Influence of Recycled Waste Compost on Soil Food Webs, Nutrient Cycling and Tree Growth in a Young Almond Orchard

Composting is an effective strategy to process agricultural and urban waste into forms that may be beneficial crops. The objectives of this orchard field study were characterize how a dairy manure compost food influenced: (1) soil nitrogen carbon pools, (2) bacterial nematode webs (3) tree growth leaf N. effects composts compared with fertilized unfertilized control plots over two years in newly planted almond orchard. Both increased organic matter as well nitrate ammonium at certain time points. also distinctly altered communities after application, specifically those groups degrading potential, populations feeding nematodes, although different timeframes. Unique correlations observed between within treatments not present controls. Food trunk diameters controls had greater relative abundance herbivorous root tip nematodes. Results suggest recycled contribute biologically based cycling can increase growth, mainly the first year application.