The effect of addition of different amounts and types of organic materials on soil physical properties and yield of wheat

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the influences of 0, 5, 10, 15 Mg ha(-1) of wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw, composted sugarcane bagasse residue and farmyard manure on soil physical properties and yield of winter wheat. The experimental design was a split plot with four replicates. The considered physical properties, 1 year after organic matter addition, included aggregate stability, infiltration rate, water retention curve and dry bulk density. Wheat yield and chemical characteristics of wheat grains were measured. Application of organic materials significantly increased wheat yield and increased aggregate stability, infiltration rate, water retained at less than -100 kPa, and decreased soil bulk density. The effectiveness of different organic materials, farmyard manure, composted bagasse and wheat straw, on improving the soil physical properties was similar. Wheat grain and stubble yield progressively increased as the rate of the organic materials increased. The effectiveness of composted bagasse, farmyard manure and wheat straw on improving wheat grain yield was 22, 14 and 3%, and wheat stubble yield was 26, 17 and 4% over the control.