• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2012

BACKGROUND: Organic fertilizers in watermelon cultivation are widely used to supply nutrient and organic matter. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of application rate of organic fertilizer on the watermelon growth and soil chemical properties in greenhouse METHODS AND RESULTS: The organic fertilizers used in this experiment were mixed expeller cake (MEC) and mixed organic fertilizer (MOF). The treatments were conducted with 4 levels (1.0 N, 0.7 N, 0.5 N and 0.3 N) on the basis of soil testing nitrogen fertilization (STNF) using MEC or MOF as the basal dressing, and using chemical fertilizers (CF) as the additional dressing on the rest of STNF. These fertilizations were compared to CF 1.0 N (0.3 N as the basal and 0.7 N as the additional dressing) and non fertilization (NF). The leaf area of watermelon in treatment 0.5 N and 0.3 N using MEC or MOF was similar to CF treatment. The absorbed nutrient amounts by leaf, weight and sugar contents of fruit in the 0.5 N and 0.3 N treatments were higher than other treatments. In 0.5 N and 0.3 N treatments using MEC or MOF on the basis of STNF, soil chemical properties such as electrical conductivity (EC), available $P_2O_5$ and exchangeable K concentrations after experiment showed tendency to decreasing or similar level before experiment. CONCLUSION(s): These results suggest that the MEC or MOF application as the basal dressing at the 30~50% level of STNF and CF application as the additional dressing on the rest of STNF be best to maintain adequate nutrient of soil and to increase marketable yield for watermelon.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.151-163
• /
• 2022

This study was conducted to promote organic fertilizer(s) that sustain soil productivity for corn production and protect the environment as required by the Act on the promotion of eco-friendly agriculture. It was conducted at the research station of the Organic Agriculture Division of the National Institute of Agricultural. The treatments consisted of Compost (Com), Bokashi as fermented organic fertilizer (FOF), and mixed expeller pressed cake (PC). They were applied at 174 kg N /ha to field corn, together with a 'no fertilizer' check in Randomized Complete Block Design. At eight weeks after transplanting (WAT) corn, compost increased soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to 7.48 and 0.76 g/kg respectively, while other fertilizers maintained the initial levels (before treatment application). At corn harvest (13 WAT), soil chemical properties (total C, total N, pH, electrical conductivity, P₂O₅, Ca, K, and Mg) were similar among all organic fertilizer treatments. For soil respiration, FOF increased soil CO₂ respiration by 31-76% above other fertilizer treatments. However, there were no prominent changes in the trends of CH₄ fluxes following the two mechanical weeding operations. Fermented organic fertilizer affected N₂O emissions between 87-96% lower than other fertilizer treatments. Compared to the initial microbial densities, FOF increased fungi and actinomycete colony foming unit by 25 and 16% at harvest. Therefore, the additional potential of improving soil biological fertility and local availability of raw materials make FOF a better option to sustain soil productivity while protecting the environment.