Abstract

MOGOLLON SANDOVAL, José Pastor; MARTINEZ, Alicia Elena  and  TORRES, Duilio Gilberto. Effect of application of vermicompost on the chemical properties of saline-sodic soil of Venezuelan semiarid. Acta Agron. [online]. 2015, vol.64, n.4, pp.315-320. ISSN 0120-2812.  https://doi.org/10.15446/acag.v64n4.47115.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of vermicompost made with California red worm (Eisenia foetida), and substrate remains of food, coffee dregs, pseudostems banana and horse dung, on the properties of a sodium-saline soil of Cebollal plain. Incubation experiment was carried out to compare three doses of vermicompost. Four treatments were implemented: treatment without vermicompost (T1); T2: 1% vermicompost; T3: 5% vermicompost and T4: 10% vermicompost, for an incubation period of 28 days, with measurements at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. In each dates were evaluated the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). All variables decreased during the trial. The EC T4 showed a reduction of 62% compared to baseline (3.48 dS/m). The application of different treatments has reduced the initial values of soil pH (8.30); the most effective treatment was T4, since soils changed from the condition of alkali to neutral soils (pH < 7.5). With the application of 10% vermicompost was reduced ESP 50%. The addition of vermicompost proved to be a good strategy for the full recovery of saline-sodic soils.

Keywords : Organic amendments; salinity; soil recovery; sodicity.

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