Ecological And Morpho-Physiological Characteristics Of Corn (Zea Mays L.) Associated With Compost Curing

Municipal solid waste (MSW) compost is an ̳organic‘ amendment that can act like inorganic fertilizers. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of further cured MSW compost on the growth and development of Zea may L. and characterizing the effect of curing on the soil microbial populations and enzymatic activities. The experimental design was a completely randomized block design with six treatments, the plant‘s morphophysiological characteristics were studied, and the microbial analyses were done for three different soil layers 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 centimeter as well as for the rhizosphere. Data was submitted to statistical analysis using SPSS 17, where treatments with further cured compost showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in all the parameters investigated, and the level of 2.5% had the highest values, except for fungal populations, for both the microbial and enzymatic activities.

[1]  Ali Kanso,et al.  Further Curing Of Lebanese Compost: Improving Quality And Stability , 2013 .

[2]  Wun-cheng Wang.  The effect of river water on phytotoxicity of Ba, Cd and Cr , 1986 .

[3]  Sunil Kumar,et al.  Soil Dehydrogenase Enzyme Activity in Natural and Mine Soil - A Review , 2013 .

[4]  E. Bünemann,et al.  Phosphorus in Action , 2011 .

[5]  Dennis B. McConnell,et al.  Uses and benefits of MSW compost: A review and an assessment , 1992 .

[6]  R. Lark,et al.  Carbon losses from all soils across England and Wales 1978–2003 , 2005, Nature.

[7]  A. Ghaly,et al.  Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on the Growth and Production of Vegetable Crops , 2010 .

[8]  P. Motavalli,et al.  Soil compaction and poultry litter effects on factors affecting nitrogen availability in a claypan soil , 2006 .

[9]  D. Arnon.  COPPER ENZYMES IN ISOLATED CHLOROPLASTS. POLYPHENOLOXIDASE IN BETA VULGARIS. , 1949, Plant physiology.

[10]  James P. Martin.  USE OF ACID, ROSE BENGAL, AND STREPTOMYCIN IN THE PLATE METHOD FOR ESTIMATING SOIL FUNGI , 1950 .

[11]  M. Oliva,et al.  EFFECTS OF CADMIUM ON CHLOROPHYLL CONTENTS AND ON PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN SOYBEAN , 1994 .

[12]  E. Jaworski.  Nitrate reductase assay in intact plant tissues. , 1971, Biochemical and biophysical research communications.

[13]  R. Knight,et al.  Soil bacterial and fungal communities across a pH gradient in an arable soil , 2010, The ISME Journal.

[14]  M. Mkhabela,et al.  The influence of municipal solid waste compost on yield, soil phosphorus availability and uptake by two vegetable crops grown in a Pugwash sandy loam soil in Nova Scotia , 2005 .

[15]  J. S. Lima,et al.  Effect of selected and non-selected urban waste compost on the initial growth of corn , 2004 .

[16]  H. Freitasa,et al.  Effect of selected and non-selected urban waste compost on the initial growth of corn , 2004 .

[17]  Virginie Mirleau-Thebaud.  Effets des contraintes mécaniques du sol sur la limitation des rendements du tournesol , 2012 .

[18]  M. Tejada,et al.  Influence of organic amendments on soil structure and soil loss under simulated rain , 2007 .

[19]  A. Kanso,et al.  Morpho-physiological changes caused by soil compaction and irrigation on Zea mays , 2013 .

[20]  C. Nautiyal.  An efficient microbiological growth medium for screening phosphate solubilizing microorganisms. , 1999, FEMS microbiology letters.

[21]  P. Motavalli,et al.  Soil microbial activity and functional diversity changed by compaction, poultry litter and cropping in a claypan soil , 2011 .