AGRONOMIC AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE APPLICATION OF OLIVE POMACE AND HARVEST RESIDUES COMPOSTED WITH BIOAUGMENTATION ON OLIVE ORCHARDS

Biohumus was obtained by composting olive pomace and harvest residues with bioaugmentation. Bioaugmentation is inoculating into the population of native bacteria of the residue specific bacteria to increase the range and velocity of its organic reduction and obtain high quality compost called biohumus. This work summarizes results of biohumus application on olive orchards where soil and vegetable productivity parameters as well as economic feasibility were evaluated. After six years of 9 kg per plant biohumus application to an olive orchard in Pomán, Catamarca province, it was verified that the large amount and diversity of microorganisms incorporated with the biohumus played a fundamental role in fixing environmental N and providing nutrients to the olive plants, explaining its excellent development, sanity and productivity. Moreover, it was also demonstrated that the cost/benefit ratio was strongly positive being the direct cost of biohumus fabrication and application 12 to 15% of any chemical fertilization. Biohumus was also utilized as 50% of substrate in an olive nursery in Catamarca. In this essay more than a 30% development increase was attained. Together the results showed that biohumus generated a substantial improvement of the physical, chemical and microbiological soil properties and greater orchard development and productivity, replacing the chemical fertilization at a much lower cost.