Sustainable Management of Wind-Eroded Sand Dunes Using Organic Amendments for Enhanced Zea mays L. Growth in Basra Governorate

Abstract

The study was conducted to demonstrate the effect of a series of different soil amendments treatments , including organic fertilizer prepared using biogas technology in its liquid (L) and solid (S) forms moreover   compost (C) and  mixture(1:1) of compost and solid (S) and raw cow manure (R) as a control , the study investigated the impact of these amendments on both certain pHysical properties as  mean weight diameter , total porosity and chemical properties as pH, E.C, organic carbon, and

organic matter, as well as indicators such as available nitrogen and phosphorus in soil after planting as indicators to some nutritional sustainability . Sand dune soils were taken from  various areas in Basra that known for being exposed to wind erosion for more than seasons as Safwan, Burjasiya, and Hartha , after treatment with the aforementioned organic amendments soils were planted for two months with a common variety of Zea mays L. crop  treatments were implemented according to a completely randomized design in plastic pots. Results showed that a significant (RLSD _0.05) effect of organic  amendments  on mean weight diameter soils which   were 0.660, 0.735, 0.510 and 1.350 mm for three treated soils of various  regions respectively compared to 0.549 mm for the control (R) ( as raw  cow residues ), total porosity were  50. 22, 52.41, and 53.27 % respectively  compared to 50.03% for the (R), moreover results   showed that  treatment 1:1 mixed significantly improved plant parameters  under various NPK levels(0- half and full of doses traditional NPK fertilizer)   as  dry weight, height plant and which were the superior treatment  (S  +C_(1:1) ) when increase 81 % , 61% ,87 % and 76% for studied plant parameters respectively   compared to control( no added fermented manure ) , results also indicated that  treated dune soil with  S+C  mixture (1:1) was superior significantly on  soil nutritional sustainability after planting when improved  availability of  an essential elements  as  nitrogen and phosphorus after two months planting  when increased two elements(nitrogen and phosphorus to 92 % and 91 % respectively compared to (R) that  can be  encourage agricultural  sustainability  of sandy dune soils for progress farming.