Comparison of logistic, energy and exploitative parameters of compost and manure application by spreaders

Abstract

This article deals with comparison of composts and manure use from the viewpoint of handling, transport and application on agricultural land. The published values were established by measurements under working conditions and afterwards converted on the basis of the content of nutrients defined in laboratory. Compost contained a greater share of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and had higher dry matter content and lower volume weight. Direct consumed energy expressed by recalculation of the consumed diesel fuel in case of composts moved from 5.12 MJ/kg (potassium) up to 16.19 MJ/kg (phosphorus). In case of manure it was higher and moved from 10.49 MJ/kg (nitrogen) up to 29.79 MJ/kg (phosphorus). The greatest share in energy consumption occupies transport, which was considered uniformly at the distance of 5 km. The study confirmed the feasibility of use of compost in agriculture as a partial substitute of conventional organic fertilizers; for its handling, transport and application the standard mechanization used for manure may be utilized.

Keywords

• organic fertilizer
• compost application
• organic farming
• organic matter
• soil
• plant nutrition