Soil Biology And Nitrogen Dynamics Of Vineyard Soils As Affected By A Mature Biowaste Compost Application

Compost Science & Utilization, (2007), Vol. 15, No. 2, 70-77

Claas Nendel (1) and Stephan Reuter (2)
1. Department of Modelling and Knowledge Transfer, Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Großbeeren, Germany
2. Institute of AgroEcology, RLP AgroScience GmbH, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany

Biowaste compost is frequently used in German viticulture to improve soil physical characteristics and to replace soil organic matter losses. A monitoring program was carried out to investigate the effect of a mature biowaste compost application on soil biology and soil mineral N dynamics. At four vineyard sites in southern Germany, compost was applied at two different rates in a random block design with four replicates. Soil mineral N, soil microbial biomass and soil respiration were observed over a period of three years. At three of the four investigated sites, the compost application induced a priming effect, leading to mineral N contents of between 87 and 440 kg N ha-1 shortly after the amendment. During the investigation period, the pattern of N mineralization and translocation in all soils otherwise followed common rules which are governed by environmental conditions. Due to the priming effect, the N release from the compost was sufficient to cover the vine's N demand for the first and second year after application at three of the four vineyard sites. In the third year, a mineral N fertilizer application would have been required. High soil mineral N contents as a consequence of the priming effect may be exposed to leaching and denitrification.

Copyright 2007, The JG Press, Inc.