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Agronomía Costarricense

Print version ISSN 0377-9424

Abstract

MARIN, Stephanie; BERTSCH, Floria  and  CASTRO, Leida. Biochemical characterization of an organic and conventional managed Andisol, and its evaluation by the response of greenhouse-grown potato. Agron. Costarricense [online]. 2017, vol.41, n.2, pp.26-46. ISSN 0377-9424.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rac.v41i2.31298.

Biochemical characteristics of an Andisol of Zarcero, subjected for more than 20 years to conventional and organic management, were determined. Then behavior of both soils was evaluated by studying the yield of potato crop in greenhouse conditions, under the following treatments: conventional fertilization, organic fertilization, conventional fertilization with P solubilizers, organic fertilization with P solubilizers and no fertilization. Once the potato cycle was completed, maize was grown in order to evaluate the residual effect of the different types of fertilization. The organic soil showed 54% more organic C, its acidity was very low (0.16 cmol(+).l-1) and the pH reached neutrality (6.3); meanwhile, the values on the conventional soil were 1.4 cmol(+).l-1 and 5, respectively. The contents of Ca and Mg in the organic soil were four times higher than in the conventional soil, so the CEC was doubled. The conventional soil presented unbalances in all the rations, while the organic soil in the Ca/Mg ratio. Total C and N values were lower in the conventional soil, and the C/N ratio was similar in both systems. P was high in both systems; in the conventional soil, the high value was related to the application of chemical fertilizers, while in the organic soil, the P content was related to mineral and organic sources. The Cu, Fe and Mn values were lower in the organic soil. The amount of UFC.gr-1 of actinomycetes and bacteria in the conventional soil were lower in one and 2 orders of magnitude respectively, while soil respiration was higher. The conventional fertilization with P solubilizers allowed higher tuber yields in the soil with conventional handling. In the organic soil, the higher potato yield were obtained with the conventional and organic fertilization with no significant differences among them. In addition, the conventional fertilization in the conventional soil and the organic fertilization in the organic soil had similar yields. The conventional fertilization caused higher residuality in both soils.

Keywords : Organic agriculture; conventional fertilizer; organic fertilizer; solubilizers P; Andisol; residual effect; Organic Farm Guadalupe.

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