Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil
Organic amendments provide a sustainable strategy to enhance soil quality in degraded environments while also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example, by improving soil structure, minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers, and promoting a green economy. This study assessed the comp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Artículo |
| Language: | Inglés |
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MDPI
2025
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2849 https:// doi.org/10.3390/app15148041 |
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| author | Rivas Aratoma, Brenda Pérez Porras, Wendy Elizabeth Ortiz Dongo, Luis Felipe Arévalo Aranda, Yuri Gandhi Solórzano Acosta, Richard Andi |
| author_browse | Arévalo Aranda, Yuri Gandhi Ortiz Dongo, Luis Felipe Pérez Porras, Wendy Elizabeth Rivas Aratoma, Brenda Solórzano Acosta, Richard Andi |
| author_facet | Rivas Aratoma, Brenda Pérez Porras, Wendy Elizabeth Ortiz Dongo, Luis Felipe Arévalo Aranda, Yuri Gandhi Solórzano Acosta, Richard Andi |
| author_sort | Rivas Aratoma, Brenda |
| collection | Repositorio INIA |
| description | Organic amendments provide a sustainable strategy to enhance soil quality in degraded environments while also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example, by improving soil structure, minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers, and promoting a green economy. This study assessed the comparative effects of two organic amendments— vermicompost leachate and biochar—on the performance of popcorn maize (Zea mays L. var. everta) cultivated in saline soil conditions. Four treatments were evaluated: T0 (Control), T1 (Vermicompost leachate), T2 (Biochar), and T3 (Vermicompost leachate + Biochar), each with 10 replicates arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Although various soil physicochemical, microbiological, and agronomic parameters displayed no significant differences compared to the control, the application of biochar resulted in considerable improvements in soil total organic carbon, the microbial community (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, molds, and yeasts), and increased seed length and diameter. In contrast, vermicompost leachate alone negatively impacted plant growth, leading to decreases in leaf area, stem thickness, and grain yield. Specifically, grain yield declined by 46% with leachate alone and by 31% when combined with biochar, compared to the control. These findings emphasize the superior effectiveness of biochar over vermicompost leachate as a soil amendment under saline conditions and highlight the potential risks of widely applying compost teas in stressed soils. It is recommended to conduct site-specific assessments and screenings for phytotoxins and phytopathogens prior to use. Additionally, the combined application of leachate and biochar may not be advisable given the tested soil characteristics. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | INIA2849 |
| institution | Institucional Nacional de Innovación Agraria |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | INIA28492025-09-11T19:22:46Z Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil Rivas Aratoma, Brenda Pérez Porras, Wendy Elizabeth Ortiz Dongo, Luis Felipe Arévalo Aranda, Yuri Gandhi Solórzano Acosta, Richard Andi Circular economy Microbial community Agricultural waste Carbón Economía circular Comunidad microbiana Residuos agrícolas https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.01.01 Agricultura sostenible; Compost; Carbón vegetal; Salinidad del suelo; Zea mays; Sustainable agricultura; Composts; Charcoal; Soil salinity Organic amendments provide a sustainable strategy to enhance soil quality in degraded environments while also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example, by improving soil structure, minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers, and promoting a green economy. This study assessed the comparative effects of two organic amendments— vermicompost leachate and biochar—on the performance of popcorn maize (Zea mays L. var. everta) cultivated in saline soil conditions. Four treatments were evaluated: T0 (Control), T1 (Vermicompost leachate), T2 (Biochar), and T3 (Vermicompost leachate + Biochar), each with 10 replicates arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Although various soil physicochemical, microbiological, and agronomic parameters displayed no significant differences compared to the control, the application of biochar resulted in considerable improvements in soil total organic carbon, the microbial community (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, molds, and yeasts), and increased seed length and diameter. In contrast, vermicompost leachate alone negatively impacted plant growth, leading to decreases in leaf area, stem thickness, and grain yield. Specifically, grain yield declined by 46% with leachate alone and by 31% when combined with biochar, compared to the control. These findings emphasize the superior effectiveness of biochar over vermicompost leachate as a soil amendment under saline conditions and highlight the potential risks of widely applying compost teas in stressed soils. It is recommended to conduct site-specific assessments and screenings for phytotoxins and phytopathogens prior to use. Additionally, the combined application of leachate and biochar may not be advisable given the tested soil characteristics. This research was funded by the “Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria” project “Mejoramiento de los servicios de investigación y transferencia tecnológica en el manejo y recuperación de suelos agrícolas degradados y aguas para riego en la pequeña y mediana agricultura en los departamentos de Lima, Áncash, San Martín, Cajamarca, Lambayeque, Junín, Ayacucho, Arequipa, Puno y Ucayali” with grant number CUI N◦ 2487112. 2025-09-11T19:22:46Z 2025-09-11T19:22:46Z 2025-07-19 info:eu-repo/semantics/article Rivas Aratoma, B.; Pérez, W.E.; Ortiz Dongo, L.F.; Arévalo Aranda, Y.; Solórzano Acosta, R. Challenges of Organic Amendments: Impact of Vermicompost Leachate and Biochar on Popcorn Maize in Saline Soil. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 8041. https:// doi.org/10.3390/app15148041 2076-3417 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2849 https:// doi.org/10.3390/app15148041 eng urn:issn:2076-3417 Applied Sciences http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2776 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ application/pdf application/pdf MDPI CH Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria Repositorio Institucional - INIA |
| spellingShingle | Circular economy Microbial community Agricultural waste Carbón Economía circular Comunidad microbiana Residuos agrícolas https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.01.01 Agricultura sostenible; Compost; Carbón vegetal; Salinidad del suelo; Zea mays; Sustainable agricultura; Composts; Charcoal; Soil salinity Rivas Aratoma, Brenda Pérez Porras, Wendy Elizabeth Ortiz Dongo, Luis Felipe Arévalo Aranda, Yuri Gandhi Solórzano Acosta, Richard Andi Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title | Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title_full | Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title_fullStr | Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title_short | Challenges of organic amendments: Impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| title_sort | challenges of organic amendments impact of vermicompost leachate and biochar on popcorn maize in saline soil |
| topic | Circular economy Microbial community Agricultural waste Carbón Economía circular Comunidad microbiana Residuos agrícolas https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.01.01 Agricultura sostenible; Compost; Carbón vegetal; Salinidad del suelo; Zea mays; Sustainable agricultura; Composts; Charcoal; Soil salinity |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2849 https:// doi.org/10.3390/app15148041 |
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