90
S. Dhiman et al.
leaching and surface runoff, suppress soil-borne pathogens, increase soil organic
matter, and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (Darby et al. 2004; Evanylo et al.
2008; Escribano 2016). Mbah (2006) observed that poultry, cow dung, and swine
manure increased uptake of K, Ca, and Mg in maize. The addition of cow dung in the
soil enhances the physical and chemical properties of soil by increasing its fertility
(by adding nutrients), moisture-absorbing capacity, etc. If used in clay soils where
water logging is a problem cow dung increases the porosity of soil but if the soil is
porous not retaining the water such as sandy soil, then cow dung acts as water holding
carriers (Gbenou et al. 2017), increases the geotechnical properties like bulk density,
dry density, porosity, infiltration (Ekwue et al. 2009). Cow dung is an important
source of organic matter in soils, especially in small-scale farming systems across
the globe. For degraded soil, the soil’s physical properties are usually destroyed,
because the organic matter has declined in the soils. Thus, cow dung/organic has a
significance in increasing the soils buffering capacity, to regulate soil acidity. This
reduces soil aggregation and soil bulk density, water holding capacity, and nutrient
holding capacity. The presence of organic matter ensures that soil biological properties are optimally functional in soil system. Increase the water holding capacity of
soil corresponds to increase the growth of the plant and sustain productivity as stated
by various workers (Zheng et al. 2018).
Replacing chemical fertilizers with organic manure reduced the environmental
pollution and also minimizes organic waste (Ram et al. 2007). Application of organic
manure improves chlorophyll content in leaf and N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents
in olive trees (Abdel-Nasser and Harash 2001; Abou El-Khashab et al. 2005), and
enhanced vegetative growth parameters of guava tree (Ram et al. 2007). In case
of poultry manure, increased yield, quality production, and nutrient uptake were
recorded in mustard (Zamil et al. 2004) and Foeniculum vulgare (Dhiman et al.
2019). Earlier, Sobulo and Babalola (1992) also studied the role of poultry dropping
and cattle dung on the growth and enhancement of maize root growth. Continuous
use of cattle manure increases crop yields with fertilizer phosphorus (Reddy et al.
2000). Ghosh et al. (2004) checked the comparative effect of cattle manure, poultry
manure, phosphor-compost, and fertilizer-NPK on three cropping systems in vertisols
of semi-arid tropics and concluded their significance on nutrient management in
plants.
Cattle manure has been recognized as an effective strategy to maintain an adequate
supply of organic matter in the soil. It was also observed that animal manure improves
the physical and chemical conditions of soil along with the enhancement in crop
performance (Ikpe and Powell 2002; Powell et al. 1998). Various workers revealed the
significance of poultry, cattle, goat, sheep, and pig manure to improve soil fertility and
crop yield (Adeniyan and Ojeniyi 2003; Ojeniyi and Adegboyega 2003b). Nyakatawa
et al. (2001) also reported that the application of organic manure increased yield of
crops, besides maintaining soil fertility after adopting appropriate tillage practices.
The addition of compost into the soil tends to improve nutrients and water holding
capacity (Arslan et al. 2008; Vakili et al. 2015). Ewulo (2005) examined the relative
effect of poultry and cattle dung on the chemical properties of soil. Adediran et al.
(2003) studied different kinds of manures and reported high nutrient contents in
S. Dhiman et al.
leaching and surface runoff, suppress soil-borne pathogens, increase soil organic
matter, and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (Darby et al. 2004; Evanylo et al.
2008; Escribano 2016). Mbah (2006) observed that poultry, cow dung, and swine
manure increased uptake of K, Ca, and Mg in maize. The addition of cow dung in the
soil enhances the physical and chemical properties of soil by increasing its fertility
(by adding nutrients), moisture-absorbing capacity, etc. If used in clay soils where
water logging is a problem cow dung increases the porosity of soil but if the soil is
porous not retaining the water such as sandy soil, then cow dung acts as water holding
carriers (Gbenou et al. 2017), increases the geotechnical properties like bulk density,
dry density, porosity, infiltration (Ekwue et al. 2009). Cow dung is an important
source of organic matter in soils, especially in small-scale farming systems across
the globe. For degraded soil, the soil’s physical properties are usually destroyed,
because the organic matter has declined in the soils. Thus, cow dung/organic has a
significance in increasing the soils buffering capacity, to regulate soil acidity. This
reduces soil aggregation and soil bulk density, water holding capacity, and nutrient
holding capacity. The presence of organic matter ensures that soil biological properties are optimally functional in soil system. Increase the water holding capacity of
soil corresponds to increase the growth of the plant and sustain productivity as stated
by various workers (Zheng et al. 2018).
Replacing chemical fertilizers with organic manure reduced the environmental
pollution and also minimizes organic waste (Ram et al. 2007). Application of organic
manure improves chlorophyll content in leaf and N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents
in olive trees (Abdel-Nasser and Harash 2001; Abou El-Khashab et al. 2005), and
enhanced vegetative growth parameters of guava tree (Ram et al. 2007). In case
of poultry manure, increased yield, quality production, and nutrient uptake were
recorded in mustard (Zamil et al. 2004) and Foeniculum vulgare (Dhiman et al.
2019). Earlier, Sobulo and Babalola (1992) also studied the role of poultry dropping
and cattle dung on the growth and enhancement of maize root growth. Continuous
use of cattle manure increases crop yields with fertilizer phosphorus (Reddy et al.
2000). Ghosh et al. (2004) checked the comparative effect of cattle manure, poultry
manure, phosphor-compost, and fertilizer-NPK on three cropping systems in vertisols
of semi-arid tropics and concluded their significance on nutrient management in
plants.
Cattle manure has been recognized as an effective strategy to maintain an adequate
supply of organic matter in the soil. It was also observed that animal manure improves
the physical and chemical conditions of soil along with the enhancement in crop
performance (Ikpe and Powell 2002; Powell et al. 1998). Various workers revealed the
significance of poultry, cattle, goat, sheep, and pig manure to improve soil fertility and
crop yield (Adeniyan and Ojeniyi 2003; Ojeniyi and Adegboyega 2003b). Nyakatawa
et al. (2001) also reported that the application of organic manure increased yield of
crops, besides maintaining soil fertility after adopting appropriate tillage practices.
The addition of compost into the soil tends to improve nutrients and water holding
capacity (Arslan et al. 2008; Vakili et al. 2015). Ewulo (2005) examined the relative
effect of poultry and cattle dung on the chemical properties of soil. Adediran et al.
(2003) studied different kinds of manures and reported high nutrient contents in