The effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the nitrogen and phosphorus content and pH of soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in 2011 – 2013 in Poland. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the mineral nitrogen (Nmin) and available phosphorus (P) content of soil and the soil pH. Changes in the content of NH4+-N, NO3--N and available P in soil were affected by MBM dose, experiment duration, weather conditions and crop species. Soil amended with MBM was more abundant in mineral N and available P. The lowest concentration of NO3--N and the highest concentration of NH4+-N were noted in the first year of the study, because the nitrification process requires a longer time. MBM had no influence on the accumulation of Nmin in soil, whereas the concentration of available P increased significantly throughout the experiment. The soil pH decreased with increasing MBM doses. After the application of the highest MBM doses soil pH classification was changed from neutral to slightly acidic.