production range was higher than the single chemical fertilizers＇ which was from 0.8% to 9.4%. The results showed that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers could increase the nutrient contents of soil and also was the highest productivity contribution to black soil fertility. It was the best fertilization structure of increasing productivity level and improving the soil fertility.

Effect of Indigenous Nitrogen Supply of Soil on the Grain Yield and Fertilizer-N Use Efficiency in Rice

The effects of application of N fertilizer on wheat on the grain yield and N use efficiency （FNUE） of rice in the wheat-rice rotation system, as well as on the soil fertility were studies. N-fertilizer application on wheat significantly increased total N, arnrnoniurn-N and nitrate-N contents in paddy field, resulting in high indigenous N supply of soil （INS）. Compared with low INS, the effect of N rate on the grain yield of rice was reduced significantly, and FNUE was decreased under high INS. These results indicated that high INS was one of the main reasons for the low FNUE in rice.

A Study on Rice Growth and Soil Environments in Paddy Fields Using Different Organic and Chemical Fertilizers

Currently, the majority of paddy fields in Japan are grown using chemical fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides, since chemical fertilizers can provide the nutrients necessary for plant growth. However, there are concerns regarding the environmental impact of chemical fertilizer and pesticides production, such as reduction of soil microorganisms and water pollution due to the runoff of fertilizer components from the soil caused by excessive fertilizer application. In this study, we investigated the effects of the application of organic and chemical fertilizers on the plant growth of paddy fields, in addition to their effects on the chemical and biological properties of the soil. The panicle numbers of rough and brown rice, the 1000-grain weight of the rough and brown rice, and the percentages of ripened grains were significantly higher in paddy soils grown with organic fertilizers than in those grown with chemical fertilizers. In addition, the total carbon (TC) contents and pH values were significantly higher in the soils of paddy fields grown with organic fertilizers. Furthermore, the soils of paddy fields grown with organic fertilizers exhibited greater bacterial biomasses, N circulation activity, and P circulation activity than the soils of paddy fields grown using chemical fertilizers, although the differences were not significant. In this study, the difference in plant growth was appeared in fertilizer application such as organic and chemical fertilizers. It was indicated that the organic fertilizer and pesticide reduction management increased the soil bacterial biomass and activated the material cycle such as N circulation activity.

Effect of Organic and Chemical Fertilizer Application on Growth, Yield, and Soil Biochemical Properties of Landrace <i>Brassica napus</i>L. Leaf-and-Stem Vegetable and Landrace (Norabona)

Norabona is generally cultivated in Japan under management systems that use chemical fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides. However, the continuous use of these fertilizers and pesticides damages the soil environment and reduces the number of soil microorganisms. There has been little research investigating the effect of organic and chemical fertilizer applications on soil biochemistry and the growth and yield of norabona. In this study, we investigated the effect of organic and chemical fertilizer application on these factors during the norabona growing season from September 2019 to May 2020. Leaf length, shoot height, and shoot width were significantly higher under organic fertilizer management in the early stage of cultivation (in March) than under chemical fertilizer management. However, there was no significant difference between treatments for these growth parameters in later months, nor for any other parameters. Soil TN, and TP contents were significantly higher in the organic fertilizer treatment after harvest than prior to cultivation or after the chemical fertilizer treatment. In addition, soil TC, and volumetric water content were significantly higher in the organic fertilizer treatment than in chemical fertilizer treatment. The higher TC, TN, and C/N ratio in organic fertilizer treated soil appeared to increase the bacterial biomass, leading to enhanced nutrient circulation via N and P circulation activity, producing a rich soil environment with active soil microorganisms.

Effect of Biofertilizer on Biomass Productivity, Nutrient Balance and Soil Fertility in Rainfed Organic Ginger Production System

Farmers of North-Eastern India grow ginger organically and obtain low yield. Biofertilizer may help in increasing yield and maintaining soil fertility. An investigation made with different biofertilizers showed that seed treatment with biofertilizer increased biomass by 18.3%, enhanced N, P and K removal and improved short-term soil fertility status by increasing N and P balance and reducing negative K balance over control plots. Use of high dose （5.0 kg haL） of Azotobacter （a3） and medium dose （3.75 kg hal） of both Azospirillum （b2） and Phosphotica （c2） increased rhizome biomass by 6.8%-12.5% and shoot biomass by 5.6%-14.3% over other levels. They enhanced N, P and K removal by both rhizome and shoot when compared with other levels. The above biofertilizer treatments improved organic carbon and available N and P status of the soil by increasing N and P balance. The result showed overall strong negative K balance; but biofertilizer treatments greatly reduced the negative K balance in soil as compared to the control plots. Seed treatment with high level of Azotobacter along with medium level of Phosphotica （a3c2） produced the highest biomass yield （7.4 t hal）, increased N and P balance and fertility status in spite of hizh N, P and K removal.

Effects of Continuous Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Inputs and Ploughing on Groundnut Yield and Soil Fertility in a Groundnut-Sorghum Rotation in Central Burkina Faso

Two field experiments were conducted at Saria in the centre of Burkina Faso in order to assess the effect of chemical and organic fertilizers on yields and soil fertility on two different soils. Groundnut haulm yield, pod yield, number of pods, % 2-seeded pods, % pod rot, seed yield and 100 seeds weight as well as sorghum dry shoot and grain yields were measured. Most of the different variables were affected by continuous cropping without fertilizer application on the two soils, in particular on the coarse one. The effect of nutrient deficiencies was observed. The mineral fertilizers maintained yields, but their supply was not able to replenish the nutrient uptake by plants. The effect of compost on crop production was initially minimal, but improved during years seven and height. Tillage had also a slightly positive effect on yield, which varied with soil type. In the control plot, the content of organic matter decreased in five years and did not increase with the application of fertilizers. In contrast, addition of fertilizers increased total N and Bray-I P. Nitrogen, P, K and Ca balances were negative in almost all treatments without mineral fertilizers. Results showed that fertilizers used were inadequate for maintaining soil fertility and yields in long run. However, extra production did not provide significant profits.