Effect of Compost Production on Soil Water and Nutrient Dynamics in Clay Loam Soil

This research was carried out to check the effect of compost on the water content and soil properties. Four composts from different feedstock was applied at 2.5-cm thick mulch layer to Clay Loam Soils and their effect on soil properties was studied after 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks in which the pots were kept outside. The compost treatments were C1 and C2 (from organic fraction of municipal solid waste); C3 (from kitchen waste and animal manure); C4 (from straw and chicken manure). Control I (C1) is a soil without compost as amendment. At each sampling date, the soil was collected after removing the compost mulch. The coarse-textured compost (C2) had the least effect on nutrient availability despite moderate concentrations of available N and P in the compost. The total N and P concentrations were low which, together with the coarse texture of the soil resulted in low mobilization rates. The other three composts increased aggregate stability and water holding capacity although there was no measurable increase in soil organic, C, suggesting that the improved soil structure may be due to microbial activity. The soil N and P availability was increased by these three composts. The increased soil nutrient availability was due to two mechanisms which varied with compost type: either by release of P and N already present in available form in the composts, or mobilization of the nutrients during the experiment. However, the mobilization rate varied with compost type