Effectiveness of Organic Ameliorant for Improving Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Drought-Stress in Soil

Abstract Soil fertility depends on physical, chemical, and biological properties, which are significantly compromised under drought stress. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of organic ameliorants on soil quality, including the physical, chemical, and biological properties under drought stress. The method adopted was Completely Randomized Design with treatment media such as cow manure (K), rice husk biochar (S), water hyacinth bokashi (G), and their combinations. Furthermore, drought stress levels were set at 100% (P1), 75% (P2), 50% (P3), and 25% (P4) Field Capacity. Analysis was conducted before and after treatment application, covering soil texture, C-organic (organic carbon), N-total (total nitrogen), P-available (available phosphorus), K-exchangeable (exchangeable potassium), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and bacterial population density. The results showed that soil was clayey, with KSP1, KSP4, GKSP4, GP4, and GKP1, possessing the highest C-organic and P-available, N-total, K-exchangeable, CEC in GP4, as well as bacterial population density, respectively.