Study the compost composition impact on its ability to improve soil quality

Abstract

Citizens’ stable and sustainable life restoration at de-occupied territories is an important socio-economic task. Small households well-being in rural areas depends on the harvest they can get from their agricultural plots. The harvest is directly affected by soil quality, which significantly deteriorated as a result of active hostilities during the occupation and de-occupation. Purpose. To research the compost composition impact, when compost formed in limited resources conditions, on its ability to improve the soils quality. Methods. Field for soil samples selection according to DSTU ISO 10381–6:2015. Natural for the compost formation. Electrometric method for determining compost aqueous extract pH level. Soil quality was assessed by plant development using soil phytotoxicity method according to DSTU ISO 11269–2:2002. Results. Conducted studies have shown that the most effective compost of those that have been created is compost with 50% food waste content. The manure presence in compost also improves the soils quality, but in restoration life conditions at the de-occupied territories, access to manure is limited. Composts pH level was determined and it was proved that adding more than 10% of coffee grounds to compost negatively affects the latter’s ability to improve soil quality. This, in turn, is related to the acidic properties both the coffee grounds themselves and their extracts, which are formed during the grounds interaction with atmospheric precipitation. For chernozems, a slight drop in soil quality in the first hostilities year was shown, because the test plants ground part length almost coincides with the control sample length. Conclusions. The applying compost that does not contain manure or contains it in a small amount effectiveness was shown, especially in the conditions when it is important to improve the soils quality at the de-occupied territories. It has been proven that adding compost to chernozem samples that have not been processed for 1 year has a negative effect on seed germination. Before making a decision to apply compost to the soil, it is necessary to conduct the simplest studies of soil current state for which the phytotoxicity method can be used. It is advisable to choose not only test plants according to DSTU, but also those agricultural plants that are planned for planting.