ISSN 1068�3674, Russian Agricultural Sciences, 2010, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 191–193. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2010.Original Russian Text © V.I. Golov, A.N. Timofeev, T.A. Aseeva, 2010, published in Doklady Rossiiskoi Akademii Sel’skokhozyaistvennykh Nauk, 2010, No. 3, pp. 36–38.

191

At present the use of mineral fertilizers for various rea�sons has decreased tens of times and for Far East soils hasamounted to only 4 kg/ha instead of 130 kg/ha duringthe most intensive chemicalization (1985–1990) ofagriculture. For all practical purposes, they are notapplied to cereal, fodder, and pulse (mainly soybean)crops. However, a considerable and reliable body ofinformation has been accumulated in world agricul�tural practice indicating negative ecological afteref�fects of using large doses of mineral fertilizers, pesti�cides, and other chemicals. The existing alternativeagricultural systems, for example, organic, precision,and contour�ameliorative, can’t always be successfullymastered and used under conditions of the regionowing to the acute shortage of manpower, low level ofmechanization and automation of labor, and othercauses.

It should be noted that without mineral fertilizers itis problematic to actually increase the yield of cropsbeing grown. To reduce their losses from soils, weattempted to use natural adsorbents (zeolites and ben�tonites) whose adsorption capacity is considerablyhigher than that of soils. However, by means of zeolitesadsorption of only those nutrient elements which are

present in fertilizer in a cationic form (K+, N

Mg2+, etc.) can be guaranteed. For binding elements

being taken up by plants in an anionic form (N

P S etc.), methods have been developed formodifying zeolites by treating them with cesium andrubidium oxides [1], which have been successfullytested under laboratory conditions [2]. In this case,they lost the ability to adsorb cations, which alsocaused a number of problems.

H4+

,

O3–

,

O43–

, O42–

,

In subsequent investigations we began to use asadsorbents well�decomposed low peat, the supplies ofwhich in the Far East are comparable to those inBelarus (5.2 billion tons). It should be taken intoaccount that humic acids in the composition of peatequally successfully adsorb both cations and anions.Adsorption of the latter is due to the presence of ironoxides in peat. Such peat contains from 3 to 5% ironoxide and hydroxide as well as up to 50% humic acidsin terms of organic matter.

METHOD

To increase the adsorption capacity of humic acidsaccording to our proposed patented technology [3],peat is treated with a concentrated caustic (KOH)solution. In this case, the acidity of peat decreased (onaverage the pH increased from 3–4 to 8–9); theadsorption capacity increased substantially (almostdouble in the alkaline medium [4]) and peat wasenriched with potassium, one of the most importantnutrient elements of crops.

For further saturation of the peat–humus fertilizers(PHFs) with nutrient elements, we added nitrogen,phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers to neutral peatin an amount proportional to the crops’ requirement(in all, 18%) and 7% borogypsum (boron productionwaste containing on average 15% sulfur, 0.3% boron,0.6% magnesium, and about 20% calcium in a plant�available form). When necessary, we added trace ele�ments (molybdenum for legumes, zinc for corn, andboron on light soils and soil poor in this element). Forincreasing the competitiveness of PHFs and for conve�nience of their use, we selected cultivated crops differ�ing in requirement for and removal of nutrient ele�

Efficiency of New Peat–Humus Fertilizers on Far East SoilsV. I. Golova, A. N. Timofeevc, and T. A. Aseevab

aBiology and Soil Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, 690022 RussiabFar East Agricultural Research Institute, Khabarovsk, 680521 Russia

cBioteks�Agro, Khabarovsk, 680006 Russiae�mail: golov@ibss.dvo.ru

Received May 12, 2009

Abstract—The efficiency of new peat–humus fertilizers made by an original technology is studied on typicalarable soils in the Far East region. A substantial increase in the yield of main vegetable and field crops isshown. A higher assimilation of mineral fertilizers added to the composition of the new fertilizers and, as aconsequence, their higher ecologicity and economy are noted in all experiments.

