Integrated effects of vermicompost, climatic factors and soil mixing on selected soil fertility indicators

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of vermicompost (0, 10, and 15 tha-1), climatic elements i.e. soil moisture (50%, 70%, and 100%) and elevation of soil temperature (1 to 2⁰C) on the physico-chemical properties and nutrient availability of post-harvest calcareous-acid mixed soils after rice production. A total of 18 treatments assembling the afore-mentioned doses was applied. The analyses of the soils demonstrated significant variation in effects (p ≤0.05) of the treatments on both the available nutrient status and the physicochemical properties of soils. Except for available sulfur; soil p^H, EC, organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and sodium were detected in the higher amounts in 1:1 (calcareous : acid-soils) mixed soils than those of 1:3 mixed counterpart both in initial and post-harvest soil conditions. The highest levels of soil p^H, OC, available P and Zn were determined in the treatment T₁₃. Whereas, treatment T6 proved to be the best dose for the highest availability of Ca and Mg. The treatments T₁, T₂, T₁₁, and T₁₆ were recorded to have the lower OC, available N, P, Ca, Mg, Zn and S contents in soils. In particular, the availability of Na was found to be in lesser amounts in all the subplots. In a nutshell, most of the treatments exerted favourable influence in maintaining a healthy level of soil physico-chemical parameters owing to their inherent characteristics.

Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 32(1): 119-134, 2023 (January)