Amélioration de la qualité des sols acides de Lubumbashi (Katanga, RD Congo) par l’application de différents niveaux de compost de fumiers de poules

Abstract

Objectives: An experiment was conducted on an acidic soil to assess the influence of compost and mineral fertilizers on the chemical properties of this soil.
Methodology and results: The test was installed to a completely randomized with six replicates of six treatment: T0 (unfertilized control), T1 (175 kg NPK+ 87 kg urea per hectare) T2 (double of T1, 350 kg NPK+175 kg urea) T3 (15t.ha^-1 of compost), T4 (double of T3, 30 t.ha^-1 of compost) T5 (quadruple of T3, 60 t.ha-1 of compost). Before installation of the test, composting chicken manure was carried out for 36 days. At the end of the experiment, chemical analyzes were performed on samples of soil and compost from manure of hens. The contents of exchangeable cations appear to be higher compared to the reference values found by other authors in the study area. The high values found for these parameters in the site of the present study could result from the contribution of fertilizers. For the witness, there was a low nutrient availability. In addition, the mean levels of K, P, C and pH are high in pots amended with plenty of compost. Significant differences were observed between the different doses of compost and mineral NPK fertilizer on soil characteristics studied.
Conclusion and application: Recovery of waste as a source of organic matter is a practice to be encouraged in Lubumbashi urban horticulture, in given the high cost of mineral fertilizers and the low level of income of farmers.

Keywords: Compost; mineral fertilizers; acid soil; urban and peri-urban agriculture; Lubumbashi.