Prof. Hassan Hamza Abbas Ramdan :: Publications:

Abstract This work aimed to study both the direct and residual effects of cattle waste manure, elemental sulfur at different rates, nitrogen in different forms and phosphorous at different rates on some soils chemical properties as well as the availability of macro nutrients in a calcareous soil. To fulfill this objective, a field trail was conducted on El-Nubaria calcareous soil (CaCO3>34%) cattle waste manure was applied at a rate of 12 ton fed-1and P at a rate of 0, 50 and 100% of its recommended dose, N in the form of urea, ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate at a rate of 120 kg fed-1 and P at a rate of 0, 50 or 100% of its recommended dose. The experimental plots were distributed statistically in a split-split design. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L, Giza 163) was cultivated within the first half on November 2005 then harvested in May 2006 and succeeded by maize (Zea maize L., single hybrid 10) to study the residual effect of the aforementioned treatments on cultivated at the same experimental plots. Results revealed that applied elemental sulfur slightly increased soil salinity (EC) and soluble HCO3-, SO42-, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+ and inversely affected the soluble Cl-, soil pH, SAR and ESP. Application of nitrogen in the urea form resulted in the lowest EC, highest soil pH, HCO3- and Cl- contents, while SO42- Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+ ions were slightly increased upon the application of ammonium sulfate. Application of ammonium sulfate was associated with higher values of the organic matter and CaCO3 contents then than other studied nitrogen fertilizers. Increasing application of phosphorous rate was associated with increasing soluble SO42- and decreased soluble Ca2+ contents in the studied soils. Moreover, increasing rate of the applied phosphorous rates seemed not to be of pronounced effect on concentrations of soluble Mg2+, Na+ and K+, however, it showed slight decreases in soil pH, SAR, ESP and CaCO3 content. The organic matter content increased with increasing rates of applied phosphorous. The availability of macronutrients i.e. N, P and K increased and more obvious by increasing of applied sulfur, ammonium sulfate form and phosphorous application rates. It could be concluded that effects of cattle waste manure associated with a recommended dose of sulfur (100 kg S fed-1), ammonium sulfate as a nitrogenous fertilizer form and 150 kg p2O5 fed-1, may lead us to overcome a shortage of organic matter and the availability of essential nutrients dominated in the newly reclaimed soils especially the calcareous ones.