Soil Physicochemical Properties, Microbial Communities, and Lucerne Performance under Organic Fertilization in a Long-Term Cropping System in Austria

Summary

This field study compares four long-term organic fertilisation systems in eastern Austria, examining how contrasting management practices—including green manure, compost, farmyard manure, and biogas digestate—shape soil health, microbial ecology, and lucerne forage productivity. Soil depth emerged as the dominant driver of physicochemical and microbial properties, with topsoil responses to compost and farmyard manure most marked for potassium and phosphorus enrichment. Lucerne maintained consistent productivity across all systems, though compost and farmyard manure applications appeared most effective at sustaining topsoil fertility and physical structure.

UK applicability

Findings are moderately applicable to UK mixed and organic farming systems, particularly for lucerne cultivation in southern and central regions with similar semi-arid conditions. However, UK typically receives higher rainfall than eastern Austria, which may affect the generalisability of depth-dependent patterns and the relative performance of different organic amendments.

Key measures

Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), plant-available phosphorus and potassium, soil pH, bulk density, pore volume, hydraulic conductivity, bacterial and fungal copy numbers and community composition, lucerne biomass yield (Mg ha⁻¹), carbon yield (kg C ha⁻¹), nitrogen yield (kg N ha⁻¹), soil aggregate stability

Outcomes reported

The study measured soil physicochemical properties, soil microbial community composition, and lucerne productivity across four organic fertilisation systems at two soil depths in a long-term cropping rotation. Lucerne biomass yield, carbon yield, nitrogen yield, and soil fertility indicators (phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon, total nitrogen) were quantified.

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