ISSN 10683674, Russian Agricultural Sciences, 2010, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 191–193. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2010. Original Russian Text © V.I. Golov, A.N. Timofeev, T.A. Aseeva, 2010, published in Doklady Rossiiskoi Akademii Sel’skokhozyaistvennykh Nauk, 2010, No. 3, pp. 36–38.

AGROCHEMISTRY

Efficiency of New Peat–Humus Fertilizers on Far East Soils V. I. Golova, A. N. Timofeevc, and T. A. Aseevab a

Biology and Soil Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, 690022 Russia b Far East Agricultural Research Institute, Khabarovsk, 680521 Russia cBioteksAgro, Khabarovsk, 680006 Russia email: [email protected] Received May 12, 2009

Abstract—The efficiency of new peat–humus fertilizers made by an original technology is studied on typical arable soils in the Far East region. A substantial increase in the yield of main vegetable and field crops is shown. A higher assimilation of mineral fertilizers added to the composition of the new fertilizers and, as a consequence, their higher ecologicity and economy are noted in all experiments. Key words: new peat–humus fertilizers, efficiency, soils, Far East DOI: 10.3103/S1068367410030110

At present the use of mineral fertilizers for various rea sons has decreased tens of times and for Far East soils has amounted to only 4 kg/ha instead of 130 kg/ha during the most intensive chemicalization (1985–1990) of agriculture. For all practical purposes, they are not applied to cereal, fodder, and pulse (mainly soybean) crops. However, a considerable and reliable body of information has been accumulated in world agricul tural practice indicating negative ecological afteref fects of using large doses of mineral fertilizers, pesti cides, and other chemicals. The existing alternative agricultural systems, for example, organic, precision, and contourameliorative, can’t always be successfully mastered and used under conditions of the region owing to the acute shortage of manpower, low level of mechanization and automation of labor, and other causes. It should be noted that without mineral fertilizers it is problematic to actually increase the yield of crops being grown. To reduce their losses from soils, we attempted to use natural adsorbents (zeolites and ben tonites) whose adsorption capacity is considerably higher than that of soils. However, by means of zeolites adsorption of only those nutrient elements which are + present in fertilizer in a cationic form (K+, N H 4 , Mg2+, etc.) can be guaranteed. For binding elements – being taken up by plants in an anionic form (N O 3 , 3–

2–

P O 4 , S O 4 , etc.), methods have been developed for modifying zeolites by treating them with cesium and rubidium oxides [1], which have been successfully tested under laboratory conditions [2]. In this case, they lost the ability to adsorb cations, which also caused a number of problems.

In subsequent investigations we began to use as adsorbents welldecomposed low peat, the supplies of which in the Far East are comparable to those in Belarus (5.2 billion tons). It should be taken into account that humic acids in the composition of peat equally successfully adsorb both cations and anions. Adsorption of the latter is due to the presence of iron oxides in peat. Such peat contains from 3 to 5% iron oxide and hydroxide as well as up to 50% humic acids in terms of organic matter. METHOD To increase the adsorption capacity of humic acids according to our proposed patented technology [3], peat is treated with a concentrated caustic (KOH) solution. In this case, the acidity of peat decreased (on average the pH increased from 3–4 to 8–9); the adsorption capacity increased substantially (almost double in the alkaline medium [4]) and peat was enriched with potassium, one of the most important nutrient elements of crops. For further saturation of the peat–humus fertilizers (PHFs) with nutrient elements, we added nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers to neutral peat in an amount proportional to the crops’ requirement (in all, 18%) and 7% borogypsum (boron production waste containing on average 15% sulfur, 0.3% boron, 0.6% magnesium, and about 20% calcium in a plant available form). When necessary, we added trace ele ments (molybdenum for legumes, zinc for corn, and boron on light soils and soil poor in this element). For increasing the competitiveness of PHFs and for conve nience of their use, we selected cultivated crops differ ing in requirement for and removal of nutrient ele

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Table 1. Corn and cabbage yield on meadow brown podzolized soils of Khabarovsk krai Corn

