Effect of Three Organic Materials on Soil Soluble Cations in Calcareous Soil

Abstract

A calcareous soil incubation experiment for four tasting of 16 weeks was carried out in governorate of Etnoh city, Egypt to ascertain the effect of compost, olive waste and lemon waste on the amounts of extractable sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in a calcareous soil. The rates of organic materials added were 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2 % of the air-dried soil on dry weigh. The periods of sampling affected soil pH and the lowest value was produced at the fourth time of sampling with olive waste [ pH = 7.16]. Decreasing pH values with increasing rate of applied organic waste observed at each time of sampling and with increasing time of sampling. The compost gave the highest value of soluble cation Na at the fourth time of incubation [125 meq/Kg soil], while the lemon waste gave the highest values of soluble cations K, Ca and Mg at the fourth time of incubation [135, 92 and 55 meq/Kg soil, respectively]. Generally, Soluble cations Na, K, Ca and Mg were increased with increasing organic materials rate and increasing time of sampling. The highest values were recorded for 2 % organic material application, rated at the fourth time of sampling.