Key words: new peat–humus fertilizers, efficiency, soils, Far East

DOI: 10.3103/S1068367410030110

AGROCHEMISTRY

192

RUSSIAN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Vol. 36 No. 3 2010

GOLOV et al.

ments. Thus, for cereals (wheat, oats, barley, rye, etc.)we suggested a composition with a relatively highnitrogen content (N : P : K, 8 : 5 : 5); for legumes (soy�bean, common bean, field peas, clover, etc.), a com�position without nitrogen (N : P : K : S, 0 : 8 : 7 : 3) butwith the addition of sulfur and a small amount ofmolybdenum (25 g/ha), stimulating nitrogen fixationand often referred to elements limiting the yield oflegumes on soils of the region. Compositions with anincreased amount of sulfur are provided for crucifer�ous plants, potassium for solonaceous plants, etc. Incase of need, compositions for individual crops wereprepared.

Experiments on the efficiency of the proposed fer�tilizers were carried out on corn and cabbage on fieldsof the Far East Agricultural Research Institute (Kha�barovsk raion, Vostochnyi settlement). The soils of theexperiment plot were meadow brown podzolized gleyclay loam, acid (pHKCl 4.0–4.2) typical for the middle

Amur River region. The content of mobile forms of themain nutrient elements was low (phosphorus 1.0 mg,nitrogen 1.3–2,1, and potassium up to 1.1 mg/100 gsoil); the humus content was optimal and averaged4.9%.

The soils of the Kamchatka Agricultural ResearchInstitute, on which we studied the response of potatoesand fodder crops (a mixture of rape, oats, and barleyfor green fodder) to the application of PHFs, wereochreous volcanic, acid (pHKCl 4.1); the soil texturewas mainly light. A low density, high porosity, andgood aeration and filtration capacity are characteristicfor them. The humus content was high, 7.1%; the con�tent of mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium wasalso higher than in soils of the Amur River region,respectively 7.3 and 9.2 mg/100 g soil. However, thenutritive regime of these soils is very unstable owing totheir high porosity and infiltration capacity, and there�fore mineral fertilizers are very efficient on them [5].

The field experiments in the Amur River region andon Kamchatka were established in fourfold replica�tion. Variants of the experiments are given in Tables 1and 2. The technology of growing the crops corre�sponded to that used in similar soil climatic zones.Harvesting and recording the yield were done manu�ally. The data of the records were processed by mathe�matical methods. All results given in the tables are sta�tistically reliable.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A study of the effect of PHFs on the yield of cornand cabbage green mass on soils of the Amur Riverregion showed their greater efficiency than that ofmineral fertilizers (Table 1). The yield of these cropsfrom a complete NPK dose increased respectively by22.6 and 45.6%, with application of PHFs to corn upto 46.4%, and to cabbage from 38.2 to 96.3% depend�

Table 1. Corn and cabbage yield on meadow brown podzolizedsoils of Khabarovsk krai

Variant

Corn Cabbage

green mass

yield, t/ha

gain yield of heads, t/ha

gain

t/ha % t/ha %

Control (without fertilizers)

25.2 – – 21.7 – –

N60P60K60 30.9 5.7 22.6 31.6 9.9 45.6

PHFs (kg/ha):

170 35.7 10.5 41.7 38.4 16.7 77.0

350 35.6 10.4 41.3 42.6 20.9 96.3

500 36.9 11.7 46.4 30.0 8.3 38.2

LSD05, t/ha 4.2 5.4

Table 2. Yield of potatoes and annual grasses on ochreous volcanic soils of Kamchatka krai (on average during 2006–2007)

Variant

Potatoes Annual grasses

yield of tubers, t/ha

gain green mass yield, t/ha

gain

t/ha % t/ha %

Control (without fertilizers) 11.3 – – 31.7 – –

N90P90K90 – background 1 22.3 11.0 97.3 – – –

N100P100K100 – – – 42.7 11.0 34.7

PHFs (kg/ha):

