Abstract Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining the productivity and health of plants, animals, and humans, yet its bioavailability in soils can be limited. Poultry litter (PL) serves as a cost‐effective organic amendment that not only improves soil fertility but also supplies essential micronutrients, such as Zn. The objective of this study was to assess the extractability and leachability of Zn in sandy clay loam (SCL) and clay loam (CL) soils amended with three types of PL: breeder chicken (BC), broiler chicken (BrC), and domestic chicken (DC). The litter was incorporated into soils at a 5% rate and incubated for 4 weeks under controlled room conditions. Overall, PL application effectively enhanced Zn availability in soils. SCL soil contained higher initial Zn concentrations than CL soil, and PL application significantly increased both total Zn and water‐soluble Zn concentrations. Among the treatments, BC litter caused the greatest enrichment of Zn, Ca, Mg, and Fe, with the overall trend in Zn concentrations found in the following order BC > BrC > DC. The lowest amount of total Zn was observed in both untreated SCL soil (20.4 mg kg − 1 ) and CL soil (18.0 mg kg − 1 ). BC litter produced the highest Zn concentration of 59.0 mg kg − 1 in SCL and 52.0 mg kg − 1 in CL soil. BrC litter increased total amount of Zn to 45.3 mg kg − 1 in SCL and 44.0 mg kg − 1 in CL soil, while DC litter resulted in 38.5 and 32.0 mg kg − 1 in SCL and CL soil, respectively. Zn leachability was highest in BC‐amended soils. This study indicated that the addition of poultry manure can potentially enhance Zn in soils. However, litter and soil factors are critical determinants of Zn retention and leaching.
Feroz et al. (Fri,) studied this question.