Cabbage

gain yield of gain green heads, mass yield, t/ha t/ha % t/ha t/ha %

Variant

Control (without fertilizers) N60P60K60 PHFs (kg/ha): 170 350 500 LSD05, t/ha

25.2

–

30.9 35.7 35.6 36.9 4.2

–

21.7

–

–

5.7 22.6

31.6

9.9 45.6

10.5 41.7 10.4 41.3 11.7 46.4

38.4 42.6 30.0 5.4

16.7 77.0 20.9 96.3 8.3 38.2

ments. Thus, for cereals (wheat, oats, barley, rye, etc.) we suggested a composition with a relatively high nitrogen content (N : P : K, 8 : 5 : 5); for legumes (soy bean, common bean, field peas, clover, etc.), a com position without nitrogen (N : P : K : S, 0 : 8 : 7 : 3) but with the addition of sulfur and a small amount of molybdenum (25 g/ha), stimulating nitrogen fixation and often referred to elements limiting the yield of legumes on soils of the region. Compositions with an increased amount of sulfur are provided for crucifer ous plants, potassium for solonaceous plants, etc. In case of need, compositions for individual crops were prepared. Experiments on the efficiency of the proposed fer tilizers were carried out on corn and cabbage on fields of the Far East Agricultural Research Institute (Kha barovsk raion, Vostochnyi settlement). The soils of the experiment plot were meadow brown podzolized gley clay loam, acid (pHKCl 4.0–4.2) typical for the middle

Amur River region. The content of mobile forms of the main nutrient elements was low (phosphorus 1.0 mg, nitrogen 1.3–2,1, and potassium up to 1.1 mg/100 g soil); the humus content was optimal and averaged 4.9%. The soils of the Kamchatka Agricultural Research Institute, on which we studied the response of potatoes and fodder crops (a mixture of rape, oats, and barley for green fodder) to the application of PHFs, were ochreous volcanic, acid (pHKCl 4.1); the soil texture was mainly light. A low density, high porosity, and good aeration and filtration capacity are characteristic for them. The humus content was high, 7.1%; the con tent of mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium was also higher than in soils of the Amur River region, respectively 7.3 and 9.2 mg/100 g soil. However, the nutritive regime of these soils is very unstable owing to their high porosity and infiltration capacity, and there fore mineral fertilizers are very efficient on them [5]. The field experiments in the Amur River region and on Kamchatka were established in fourfold replica tion. Variants of the experiments are given in Tables 1 and 2. The technology of growing the crops corre sponded to that used in similar soil climatic zones. Harvesting and recording the yield were done manu ally. The data of the records were processed by mathe matical methods. All results given in the tables are sta tistically reliable. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A study of the effect of PHFs on the yield of corn and cabbage green mass on soils of the Amur River region showed their greater efficiency than that of mineral fertilizers (Table 1). The yield of these crops from a complete NPK dose increased respectively by 22.6 and 45.6%, with application of PHFs to corn up to 46.4%, and to cabbage from 38.2 to 96.3% depend

Table 2. Yield of potatoes and annual grasses on ochreous volcanic soils of Kamchatka krai (on average during 2006–2007) Potatoes Variant

Control (without fertilizers) N90P90K90 – background 1 N100P100K100 PHFs (kg/ha): 250 500 Background 1 + PHFs 250 kg/ha Background 1 + PHFs 500 kg/ha N50P50K50 + PHFs 250 kg/ha LSD05

Annual grasses gain

gain

%

green mass yield, t/ha

t/ha

%

– 11.0 –

– 97.3 –

31.7 – 42.7

– – 11.0

– – 34.7

10.2 16.5 12.5 17.7 –

90.3 146.0 110.6 156.6 –

– 42.6 – – 41.8 2.4

– 10.9 – – 10.1

– 34.4 – – 31.9

yield of tubers, t/ha

t/ha

11.3 22.3 – 21.5 27.8 23.8 29.0 – 1.2

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EFFICIENCY OF NEW PEAT–HUMUS FERTILIZERS

