Influence of composts on soils and plants

Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau [email protected], www.fibl.org

Influence of composts on soils and plants

Jacques G. Fuchs ([email protected])

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Influence of composts on soils and plants

›Effects on chemical and physical properties of soils

›Effects on plant health

›Vegetables: effects on soil fatigue

›Arboriculture: phytosanitary effects

›Conclusions

Influence of composts on soils and plants, jf, october 2019

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Effects on chemical and physical properties of soils


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›Nutrients input (macro- und micro-nutrients)

Source: Kupper & Fuchs, 2007

Digestate foragricultural use

Compost for agricultural use

Compost for horticultural use

Compost for covered cultures

total N [g/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

15.3(9.4; 20.3)

16.6(8.7; 26.0)

14.6(9.2; 27.6)

15.1(8.6; 25.2)

total P [g/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

3. 6(2.0; 8.0)

3.0(1.7; 6.1)

3.0(1.3; 12.7)

3.3(2.1; 8.8)

total K [g/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

12.5(6.4; 20.8)

12.0(5.7; 25.2)

11.6(2.2; 20.7)

10.7(5.5; 27.8)

total Mg [g/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

6.8(3.7; 9.7)

4.8(3.6; 10.3)

6.5(4.4; 10.7)

6.5(4.4; 13.3)

total Ca [g/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

46.6(23.0; 57.8)

53.1(24.0; 83.7)

64.035.0; 91.5)

44.5(69.4; 29.5)

Total Fe [mg/kg DM]median (minimum; maximum)

8.9(3.7; 12.3)

8.8(2.9; 16.7)

10.1(5.4; 14.7)

12.0(6.1; 15.8)

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›Input of stable organic matter to the soil

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Effectiveness of humus reproduction for organic carbon of different organicfertilizations (according to Reinhold 2006)

14

21

21

28

28

35

35

43

51

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Fertigkompost

Frischkompost

Festmist, Rind

Gärprodukt, fest

Gülle, Rind

Gülle, Schwein

Getreidestroh

Gärprodukt, flüssig

Gründüngung, Rübenblatt, Grünschnitt

Humus-C in % zu Dünger-C

Mature compost

Young compost

Cattle manure

Digestate solid

Digestate liquid

Cattle slurry

Pig slurry

Cereal straw

Green manure, grass

humus-C in % to fertilizer-C

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›« Essais-Vitrines»: Influence on soil organic matter

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›Influence on soil organic matter

Bibliography Test duration Compost quantityEffect on OM-content of the

soil[in % of control]

Aichberger and al., 2000 9 years 15-40 t FM / ha +12%

Bragato and al., 1998 5 years 7,5-15 t FM / ha + 21 %

Jenkinson and al., 1987 140 years manure:

35 t /ha andyear + 176 %

Kjellenberg and Granstedt, 2005

33 years 4 t FM / ha andyear + 8 to + 25 %

Compost Diffusion, 1999

7 years 40-100 m3 / year +10 % to37 %

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›Effect on soil structure

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›« Essais-Vitrines »: Influence on soil density

› Soil management is easier, observations of FiBL pointed to a potential saving of fuel (less resistance in compost treated soils) in a test of compost application in fruit growing

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›« Essais-Vitrines »: Influence on soil porosity

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›« Essais-Vitrines »: Influence on soil aeration

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›Effect on water infiltration and water retention

› Effect on water capacity of soil

› Compost Diffusion, 1999: + 6%

› Eyras et al., 1998: +20 to +25%

› Gagnon et al., 1998: +3 to +5%

› Shiralipour et al., 1996: + 3% to +16%

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›Reduction of erosion› Diminution of wind erosion

› Hartmann, 2002: -30 to -50%› De Vos, 1996: erosion with 4 Beaufort without compost equal to

that of 6-7 Beaufort with compost

› Diminution of water erosion› Ojeda et al., 2003: -50%› Bazzoffi et al., 1998: -10 to -50%

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›Reduction of erosion

›Effect on soil pH

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›« Essais-Vitrines »: Influence on soil pH

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›Project FOEN: heavy soil

5.5

6

6.5

7

T D1 D2 Ca1 Ca2 Ch1 Ch2 Cc1 Cc2

vale

ur p

H

2004

DiDi: digestate; Ca: compost for agricultural use; Ch: compost for horticultural use; Cc: compost fur covered cultures

Ca Ch CcT

pH v

alue

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›Project FOEN: sandy soil

5.5

6

6.5

7

T D1 D2 Ca1 Ca2 Ch1 Ch2 Cc1 Cc2

vale

ur p

H

2005

DiDi: digestate; Ca: compost for agricultural use; Ch: compost for horticultural use; Cc: compost fur covered cultures

Ca Ch CcT

pH v

alue

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› Allowed compost quantity (CH): 25 tons DM / 3 years

› Correspond to 1’500 CaO (500 kg / year)

› Correspond to the usual quantity of maintenance liming

› Enough to redress pH value ?

