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 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.