ing on the dose. The maximum effect on cabbage was observed at a dose of PHFs of 350 kg/ha: the yield almost doubled; with increase of dose to 500 kg/ha, it decreased reliably. The maximum corn yield was recorded with the application of 500 kg/ha PHFs; however, the difference in yield between maximum and minimum dose was within the limits of error of the experiment; therefore, in the given case an economi cally and ecologically justified dose of 170 kg/ha should be considered. A considerable increase in the yield of potatoes and annual grasses with application of PHFs was estab lished on volcanic soils of Kamchatka. But unlike the results obtained on soils of the Amur River region, their efficiency compared to mineral fertilizers was less pronounced except for the variant with application of the maximum dose of 500 kg/ha, from which the potato yield was 2.5 times higher than in the control and 59.3% higher than in the N90P90K90 variant (Table 2). And still with consideration of the cost and amount of mineral fertilizers applied, the ecological and eco nomic advantage of the new fertilizers is beyond doubt even with equal efficiency of those tested. Positive results were obtained in recent years on soybean, wheat, cucumber, and other crops on soils of the Amur oblast, Primorskii krai, and China. The geography of the experiments conducted in the Far East to test PHFs is rather wide (from 42 to 54°N) and their advantage compared to mineral fertilizers was noted in almost all experiments [6, 7]. Despite the fact that a small amount of the main macroelements, not even corresponding to their removal, enters the soil from PHFs, the high efficiency of the new fertilizers, in our opinion, is explained mainly by the higher assimilability of the mineral nutrient elements. The coefficient of assimilation on average for PHFs is 90% and more, and for mineral fertilizers not higher than 50%. Furthermore, organic matter, which is a source of energy for microflora par ticipating in mobilizing poorly available nutrient ele ments in soil (minerals, organic residue, molecular nitrogen, etc.), is introduced with peat [8]. Readsorp tion of nutrient elements of PHFs being released in the soil during growth was also found. There are probably other explanations related to unknown functions of humic acids that are in the composition of the new fer tilizers [4].

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Thus, the use of PHFs on Far East soils is more effi cient than the application of mineral fertilizers. They have a longer effect on the crops being fertilized, are ecological because they don’t create an excess con centration of nutrient elements, and are complete since they contain sulfur, magnesium, calcium, and necessary microelements in addition to the main mac roelements.

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REFERENCES 1. Avramenko, V.A. and Vasilevskii, V.A., New Sorbents Based on Modified Zeolites and Their Use in Ecology, Agriculture, and Medicine, Tseolity Primor’ya. Tezizy dokl. nauchn.prakt. konf. (Zeolites of Primor’e. Heads Rep. Sci.–Prac. Conf.), Vladivostok, 1994, pp. 16–19. 2. Golov, V.I., Use of Zeolites in the Far East Economy, Vestn. Dal’nyi Vostochn. Otd. Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1995, no. 4, pp. 57–65. 3. Golov, V.I., Aseeva, T.A., Timofeev, A.N., Ignatov, N.I., and Velichko, V.P., RF Patent 2346917, Byull., 2009, no. 5. 4. Orlov, D.S., Guminovye veshchestva v biosfere (Humic Substances in the Biosphere), Moscow: Nauka, 1993. 5. Yarushin, A.M., Soil Fertility and Yield, Rezervy sel’skokhozyaistvennogo proizvodstva Kamchatskoi oblasti (Reserves of Agricultural Production in the Kamchatka Oblast), PetropavlovskKamchatskii, 1980, pp. 19–24. 6. Golov, V.I., Timofeev, A.N., Prospects of the Produc tion and Efficiency of Peat–Humus Fertilizers (PHFs) on Far East Soils, Fundamental’nye dostizheniya v poch vovedenie, ekologii, sel’skom khozyaistve na puti k inno vatsiyam. Tezizy dokl. na I Vseros. Nauchn.prakt. konf. s mezhdunarodnym uchatiyem. 22–25 aprelya 2008 (Basic Achievements in Soil Science, Ecology, and Agriculture on the Path toward Innovations. Headskkk Rep. I AllRoss. Sci.–Prac. Conf. with Int. Participa tion. April 22–25, 2008), Moscow: Masspress, 2008, pp. 65–66. 7. Golov, V.I., Aseeva, T.A., Pisetskaya, N.F., Golod naya, O.M., and Gafitskaya, I.V., Efficiency and Pros pects of Using Organomineral Fertilizers from Local Agricultural Raw Material on Far East Soils, Genet icheskie resusry rastenievodstva Dal’nego Vostoka (Genetic Resources of the Far East Plant Industry), Vladivostok: Dal’nauka, 2004, 223–230. 8. Fokin, A.D., Two Important Functions of Soil Organic Matter, Zemledelie, 1989, no. 2, pp. 41–44.

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