Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Cultivation Using Vermicompost-Amended Soil as an Aspect of Sustainable Plant Production

To achieve higher yields and maximum plant growth, excessive amounts of inorganic fertilisers are often applied to soils, affecting human and animal health and leading to the degradation of environmental resources. The use of organic fertilisers is proposed as an alternative to mineral fertilisation. One of the more frequently used organic fertilisers is vermicompost, which contains nutrients for plants in readily available forms and is characterised by the slow release of macronutrients and microelements into the soil environment. In a two-year field study, an attempt was made to use vermicompost produced from the waste mass of littoral plants as a soil amendment in the cultivation of garlic (Allium sativum). The experiment was conducted on raised beds with three treatments which were substitution of 10%, 25% and 50% vermicompost (V10, V25 and V50, respectively) to a heavy clay soil (SL), that with no addition acted as a control. Results showed that the 50% vermicompost addition had the most beneficial effect on selected (from a practical point of view) plant traits (e.g., diameter and mean bulb weight, mean number of cloves per bulb and mean clove weight, and mean yield), as well as on the content of macronutrients and microelements in garlic cloves. Lowest values of the analysed traits for A. sativum were found in the SL control group. No significant differences were found for the analysed parameters in the aboveground parts of plants in all the applied substrates.

Utilisation of Miscanthus x giganteus L. Based C-Rich Fertilisers for N Immobilisation and Microbial Biomass Build-Up in a Crop Rotation

Cultivation of perennials such as Miscanthus x giganteus Greef et Deuter (Mis) combines the provision of ecosystem services and the generation of additional carbon sources for farming. The potential of Mis based fertilisers, regarding immobilisation of inorganic nitrogen (N) and build-up of soil organic matter (SOM), was tested in a field trial. Therefore, a crop rotation of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), mustard (Sinapis alba L.) as catch crop, sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was set up. The tested treatments were a mixture of Cattle Slurry (CS) and Mis, a mixture of CS and Wheat Straw (CS–WS), Cattle Manure (CM) from Mis shredded bedding, CM from WS shredded bedding, a pure CS, Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN) and a treatment without any N applied (NoN). When the carbon-rich fertilisers (both mixtures and manures) were applied to cereals, they led to a slight N immobilisation compared to pure CS, whereas differences were mostly not significant. Furthermore, Mis fertilisers were at least as efficient as WS-based organic fertilisers in inducing a contribution of SOM build-up and in reducing inorganic N before winter and thus preventing N losses, whereas differences were mostly not significant.

Impact of fertilisers on five turfgrass mixtures for football pitches under natural conditions

For 2 years (2019–2020), a field experiment to test the activities of different fertilisation schemes on the yield, colour and health status of five different grass mixtures for football pitches was conducted. Two grass mixtures were composed of different varieties of perennial ryegrass, one mixture was composed of varieties of perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass, one mixture consisted of the species Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea and Poa pratensis, and the seeds of only one variety of perennial ryegrass were sowed in one plot. Three different fertilisation schemes were included in the experiment. The first scheme (A) contained an inorganic fertiliser with added soil improvers, the second scheme (B) included an organic fertiliser with added soil improvers and the third scheme (C) was composed of an inorganic fertiliser. According to this study, the grass yield largely depends on the soil temperature, amount of precipitation and soil water content, and the occurrence of the fungus Laetisaria fuciformis is influenced by the fertilisation scheme, as the % infection with the fungus was highest when organic fertilisers with low % nitrogen was used. The selection of fertilisers is seen as an important factor for the turfgrass colour.

