Executive Summary
- Summer evaluation: The Humefert treatment had a positive effect on both topsoil and subsoil compaction. This treatment decrease the top-soil compaction with 25.6 % and increased the average root depth with 12.8cm due to subsoil compaction eliviation. As expected, the water infiltration into the topsoil was also positively effected by the Humefert treatment. This treatment also increased the number of earthworms significantly, almost doubling the number of earthworm compared to the Control treatment. This resulted in a superior fresh and dry root weight, better root colour and a significantly healthier rootzone. The Humefert treatment also resulted in a significantly higher fresh weight of the stems and leaves. The nematode bioindicator data showed that 10% of the nematode numbers were plant parasitic in the Humefert treatment, compared to 2% in the Control treatment. The main soil physical indicator, aggregate stability, was significantly higher in the Humefert treatment.
- Autumn evaluation: The Humefert treatment again lowered both the top- and sub-soil compaction, but not as significantly as in the summer evaluation. As was the case in the summer evaluation, the Humefert treatment increased the number of earthworms and the root health score significantly. This treatment also resulted in a better stem and leaf health score, and increased the average fresh weight of the stems and leaves. Although the lesion nematodes were higher in the soil around the roots of the Humefert treated plants, the Humefert plant roots had less lesion nematodes inside them. Both treatments had a very low nematode maturity index. The soil nutrient enrichment was acceptable in both treatments, but 8.7% better in the control treatment due to a very high bacterial : fungal ratio. The Humefert treatment had a better fungal : bacterial microbe ratio, and this additional fungal biomass should lead to a quicker recovery of the soil food web. Other than in the summer baseline analysis, the Humefert treatment resulted in higher carbon, active carbon and soil organic matter values in the autumn analysis. The soil respiration concentration was also significantly higher in the Humefert treatment.
- Yield & quality data: The Humefert treatment resulted in a significant higher yield (+32%) over the six assessment months. The better biomass and higher leaf-to-stem ratio in the Humefert treatment resulted in a superior digestible protein percentage in the alfalfa. The
Humefert treatment also resulted in a lower non-digestible fiber percentage. Together this should lead to better animal productivity.