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Abstract
Nkongolo,
N.V., M. Yamada and A. Yamasaki. 2007. Effect of animal manure on the
physical properties of a volcanic ash soil and cabbage growth response. JEMREST
3:0304-313.
The effectiveness of any soil
amendment is better assessed through its effects on improving soil properties
and enhancing plant growth. The objective of this study was to study the
effect of four years of continuous application of chemical fertilizer (CF) and
animal manure (AM) on soil physical properties and relationship with cabbage
growth. The study was conducted at the National
Agriculture Research
Center, Tsukuba (Japan) in a
light-colored Korobuku soil. Chemical fertilizer was applied at the rate of 1430
Kg of N-P2O5K2O /ha and fresh animal manure
at the rate of 1111 Kg/ha. The field was annually cropped to sweet corn in
spring and cabbage in autumn. Results showed that addition of AM improved
soil air-filled porosity (¦a), bulk density (rb) and
total pore space (TPS). On contrary, CF decreased ¦a and increased
rb and soil penetration resistance (SPR). Linear correlation
analysis between four cabbage growth parameters and five soil physical
properties showed that 95% of the correlations were significant in AM but
only 40 and 35% in the no amendment (control) and CF amended soil.
Coefficients of correlation (r) were also highest and ranged from 0.53 to
0.85 in AM and 0.53 to 0.61 in NF and CF. Amending a volcanic ash soil with
AM improved its physical properties, this in turn resulted in increased
cabbage growth. ¦a and TPS appeared as representative for
assessing the physical properties of a light-colored Korobuku soil.
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