how compost increases soil moisture content and water holding capacity?

Introduction

Compost application is widely recognized for its potential to improve soil properties, including soil moisture content and water holding capacity. This synthesis aims to consolidate findings from multiple research studies to understand how compost enhances these soil characteristics.

Key Insights

Increased Soil Organic Matter and Water Retention:
- Compost addition significantly increases soil organic matter, which in turn enhances soil water retention and water holding capacity .
Improved Soil Structure and Aggregation:
- The application of compost improves soil structure by increasing soil aggregation, which contributes to better water retention and soil moisture content, particularly in sandy and loamy soils .
Enhanced Plant Available Water (PAW):
- Compost increases the plant available water by improving soil moisture retention, which is crucial for plant growth, especially in sandy soils with low inherent water retention capacity .
Reduction in Water Losses:
- The use of compost, especially when combined with other amendments like zeolites, reduces water losses through drainage, thereby increasing soil water content in the upper soil layers.
Increased Soil Moisture Storage:
- Compost application enhances soil moisture storage capacity, which is beneficial for crops like paddy rice that require substantial water.
Positive Impact on Soil Physical Properties:
- Compost improves soil physical properties such as bulk density and porosity, leading to better water infiltration and retention .

Conclusion

Compost application is effective in increasing soil moisture content and water holding capacity by enhancing soil organic matter, improving soil structure and aggregation, and reducing water losses. These improvements are particularly beneficial in sandy and loamy soils, contributing to better plant growth and water management.

How compost increases soil moisture content and water holding capacity?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Short‐term effect of biochar and compost on soil fertility and water status of a Dystric Cambisol in NE Germany under field conditions

Compost and biochar mixtures significantly improve soil organic matter content, nutrients levels, and water-storage capacity in sandy soils under field conditions.

Effect of co-composting municipal solid waste with Mg-modified zeolite on soil water balance components using HYDRUS-1D

Co-composting municipal solid waste with Mg-modified zeolite improves soil water retention and reduces drainage water in a loamy sand soil, enhancing water availability for corn cultivation.

The Effect Of Municipal Solid Waste Compost Application On Soil Water and Water Stress in Irrigated Corn

Compost application increases soil water holding capacity and reduces plant water stress in irrigated corn, but may increase salt loading and increase plant water stress.

Assessing the agronomic and environmental effects of the application of cattle manure compost on soil by multivariate methods.

Cattle manure compost improves soil health and nutrient concentrations, with higher pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchange capacity than untreated control samples.

Understanding compost effects on water availability in a degraded sandy soil of Patagonia

High doses of compost (40 Mg ha-1) in sandy soils can increase nutrient availability, enhancing plant growth and water consumption, but may lead to lower soil moisture during vegetative growth periods.

Investigation of different organic fertilizers application on the soil water holding capacity

Compost fertilizer improves soil water holding capacity in arid and semi-arid climates with sandy loam texture, particularly in field capacity and permanent wilting point moisture points.

Assessing the Increase in Soil Moisture Storage Capacity and Nutrient Enhancement of Different Organic Amendments in Paddy Soil

Organic amendments like rice husk biochar, oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar, and compost can increase soil moisture storage and improve soil nutrient enrichment in paddy rice cultivation.

Effect of organic fertilizers on the water holding capacity of soilin different terrains of Jaffna peninsula in Sri Lanka

Organic fertilizers, such as compost and cow dung, can significantly improve the water holding capacity of farm soils in Sri Lanka.

Surface Compost Effect on Hydrology: In-Situ and Soil Cores

Surface compost amendments improve water-holding capacity and total porosity in packed columns, but may offset larger pores and faster drainage, resulting in no significant difference between compost and topsoil in terms of water retention or evaporation rate.

Evaluation of compost influence on soil water retention

Compost application at 50 and 100 t.ha 1 positively affects soil water retention, improving soil moisture retention and plant growth.

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