Table 2 Mean (± SE) concentrations of nutrients in sugarcane (before and during the two growing seasons) soil amended with compost, and greenchop that was mulched, soil incorporated, and sprayed with compost extract before soil incorporation, and a non-amended control, based on 15 stalks/plot (n = 6 plots), Hidalgo Co., Texas, 2009–2011 (n = 6 replications); significant differences (P < 0.05) are given in bold.

Control

Oct 2009

7 ± 1 b

65 ± 4 b

402 ± 18 b

1737 ± 100 b

305 ± 19 b

22 ± 3

124 ± 22

7 ± 0.3

0.6 ± 0.1 b

10 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.2 b^b

Compost

19 ± 3 a

296 ± 58 a

478 ± 14 a

2403 ± 234 a

368 ± 20 a

28 ± 4

138 ± 18

7 ± 0.6

1.4 ± 0.2 a

12 ± 1

0.9 ± 0.1

1.0 ± 0.1 a

Gchop mulch

6 ± 1 b

60 ± 4 b

408 ± 8 b

1712 ± 92 b

326 ± 16 b

20 ± 2

100 ± 10

8 ± 0.6

0.5 ± 0.1 b

10 ± 1

0.8 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

Gchop incorp

8 ± 1 b

57 ± 2 b

403 ± 24 b

1882 ± 175 b

299 ± 23 b

22 ± 3

129 ± 23

7 ± 0.5

0.5 ± 0.1 b

10 ± 1

0.8 ± 0.1

0.6 ± 0 b

Gchop + tea incorp

10 ± 2 b

57 ± 4 b

403 ± 18 b

1718 ± 149 b

309 ± 24 b

20 ± 2

105 ± 9

8 ± 0.4

0.6 ± 0.1 b

11 ± 1

0.8 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

F^c

12.18

15.50

2.99

5.83

3.78

2.67

2.82

1.24

11.81

2.14

2.55

4.88

P

 < 0.0001

 < 0.0001

0.0438

0.0028

0.0191

0.0619

0.0524

0.3263

 < 0.0001

0.1129

0.0712

0.0065

Control

Jul 2010

3 ± 0.7

73 ± 7 b

373 ± 26 b

1746 ± 95 ab

318 ± 22 b

6 ± 1 b

62 ± 13

5 ± 0.3

0.4 ± 0.1 b

4 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

Compost

3 ± 0.5

374 ± 55 a

438 ± 32 a

2644 ± 251 a

381 ± 25 a

12 ± 1 a

66 ± 9

6 ± 0.5

1.4 ± 0.2 a

4 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

1.1 ± 0.1 a

Gchop mulch

3 ± 0.6

69 ± 4 b

374 ± 24 b

1706 ± 83 ab

335 ± 21 b

6 ± 1 b

67 ± 14

5 ± 0.9

0.4 ± 0.1b

4 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

Gchop incorp

3 ± 0.7

69 ± 4 b

393 ± 33 b

1914 ± 157 ab

326 ± 35 b

7 ± 1 b

64 ± 11

5 ± 0.4

0.4 ± 0.1 b

4 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1

0.8 ± 0.1 b

Gchop + tea incorp

2 ± 0.6

66 ± 6 b

352 ± 30 b

1739 ± 167 b

316 ± 30 b

6 ± 1 b

73 ± 15

5 ± 0.5

0.4 ± 0.1 b

4 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

 F^c

2.62

12.06

29.54

3.45

3.63

23.8

0.41

0.93

21.16

1.41

2.25

9.74

 P

0.0660

 < 0.0001

 < 0.0001

0.0268

0.0221

 < 0.0001

0.7982

0.4648

 < 0.0001

0.2671

0.0999

0.0002

Control

Jan 2011

1 ± 0.2

76 ± 5 b

425 ± 28

1186 ± 117 b

340 ± 20

41 ± 2

109 ± 11

6 ± 0.2

0.5 ± 0.1 b

5 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

Compost

2 ± 0.8

346 ± 29 a

346 ± 25

2.542 ± 243 a

370 ± 22

46 ± 4

120 ± 5

6 ± 0.5

1.0 ± 0.1 a

5 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

1.1 ± 0.1 a

Gchop mulch

1 ± 0.1

62 ± 4 b

411 ± 20

1900 ± 181 b

348 ± 19

35 ± 5

105 ± 5

7 ± 0.5

0.4 ± 0.1 b

5 ± 1

0.8 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

Gchop incorp

1 ± 0.2

68 ± 4 b

430 ± 16

1960 ± 136 b

325 ± 20

33 ± 3

104 ± 9

5 ± 0.3

0.3 ± 0.1 b

4 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

Gchop + tea incorp

1 ± 0.2

67 ± 5 b

434 ± 28

1850 ± 115 b

342 ± 27

37 ± 4

117 ± 7

6 ± 0.5

0.4 ± 0.1 b

4 ± 1

0.7 ± 0.1

0.7 ± 0.1 b

 F^c

1.16

83.59

0.48

2.91 ± 

0.91

2.16

0.95

1.28

10.05

1.00

1.00

5.85

 P

0.3570

 < 0.0001

0.7508

0.0475

0.4777

0.1112

0.4585

0.3126

0.0001

0.4291

0.4291

0.0028

Control

Jul 2011

1 ± 0.2

66 ± 7 b

443 ± 11

1692 ± 105 b

334 ± 25 b

8 ± 2 b

57 ± 9

6 ± 0.3

0.4 ± 0.1 b

5 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

0.6 ± 0.5 b

Compost

1 ± 0.2

422 ± 50 a

502 ± 12

2580 ± 195 a

386 ± 29 a

17 ± 2 a

74 ±  6

7 ± 0.5

1.6 ± 0.2 a

6 ± 1

0.8 ± 0.1 a

1.3 ±  0.1 a

Gchop mulch

1 ± 0.3

60 ± 6 b

443 ± 15

1600 ± 134 b

340 ± 30 b

7 ± 1 b

64 ±  7

7 ± 0.2

0.7 ± 0.1 b

8 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

0.8 ± 0.1 b

Gchop incorp

1 ± 0.2

65 ± 6 b

434 ± 34

1829 ± 138 b

340 ± 26 b

7 ± 1 b

57 ±  8

6 ± 0.4

0.4 ± 0.1 b

6 ± 1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

0.7 ± 0.1 b

Gchop + tea incorp

1 ± 0.2

69 ± 6 b

463 ± 22

1679 ± 146 b

327 ± 146 b

7 ± 1 b

65 ±  6

6 ± 0.4

0.5 ± 0.1b

6 ±  1

0.6 ± 0.1 b

0.8 ± 0.1 b

 F^c

1.50

50.95

1.75

13.50

4.08

9.15

1.18

2.79

20.46

1.51

21.74

16.08

 P

0.2412

 < 0.0001

0.1784

 < 0.0001

0.0140

0.0002

0.3507

0.0544

 < 0.0001

0.2359

 < 0.0001

 < 0.0001