The systematic use of farm manure for 30 years on the typical gleysols in Uzbekistan has doubled their humus content (from 0.83 percent to 1.65 percent).
Annually 17 018 million tonnes of organic manure are produced in Uzbekistan. This is equivalent to the annual application of 80 to 90 kg of nitrogen, 40 to 45 kg phosphate and 50 to 60 kg potassium per hectare of cropland. The possibilities of storing and applying organic manure are not used completely.
Today, less than a quarter of Uzbekistan's need for organic manure is satisfied. Instead of the 20 to 30 tonnes of manure per hectare of cropland that are required, only 4.8 tonnes are applied. At the same time, the annual losses of animal manure resulting from discharge into water is nine millions tonnes. The total loss resulting from poor management amounts to 15 million tonnes, which could be used to fertilize an additional 750 thousand ha, taking 20 t/ha as the average. The rational and effective application of manure would increase the productivity of agriculture and decrease the pollution of the environment.
