Plant Soil Environ., 2023, 69(6):282-290 | DOI: 10.17221/123/2023-PSE

Improving the stability of soil aggregates using soil additives and revegetation by grasslandOriginal Paper

Markéta Mayerová1, Tomáš Šimon1, Martin Stehlík1, Mikuláš Madaras1
1 Crop Research Institute, Department of Crop Management Systems, Prague, Czech Republic

Soil aggregate stability (SAS) is an important factor for soil quality and fertility. There are limited possibilities to influence this soil property, but one investigated method is the application of additives which have the potential to improve SAS. We established a four-year field experiment on a clay-loam Luvisol with poor soil structure to monitor SAS following the application of additives and grassland revegetation. Treatments included: (1) the untreated control; (2) compost; (3) biochar; (4) liming; (5) cattle manure; (6) woodchips; (7) woodchips + fungi inoculation; (8) pellets; (9) pellets + fungi; (10) hydrogel and (11) the change of arable land to grassland. The lowest 23.39% average SAS value was recorded for the untreated control, and then 23.92% for lime treatment, and the highest 27.69% average value was for hydrogel treatment, followed by woodchips with 27.22% and woodchips + fungi with 27.02%. A significant SAS increase of more than 200% was evident on the grassland two years after the trial’s establishment, and this was also associated with other improved physical and chemical soil properties. Finally, while most of our applied soil additives were relatively ineffective in agricultural practice, grassland revegetation is highly recommended for its rapid increase in soil aggregate stability.

Keywords: climate condition; soil porosity; glomalin; fertilisers; soil amendments

Received: March 21, 2023; Revised: May 19, 2023; Accepted: May 23, 2023; Prepublished online: June 20, 2023; Published: June 28, 2023  Show citation

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Mayerová M, Šimon T, Stehlík M, Madaras M. Improving the stability of soil aggregates using soil additives and revegetation by grassland. Plant Soil Environ. 2023;69(6):282-290. doi: 10.17221/123/2023-PSE.
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