Brassica carinata Seed Meal as Soil Amendment and Potential Biofumigant

Brassicaceae products have been extensively studied for their biofumigant activity; despite this, few investigate effect on soil proprieties. This paper aims to describe the fertility by adding seed meal of Brassica carinata at three different doses corresponding field dose (3 tons/ha), 10 and 100 fold this in organic soil. The carbon balance was evaluated analysing oxidisable, humified mineralised fractions. Microbial activity measured enzymes linked carbon, phosphorous sulphur cycles—?-glucosidase, phosphatase arylsulphatase, respectively. amount 30 t/ha best solution humic ratio. In contrast, there a substantial increase substance’s mineralisation level maximum dose, not offset relative rise humification. No repression observed metabolic microorganisms, abundance or main enzymatic activities and, conditions tested, release only volatile isothiocyanate occurred, limiting effect. Therefore, these combined factors allow us assert that amendment with type material intermediate could positively affect phosphorus cycle, structure, fertility.