Nitrogen transformation for varying application rates of incorporated and surfaced placements of cricket faeces in a tropical sandy soil
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Keywords

N mineralization
organic amendment
waste recycling

How to Cite

Nitrogen transformation for varying application rates of incorporated and surfaced placements of cricket faeces in a tropical sandy soil. (2024). Tropical Agriculture, 101(4), 497-509. https://journals.sta.uwi.edu/ojs/index.php/ta/article/view/8617

Abstract

The evaluation of the temporal changes in nitrogen (N) mineralisation in soil resulting from the application of cricket faeces, both through thorough incorporation and surface placement in infertile tropical sandy soil, has implications for identifying the suitable time to grow crops after applying cricket faeces. An incubation experiment was conducted using seven treatments: incorporated and surfaced placements of cricket faeces, each at the dose rates of 3.13, 6.25, and 12.50 Mg/ha with an unamended control. Soil surface placement of cricket faeces lowered NH4+−N and NO3−N concentrations, net N mineralisation rates, net ammonification rates, and net nitrification rates, compared to the incorporation procedure. Soil nitrogen status generally increased with higher application rates of cricket faeces, whether incorporated or placed on the surface. The results offered insights into recommending appropriate time frames for cropping or seedling transplantation into tropical sandy soil: 5 − 15 days for incorporated and 3 − 15 days for surface placements.

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