Summary
This long-term field trial (27 years) conducted on Cambisol in the Czech Republic examined how a range of fertilisation strategies — including sewage sludge, farmyard manure, straw incorporation, and mineral nitrogen — affect soil organic matter quality and glomalin-related soil protein concentrations. Glomalin-related soil proteins, produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are indicators of soil structural stability and biological activity. The study contributes to understanding how organic versus mineral inputs differentially influence the biological quality of arable soils over extended timescales.
UK applicability
While conducted on Czech Cambisol under a Central European climate, findings are broadly relevant to UK arable systems where Cambisols (brown earths) are common and where long-term fertilisation strategy is a key consideration under soil health and nutrient management policy, including the UK's Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Key measures
Total glomalin-related soil protein (T-GRSP); easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP); soil organic matter (SOM) content and quality; fertiliser treatment effects over 27 years
Outcomes reported
The study measured total and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (T-GRSP and EE-GRSP) alongside soil organic matter content and quality indicators under different fertilisation regimes. It assessed how long-term applications of sewage sludge, farmyard manure, straw, and mineral nitrogen influenced these soil biological and biochemical properties in a Cambisol.
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