EFFECT OF LONG-TERM ANNUAL ADDITIONS OF VARIOUS ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON THE ORGANIC MATTER OF A CLAY AND A SAND

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Abstract
Annual additions of green rye, straw, alfalfa, leaves, peat, muck and manure to an Uplands sand and a Rideau clay soil under field conditions were made for a 20-year period. With the Rideau clay there was a loss of organic matter on the control and rye plots; most of the loss with the control plot was in the first 10 years. The additions of straw, alfalfa, leaves and manure maintained the carbon level. Only the peat and muck treatments increased the organic matter, all the increase taking place in the first 10 years. With the Uplands sand the carbon decreased on the control, but all other treatments increased the carbon content. These effects were largest with the peat and muck and took place in the first 10 years.In general, the pyrophosphate solubility and acriflavine adsorption capacity of the soil organic matter were related to their carbon contents. Dehydrogenase activity did not appear to be related to organic matter. Oxygen uptake, in a Warburg respirometer, was lowest with the samples from the control plots from both soils. After drying and rewetting of the soils, a second Warburg test showed that the oxygen uptake was at a lower level.

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