Characteristics of Various Soil Amendments: Soil Sustainability

Characteristics of Various Soil Amendments: Soil Sustainability

Amit Kumar
Copyright: © 2019 |Pages: 12
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-7940-3.ch001
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Abstract

Nutrients play a key role in maintaining soil fertility. Regular use of chemical fertilizers has great impact on soil infertility. Nutrient supply for soil sustainability is the most important step to maintain the fertility and integrity. The enrichment of soil with organic matter could reduce the content of bioavailable metal species as a result of complexation of free ions of heavy metals. The NPK ratio in the soil should be maintained for the good crop yield. There are various organic and inorganic materials available to mix with soil to enhance the soil fertility. Misuse of soil amendment can result not only in damage to crops but can also cause negative impact on soil fertility.
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Amendments In Soil

Organic vs. Inorganic Amendments

There are two broad categories of soil amendments: organic and inorganic. Organic amendments come from something that was alive. Inorganic amendments, on the other hand, are either mined or man-made. Organic amendments include sphagnum peat, wood chips, grass clippings, straw, compost, manure, bio-solids, sawdust and wood ash. Inorganic amendments include vermiculite, perlite, tire chunks, pea gravel and sand. Wood ash, an organic amendment, is high in both pH and salt. It can magnify common soil problems and should not be used as a soil amendment. Organic amendments increase soil organic matter content and offer many benefits. The organic matter improves soil aeration, water infiltration, and both water- and nutrient-holding capacity. Many organic amendments contain plant nutrients and act as organic fertilizers. Organic matter also is an important energy source for bacteria, fungi and earthworms that live in the soil. The landscape and garden soils are improved to 4-5% organic matter. At this level, the mineralization (release) of nitrogen from the organic matter will be adequate for most plants without additional fertilizers. Many cities now require that the landscape soils be brought up to this level in new developments as a water conservation technique. With the improved aeration and deeper rooting, plants are more efficient in capturing rain events. Where the soil amendments may be high in salts, the rate is limited due to the salt problem. Salt burn of roots and death of landscape and garden plants is common from over application of salty soil amendments.

Wood Products

Wood products can tie up nitrogen in the soil and cause nitrogen deficiency in plants. Microorganisms in the soil use nitrogen to break down the wood. Over several months to years, as microorganisms complete the rapid decomposition process, the nitrogen is released and again becomes available to plants. This hazard is greatest with sawdust, because it has a greater surface area than wood chips. Compost wood products, before using them as soil amendments. For these products to decompose rapidly, add a nitrogen source to the compost pile. This could be plant residues high in nitrogen (such as grass clippings or manure), or a nitrogen fertilizer. The un-composted wood products or sawdust as a soil amendment should not be used. It is slow to break down, ties up nitrogen, interferes with seedbed preparation, and interferes with soil and water movement through the soil profile.

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