Nutrients concentration and uptake by ryegrass after soil amendment with olive-pomace-based composts
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Olive groves are predominant in the agriculture of Northeast Portugal. Two-phase olive pomace
was composted with sheep manure and almond shell to obtain olive pomace-based composts
(OPC). This plant efficacy trial evaluates the effects of composts, application dose and irrigation
regime on foliar concentration and nutrient efficiency use by ryegrass. Three OPCs containing
different proportions (%) of olive pomace at the initial mixture (OPC 44, OPC 31 and OPC 25) and a
commercial organic corrective (HMC) were amended to an Eutric Leptosol at three application
doses (10, 20 and 40 t.ha-1 + control). Experiment was conducted in pots with two irrigation regimes
(50-70% and 70-100% of soil field capacity, respectively, corresponding to the two ryegrass growth
periods prior to cutting). Plant N levels were assessed through elemental analysis, and P, K, Ca, Mg,
Na, Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu levels in the crop dry matter were obtained through Inductively Coupled
Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The ratio of concentration and dry matter
determined nutrient exportations. Overall, the soil amendment significantly increased the foliar
macronutrient levels compared to control ryegrass. Both nutrient concentration and exportation
on leaves significantly increased with higher water input into the pots, strengthening the
relationship between soil water content and nutrient bioavailability. Results were more evident for
macronutrients than for micronutrients. Dose factor had a major influence on the nutrient
concentration, although it didn’t always increase proportionally. Nutrient absorption was more
influenced by compost type, with HMC and OPC25 inducing the greatest macronutrient exports.
Compost with a higher proportion of olive pomace seems to have a slower release of nutrients to
the plant. Recycling olive pomace through composting and its use as soil amendment may
contribute to crop nutrition and soil health, towards sustainable agriculture in the region.
