Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

H. Taubner, T. Eickhorst and R. Tippkötter:

Impact of direct application of bush and tree cut onto arable land with regard to improvement of soil quality and increase of yield

Summary

Greenwaste from garden and landscape maintenance consists of bush and tree cutting (BTC). Direct application of shredded BTC on arable soils represents an alternative method to composting of waste plant material. In the medium term, direct BTC-application leads to an improvement in soil structure, as well as the release of nutrients and an increase of organic matter content. Field experiments in Northern Germany showed that BTC already led to higher yields in the first year of application. This was more pronounced on a sandy site of low soil quality compared to a loamy field with higher soil quality. Other beneficial effects of BTC were consistently higher water contents in the Ap-horizons, an immediate K-fertilization effect and improved aggregate stability after two years. Key words:  Organic waste, bush and tree cut, yield, nutrient supply, field experiment.