MAXIMIZING UTILIZATION OF COMPOST ADDITION USING FOLIAR COMPOST EXTRACT AND HUMIC SUBSTANCES IN ALLUVIAL SOIL

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in clay soil at the experimental farm of Gemmeiza Agriculture Research Station (Middle Delta, Egypt). during the two successive winter seasons of March 2007 and March 2008, to investigate the possibility of spraying compost extract and humic substances as foliar appliocation for maximizing the soil compost addition. For that purpose, kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.)was planted in two successive seasons. The compost was added to all treatments except the control (100% mineral nitrogen fertilizer). Both compost extract and humic substances were added each alone twice or alternatively. The results clearly showed a positive effect of compost extract and humic substances on all plant growth parameters. The superior treatment was when compost extract was sprayed alternatively with humic in present of 75% of mineral nitrogen fertilizer with 10 Ton/fed of compost as soil addition, the following treatment was spraying of compost extract alone with 75% of mineral nitrogen fertilizer plus (10 Ton/fed) of compost addition. Generally, results pointed that usage of compost extract and humic as foliar application maximized the utilization of soil compost addition.