Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
J.Raupp
Manure Fertilization forSOMMaintenance
4.10
Manure Fertilization
for Soil Organic Matter
Maintenance and its Effects
Upon Crops and
the Environment, Evaluated
in a Long-term Trial
J. R
AUPP
Institute forBiodynamicResearch,Brandschneise5, D-64295
Darmstadt, Germany
Introduction
Soil organic matter (SOM) content and turnover are regarded as important
indicators of soil fertility. For crop production, it is of prime interest to
know which immediately beneficial effects these indicators have on land use
criteria such as crop yield, yield stability and environmental impact. The
significance of well-developed soil biological characteristics for successful
crop growth and yield is not quite clear, despite numerous studies on this
issue. With manure fertilization, increased SOM contents have been
observed in several field trials in central and Northern Europe, mostly
carried out under site conditions very similar to ours (Asmus
et al
., 1987;
Asmus, 1992; Garz and Stumpe, 1992; Neméth and Tóth, 1992; Kätterer
and Andrén, 1999). In some of these trials, crop yield and a variety of soil
characteristics have been evaluated. Higher SOM contents have been found
to have positive effects on yield and yield components of cereals (Görlitz
and Asmus, 1984; Schnieder, 1984; Görlitz, 1986) as well as on soil
density, pore volume and maximum water capacity (Asmus
et al
., 1987).
However, in a trial with generally high SOM contents (the lowest was
1.72% C), different humus contents had no significant effects on yield
when optimum mineral fertilization was applied (Stumpe
et al
., 1983).
The aim of the fertilization trial started at our institute in 1980 is
to study the long-term effects of manure and mineral fertilization. In
particular, the interplay of fertilization, soil fertility and crop yield is being
investigated. The results of two crop rotation periods, i.e. the last 8 years,
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