Effect of organic manures on degrading soil due to brick manufacture industry at Changunarayan municipality of Bhaktapur district, Nepal

Abstract

A lab experiment was conducted to analyze the degraded land reclamation potential by the use of organic manure (OM) in the soil collected from Changunarayan municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. Benchmark nutrient test was performed to the different soil sample collected from three land types i.e., brick kiln premises, excavated land and arable land. Further lab test was carried out by adding 2% and 4% OM by weight on 100g of each soil samples, replicating each for three. The samples were incubated at 32^oC for 45 days and the soil chemical properties; N, P₂O₅, K₂O, pH and soil organic matter were analyzed. It was revealed that with the application of 4% OM by weight in all soil samples collected, there was increased in chemical parameters analyzed, followed by 2% OM by weight. The total soil nitrogen content and soil organic matter content was found significant (P<0.05) with different treatment of OM. Significant change was seen in the phosphorus content in the soil from brick kiln premises with the application of 4% OM. Slight increase was seen in the potassium content with the application of different treatments in the soils. With the application of 2% and 4% OM, pH was found to be increased significantly in the soil from brick kiln premises. Thus, from this study, it is revealed that the use of 4% OM by weight might be optimal to improve the land degraded by the brick kilns and excavation to some extent but at 4-10 times higher economic cost than usual farming management practices of organic manure.