In some soils yes (FiBL trials 2004-2005: +0.5 - +1 units)

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›Reduction of erosion


>Effects of compost on soil biology

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>Effects of compost on soil biology

> Indirect through influence of soil characteristics

>Supply of nutrients for soil microorganisms

>Supply of compost microorganisms to the soil

> Improvement of the microbial balance in the soil

> Improvement of the soil microbiological activity

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Effect on plant health


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>Indirect effect>Supply of macro- and micro-nutrients

>Soil structure

>Regulation of water balance

>Protection against erosion

> Influence of soil microflora (supply of substrates)

>Direct effect>Compost microflora influences soil microflora

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>Compost in culture substrate

0

20

40

60

80

100

Plan

t sur

viva

l [%

]

0 0.5 1 2 4g. P. ultimum / liter substrate:

Peat substrate

a

dddd

2/3 peat + 1/3 compost

a

bb

c c

1/3 peat + 2/3 compost

a

ab

b

b

c

Compost

ab abb

b

b

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>Buffers the system microbiologically

>Prevents pathogen invasion

>Reduces disease incidence drastically

>Secures plant production

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>Compost after soil steaming

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40Days after soil steaming

NO

2[p

pm in

wat

er e

xtra

ct 2

:1]

steamed, without compoststeamed, with 10% de compost

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Transplanted 1 day after soil steaming

n: soil non-treated

c: soil steamed without compost

b: soil steamed with 10% compost

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Soil before steaming

: via

ble

wee

d se

eds

: n

on-v

iabl

e w

eed

seed

s

: p

atho

gens

: a

ntag

onis

ts

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Steaming

: via

ble

wee

d se

eds

: n

on-v

iabl

e w

eed

seed

s

: p

atho

gens

: a

ntag

onis

ts

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Soil after steaming

: v

iabl

e w

eed

seed

s

: non

-via

ble

wee

d se

eds

: p

atho

gens

: a

ntag

onis

ts

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0

1

2

3

plan

t w

eigh

t[g

/pot

]

0 1 2 4 8[g P. ultimum /litre soil]:

untreated

ab

cd

ef

cd

steamed

bb

d

f

d

+ 10% compost

c

e

fg

ghh

steamed

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>Detoxification of the soil

>Allows earlier planting of seedlings

>Prevents soil recolonisation with pathogens

>Allows sustainable soil steaming

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>Effect of compost in the field

0

20

40

60

80

100

Surv

ival

[%

]

0 1 2 4 8 16g. P. ultimum / liter soil:

Soil without compost

a

bc

c c

c

c

Soil with compost(last amendment 1 year ago)

aa

abb

b

c

aababab

bb

Soil with compost(last amendment 1 week ago)

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g Pythium ultimum / liter soil0 1 2 4 8 16

without compost

withcompost

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0

20

40

60

80

Mor

talit

y [%

]

0 1 2 4 8 16Units of R. solani / liter soil:

Soil without compost

bb

c

d d

Sol with compost(last amendment 1 year ago)

a

b

c c

d

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>Reduces disease incidence

>The more intensively the field is cultivated, the more evident is the positive effect of compost on plant health

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>Compost effect on the whole plant

with compostwithout compost

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>Compost effect on the whole plant

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Prot

ectio

n [%

]

10% compost30% compost50% compost

Compost 1

e*

bccd*

Compost 2

a

cd*

bc

Compost 3

a

ab

abc

Compost 4

cd*

abc

a

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Vegetables: effects on soil fatigue


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>Spinach damping off

control

compost

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>Clubroot of crucifers

control + compost

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>Clubroot of crucifers

Compost (10%) Sterilized compost (10%)

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Arboriculture: phytosanitary effects


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>New plantation in soils with fatigue

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>Diminution of root rot in cherry trees or of Phytophthora rot in raspberry

Photo: FAW

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>Application in autumn to diminish the inoculum of apple scab in the following spring

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Conclusions

Process management, jf, october 2019

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Conclusions

Process management, jf, october 2019

›Positive effect of composts and digestates

›Effect on the chemicals characteristics of soil

›Effect on the physical chemicals characteristics of soil

›Effect on the (micro-)biological characteristics of soil

›Phytosanitary effect

›The positive effects can be obtain with quality products and only when they are correctly used

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Questions ? Discussion ?

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www.biophyt.ch

Biology of composting, jf, october 2019

Influence of composts on soils and plants

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