Effects of vermicompost on aggregate stability, bulk density and some chemical characteristics of soils with different textures

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vermicompost treatments on some physical and chemical characteristics of two soils with different textures. Experiment was conducted in 30 pots with 2 soil types, 5 vermicompost doses (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 t ha-1) and 3 replications. Vermicompost doses calculated over dry weights were applied to 5 kg pots and soil-vermicompost mixtures were incubated under laboratory conditions for about 90 days. According to analysis results, vermicompost treatments significantly increased organic matter content, pH, EC and cation exchange capacity (CEC) values of both soil types. Vermicompost applied at different doses increased organic matter and salt contents of both soil types parallel to increasing doses. As compared to the control dose, soil salinity greatly increased with the greatest vermicompost dose (16 t da-1). Soil pH values increased in acidic loamy soils and decreased in clay soils with relatively high pH values. Since vermicompost has high organic matter content, it increased soil CEC values significantly. It was found that there were significant positive correlations between organic matter content and CEC values of the soils. Vermicompost treatments had positive effects also on soil physical characteristics, increased aggregate stability and decreased bulk density of the soils. While vermicompost treatments increased aggregate stability of loamy soils remarkably, such effects were not remarkable in clay soils. © 2020 Namik Kemal University - Agricultural Faculty. All rights reserved.