Dolidze V.K., Kakabadze N.V., Machavariani N.Z.

Using Citrus Compost to Acidify Gray-Brown Soils

The use of organic fertilizers in modern agricultural production helps maintain soil fertility and reduces the consumption of mineral fertilizers. The use of composts obtained from waste from canning production is especially important. This article discusses the issue of using citrus processing waste to produce acidic composts, which in turn can reduce soil alkalinity. The data obtained show that composts obtained from citrus processing waste by the method of “hot” composting have a long action time and gradually reduce the pH of gray-brown soils. The largest decrease in pH was observed when adding 8-10 kg of compost per 1 m2. The reduced pH value remained throughout the entire experiment - 18 months, which indicates a prolonged effect of the compost. Control experiments using the maximum permissible amount of colloidal sulfur showed that, although a decrease in pH occurred, it was temporary - after 18 months a slight increase in pH was observed.

Keywords: COMPOST, CITRUS WASTE, SOIL pH REDUCTION, SOIL ACIDIFICATION