Managing Organic Manures for Carbon Sequestration to Improve Soil Health and Sustained Vegetable Yield

Abstract

Soil fertility and soil health are deteriorated owing to indiscriminate use of mineral sources with no organic inputs. However, large volumes of animal manure are available which can be used for nutrient cycling and soil health. A pot experiment was conducted designed in Complete Randomized Design with eight treatments including control and three rates 2.5, 5 and 7 tons ha^-1of poultry and goat manure, each and balanced rate of mineral fertilizers, respectively. It was revealed that both manures applied affected soil organic carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash
NPK (75:60:30 kg ha^-1), plant height, fresh & dry weight of spinach yield (P< 0.01). The highest values for organic carbon nitrogen, phosphorus and potash contents were obtained when poultry manure was applied at 7 tons ha^-1. Manure of poultry at the rate of 7 tons ha^-1 significantly influenced organic carbon 1.11%, N 0.055 %, P 6.89 mg kg^-1, K 64.06 mg kg^-1, plant height 37.42 cm, fresh & dry weight 43.31 g and 7.95 g, respectively. In comparison, control treatment resulted in minimum, organic carbon 0.23%, N 0.011 %, P 1.42 mg kg^-1, K 35.23 % and yielded 2.18 g plant dry weight.
Comparison of the responses from manures revealed the trend was; Poultry manure > NPK > goat manure. This was largely attributed to differences in organic carbon, N, P, and C/N ratios of the amendments. It is concluded that goat and poultry manure could be applied for soil carbon
sequestration sustained crop production and maintain soil fertility & soil health.