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Role of organic fractions on C decomposition and N mineralization of animal wastes in soil

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Abstract

The relative contributions of water-soluble, water-non-soluble, Van Soest-soluble, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) fractions of pig slurry (PS), cattle slurry (CS), cattle farmyard manure (FYM), and composted cattle farmyard manure (CFYM) to the overall C and N mineralization of the raw wastes were studied by incubating treated soil for 107 days at 15°C under non-limiting N conditions. The C or N mineralization of soluble fractions was calculated from the difference between C or N mineralization of the raw and non-soluble fractions. The organic N content of raw wastes ranged from 15 to 32 mg N g−1 dry matter and organic C to organic N ratio from 13 to 29. The water-soluble fraction (SOLW) was close to 100 mg C g−1 raw waste C for CS, FYM, and CFYM but reached 200 mg C g−1 for PS. The Van Soest-soluble fraction (SOLVS) was the main fraction for PS, CS, and CFYM (>500 mg C g−1 raw waste C) but only 303 mg C g−1 raw waste C for FYM. Both soluble and non-soluble fractions contributed to C decomposition of slurries, with half to more than half of the decomposed C derived from the degradation of soluble compounds. Most of the C decomposed from FYM was derived from the large NDF fraction, but the contribution from the water-soluble C to the decomposition was also significant. Carbon mineralization of CFYM was due to the degradation of the NDF fraction, whereas soluble C did not contribute. Amounts of N mineralized or immobilized by raw wastes and non-soluble fractions at the end of incubation were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with their organic C to organic N ratio. The contribution of the Van Soest-soluble fraction to N mineralization varied greatly between the four wastes. Finally, large differences in the C degradability and N availability of the water and Van Soest-soluble fractions were demonstrated.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the coordinated scientific program “AGREDE” funded by INRA and ADEME. We would like to thank Béatrice Trinkler, Maryvonne Leroy, Sylvie Millon, Marie-Jeanne Herre, and Gonzague Alavoine for their technical assistance.

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  1. Bernard Nicolardot

    Present address: ENESAD UMR 1210 INRA–ENESAD–Université de Bourgogne « Biologie et Gestion des Adventices », 26 Bd Docteur Petitjean, BP 87999, 21079, Dijon Cedex, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR1069, Soil Agro and hydroSystem, 35000, Rennes, France

    Thierry Morvan

  2. Agrocampus Rennes, UMR1069, Soil Agro and hydroSystem, 35000, Rennes, France

    Thierry Morvan

  3. INRA, UR 1158, Unité d’Agronomie de Laon-Reims-Mons, 2 esplanade R. Garros, BP 224, 51686, Reims, Cedex 2, France

    Bernard Nicolardot

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Morvan, T., Nicolardot, B. Role of organic fractions on C decomposition and N mineralization of animal wastes in soil. Biol Fertil Soils 45, 477–486 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-009-0355-1

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