The influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on the agrochemical properties of soil in the agroecosystem of ecological agriculture

Abstract

Researches were carried out in Lithuania in the ecological production farm and in the Test station of Aleksandras Stulginskis University in the soils of Calc(ar)i-Epihypogleyic Luvisol – LVg-p-w-cc of different granulometric composition and indicators of agrochemical properties and in Endohypogleyi-Eutric Planosol – PLe-gln-w. Cereals, carrots, beetroots and potatoes were grown. Researches were conducted in 2008–2016. Ecologically grown agricultural plants were fertilized with mineral phosphorus and potassium fertilizers of natural origin certified in ecological farming system. Using these fertilizers it was possible to increase the amount of mobile phosphorus and potassium in the soil. Their accumulation in the soil depended on the present levels of phosphorus and potassium. The amount of humus in the soil decreased when agricultural plants were fertilized only with fertilizers of phosphorus and potassium. Having implemented the researches with various organic fertilizers of granulated pig bristles, flour of meat bones, cattle manure, friable horn shavings, horn gelatine flour, cattle manure compost and vermicompost, it was determined that it was possible to increase the amount of humus in the soil fertilizing with not all organic fertilizers. Cattle manure compost and biohumus fertilizers were the best suited for it. The amount of phosphorus and potassium in the soil did not always increase when fertilizing with only organic fertilizers. The amount of phosphorus and potassium in organic fertilizers was not sufficient to ensure the accumulation of phosphorus and potassium in the soil. In the agroecosystem of ecological agriculture the amount of humus in the soil increased, mobile phosphorus and potassium were accumulating in the soil after the usage of organic fertilizers was balanced with mineral fertilizers certified in ecological production.