Leaching losses of main nutrients by incorporating organic fertilisers into light texture soils Haplic Luvisol

Abstract

The aim of this work was to show that fertilization of lightly structured soils (Haplic Luvisol), according to the principles of sustainable agriculture can facilitate achieving more valuable results with lower nutrient leaching losses. The research was performed in stationary concrete cylindrical lysimeters (n = 24, 1.35 m depth) plots in were filled the Haplic Luvisol sandy loam (n = 12, surface area 1.75 m²) and loamy sand (n = 12, surface area 1.75 m²) soil, typical to the Eastern Lithuanian area. Scheme of the experiment: 1) control (no fertilizer), 2) NPK fertilizers (Provita, phosphorite powder and potassium magnesia), 3) 40 t/ha sapropel and 4) 60 t/ha manure. Fertilization with 40 t/ha sapropel was found to significantly reduce nitrate leaching losses in sandy loam and loamy sand soils, compared to other applied fertilizers. 60 t/ha manure tended to reduce potassium leaching content in sandy loam soil. The highest phosphorus leaching losses found in two types of soils with incorporated organic NPK fertilizer (Provita, phosphorite powder and potassium magnesia).