250 21.5 10.2 90.3 – – –

500 27.8 16.5 146.0 42.6 10.9 34.4

Background 1 + PHFs 250 kg/ha 23.8 12.5 110.6 – – –

Background 1 + PHFs 500 kg/ha 29.0 17.7 156.6 – – –

N50P50K50 + PHFs 250 kg/ha – – – 41.8 10.1 31.9

LSD05 1.2 2.4

RUSSIAN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Vol. 36 No. 3 2010

EFFICIENCY OF NEW PEAT–HUMUS FERTILIZERS 193

ing on the dose. The maximum effect on cabbage wasobserved at a dose of PHFs of 350 kg/ha: the yieldalmost doubled; with increase of dose to 500 kg/ha, itdecreased reliably. The maximum corn yield wasrecorded with the application of 500 kg/ha PHFs;however, the difference in yield between maximumand minimum dose was within the limits of error of theexperiment; therefore, in the given case an economi�cally and ecologically justified dose of 170 kg/hashould be considered.

A considerable increase in the yield of potatoes andannual grasses with application of PHFs was estab�lished on volcanic soils of Kamchatka. But unlike theresults obtained on soils of the Amur River region,their efficiency compared to mineral fertilizers was lesspronounced except for the variant with application ofthe maximum dose of 500 kg/ha, from which thepotato yield was 2.5 times higher than in the control and59.3% higher than in the N90P90K90 variant (Table 2).And still with consideration of the cost and amount ofmineral fertilizers applied, the ecological and eco�nomic advantage of the new fertilizers is beyond doubteven with equal efficiency of those tested.

Positive results were obtained in recent years onsoybean, wheat, cucumber, and other crops on soils ofthe Amur oblast, Primorskii krai, and China. Thegeography of the experiments conducted in the FarEast to test PHFs is rather wide (from 42 to 54°N) andtheir advantage compared to mineral fertilizers wasnoted in almost all experiments [6, 7].

Despite the fact that a small amount of the mainmacroelements, not even corresponding to theirremoval, enters the soil from PHFs, the high efficiencyof the new fertilizers, in our opinion, is explainedmainly by the higher assimilability of the mineralnutrient elements. The coefficient of assimilation onaverage for PHFs is 90% and more, and for mineralfertilizers not higher than 50%. Furthermore, organicmatter, which is a source of energy for microflora par�ticipating in mobilizing poorly available nutrient ele�ments in soil (minerals, organic residue, molecularnitrogen, etc.), is introduced with peat [8]. Readsorp�tion of nutrient elements of PHFs being released in thesoil during growth was also found. There are probablyother explanations related to unknown functions ofhumic acids that are in the composition of the new fer�tilizers [4].

Thus, the use of PHFs on Far East soils is more effi�cient than the application of mineral fertilizers. Theyhave a longer effect on the crops being fertilized, areecological because they don’t create an excess con�centration of nutrient elements, and are completesince they contain sulfur, magnesium, calcium, andnecessary microelements in addition to the main mac�roelements.

REFERENCES

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2. Golov, V.I., Use of Zeolites in the Far East Economy,Vestn. Dal’nyi Vostochn. Otd. Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1995,no. 4, pp. 57–65.

3. Golov, V.I., Aseeva, T.A., Timofeev, A.N., Ignatov, N.I.,and Velichko, V.P., RF Patent 2346917, Byull., 2009,no. 5.

4. Orlov, D.S., Guminovye veshchestva v biosfere (HumicSubstances in the Biosphere), Moscow: Nauka, 1993.

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7. Golov, V.I., Aseeva, T.A., Pisetskaya, N.F., Golod�naya, O.M., and Gafitskaya, I.V., Efficiency and Pros�pects of Using Organomineral Fertilizers from LocalAgricultural Raw Material on Far East Soils, Genet�icheskie resusry rastenievodstva Dal’nego Vostoka(Genetic Resources of the Far East Plant Industry),Vladivostok: Dal’nauka, 2004, 223–230.

8. Fokin, A.D., Two Important Functions of Soil OrganicMatter, Zemledelie, 1989, no. 2, pp. 41–44.