Speciation of P in Solid Organic Fertilisers from Digestate and Biowaste

Phosphorus (P) is a finite resource and its reuse in organic fertilisers made from biowaste and manure should therefore be encouraged. The composition of solid organic fertilisers (SOFs) depends on the type of feedstock and processing conditions, and this may affect P speciation and hence P availability. Phosphorus speciation was assessed in eighteen different SOFs produced from biowaste and digestate. Available P was determined in 10 mM CaCl2 extracts at a fixed pH of 5.5 and at a fixed total P concentration in the suspension. P was dominantly present as inorganic P (>80% of total P). There was a strong variation in the Fe content of the SOFs and hence in the fraction of P bound to reactive Fe/Al-oxides (PFe). The fraction of total P soluble at pH 5.5 correlated negatively with PFe pointing to fixation of P by metal salts added during processing, or by soil mineral particles in case garden waste was processed. Therefore, the use of iron salts in processing plants should be avoided. In addition, the presence of P in poorly soluble precipitates lowered the fraction of easily available P. Overall, this study shows that Pt alone is not a good indicator for the agronomic efficiency of SOFs due to large differences in P speciation among SOFs.

Effects on Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Agricultural Soils Following the Application of Slurry Amended with Additives

This poster elucidates the experiments related to the first objective of a PhD focussed on the use of amended organic fertilisers (manures/slurries) in agricultural soils. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the most yield-limiting nutrients in many soils. Manures and slurries could represent valid alternatives to inorganic fertilisers to replenish nutrient offtake via harvested crops. Inoculation of slurry using additives, such as Slurrybugs™ and Slurrybooster™, can enhance the nutrient value of slurry, due to the action of microorganism and enzymes within the additives.

Factors of Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture of Ukraine: Evidence from the Enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast

Reducing the negative impact of agricultural enterprises' activities on the environment with an increase in food demand can be achieved by implementing sustainable intensification measures, where the key measure is an increase in crop yields while reducing the use of resources. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors of sustainable intensification of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine by building a model of the interdependence of yield on the level of diversity of agricultural crops, application of organic fertilisers, availability of animal husbandry on the farm, labour costs, mineral fertilisers and depreciation, the use of fuel materials per 1 ha and the level of payback of costs. During the scientific study, a sample of 516 enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast that grow agricultural products was processed; some of them are engaged in animal husbandry. Using the correlation and regression analysis method, data was analysed and processed using specialised Microsoft Excel and SPSS 21 software. The paper presents a model of the dependence of the yield of agricultural enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast on numerous factors that were selected based on the theoretical provisions of the sustainable intensification of agriculture. It was found out that the diversity of agricultural crops, the application of organic fertilisers, the availability of animal husbandry on the farm, and labour costs are considerable factors and have both a positive and negative impact on yield. The model applied the effect of interaction between two factors, which showed the greatest impact on the dependent variable. The study provides reasoning for the availability of the highest yield among enterprises that additionally engage in economic activities for raising animals, as well as specialise in the production of various crops. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the provision of proposals on the areas of sustainable intensification of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine

RESEARCH ON DETERMINING THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF VARIOUS POTATO VARIETIES AT SOLFARM SRL, COVASNA COUNTY

Potato cultivation is mainly influenced by the type of fertilisers used, the dosage of mineral or organic fertilisers applied based on the soil nutrient supply and texture of the soil. The potato’s particularities in growing stolons and tubers in the soil, the superficial root system, reltively smaller when compared to the above-ground part, make the plant’s soil condition requirements different from other crops. The purpose of these experiments was to determine the nutrient content in the soil, in order to accurately determine the macro- and micro-element requirements, decided before starting the cultivation, as they are highly important in order to obtain a good yield. In order to monitor the soil nutrient supply, soil samples were taken at a depth of 0-20 and 20-40 cm for ten different varieties, i.e. Arizona, Esmee, Riviera, Red Lady, Carrera, Jelly, Red Fantasy, Levantina, Bellarosa and Luna Rosa, and based on them the ph values, the humus, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and mobile form (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) content were established. Soil analysis is extremely important before starting the cultivation, because it helps farmers determine whether the type of soil is suitable for the plants to be grown and to determine an adequate fertilisation plan.