Effect of saw-dust compost application to a calcareous soil on its fertility and productivity of some crops under irrigation shortage [electronic resource].

Includes references.

A green house pot experiment was conducted to evaluate addition of local saw-dust compost (SDC) at rates 1 and 2% of soil weight to a calcareous soil collected from Noubaria Agric. Res. Station Farm. Pots were planted successively with soybean, sudan grass and barley under irrigation shortage (70, 85 and 100 % of field capacity. Plants of each treatment were taken and also soil samples after each crop i.e 2.5, 7.5 and 12 months from beginning application. The obtained results indicated that soil total nitrogen content increased after soybean plant ( after directly addition of manuring) but it decreased by time in each treatment after sudan grass while at the end of the experiment, it increased slightly as a result of advancing in SDC decomposition. Available P and K values were increased after directly application and then decreased by time as Plant dry matter was increased in soybean by SDC application as a result of improving soil physical and biological properties, while the 3rd cut of sudan grass and barley yield take similar trends due to SDC decomposition. Where, the 1st and 2nd cuts of sudan grass decreased than untreated plants due to slow biodegraded material. N, P, K, Fe, Mn and Zn uptake by the three tested plants followed the same behavior of their dry matter. Reducing irrigation water less than 100% from field capacity had a reverse effect on all plants dry matter and fertility status of the soil, especially at 70% from F.C with one exception for available K. Interaction effects of SDC and irrigation water amount gave similar trend of combined picture of both individual SDC and irrigation regime. The recommendation is to carry out SDC with irrigation regime at 100% of F.C improves soil properties and supplying with nutrients for many agricultural seasons, while reducing irrigation water amount gave a negative effects on plant growth and its uptake nutrients. Key words: Calcareous soil, Saw-dust compost, Irrigation shortage, Soybean, Sudan grass and barley.

Summary in Arabic.

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