Changes in Bacterial Density, CO 2 Evolution and Enzyme Activities in Poultry Dung Amended Soil

Abstract

The utilization of cattle and poultry manure as organic fertilizer improves soil productivity, but arsenic contaminated poultry dung may interfere in soil metabolism and soil fertility. The study was conducted to assess the effects of poultry dung as well as arsenic contamination on soil properties in 1%, 3% and 5% poultry dung amended soil and 1, 5 and 10 ppm sodium arsenite contaminated soil. pH and conductivity were found to be increasing with increase in poultry dung in soil. Other chemical parameters like nitrate, phosphate and organic carbon were found higher in poultry dung amended soil than that of arsenic contaminated soil. Soil bacteria, CO 2 evolution and enzymatic activities like amylase, invertase and dehydrogenase were also found higher in poultry dung amended soil suggesting the effectiveness of poul-try dung in enhancing soil productivity, even if it was contaminated by As through feed additive.