EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF WOOD RESIDUES AS A SOIL AMENDMENT ON CROP YIELD AND SOIL HEALTH INDICATORS IN THE BOREAL REGION OF CANADA

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of wood residue (WR) amendments combined with liquid dairy manure (LDM) on key soil health indicators in agricultural soils from a boreal region of Canada. A field study showed that ramial chipped wood (RCW) along with LDM significantly improved soil health parameters, though it resulted in short-term nitrogen immobilization. The incubation trial showed that the three WR studied [RCW, bark wood (BW), chipped wood (CW)] with and without LDM, in two boreal soils with different textures, enhanced total carbon, labile fractions of carbon and microbial activity. The findings highlight the importance of nitrogen management to mitigate the temporary nutrient trade-offs associated with RCW application. This research demonstrates that land application of WR, particularly RCW, offer a sustainable strategy for enhancing soil health, promoting soil carbon storage, and could contribute to long-term agricultural productivity in boreal ecosystems.