Impact of organic amendments on soil chemical properties and yield of organic avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cultivation in Lima, Peru

Felles-Leandro D.; Zelada-López J.; García-Bendezú S. · Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems (2025) · DOI: 10.56369/tsaes.6469

Resumen

Background. The incorporation of organic amendments is a sustainable and environmentally responsible practice for fertilization and the restoration of agricultural soils. Objective. To evaluate the effect of different organic sources on soil chemical properties, yield, and fruit size distribution in an organic avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cv. Hass orchard. Methodology. The study was conducted in a certified organic orchard during its fourth productive season. Five organic sources were evaluated: seabird guano (SG), poultry manure (PM), cattle manure (CM), compost (CO), and vermicompost (VC), each applied at a dose of 0.340 kg N/tree; a control treatment without amendments was included. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five replications. Soil chemical properties were analyzed at the beginning and end of the trial. At harvest, the total number of fruits per tree, total yield, fruit size distribution, and percentage of export-grade fruits were recorded. Results. Organic amendments significantly altered soil chemical properties. All organic treatments resulted in a significant increase (p<0.01) in yield, number of fruits per tree, and fruit size compared to the control. The highest proportions of production were concentrated in fruit sizes 18 (203–243 g.fruit-1) and 20 (184–217 g.fruit-1), which are highly valued in commercial markets. Organic treatments achieved exportable fruit percentages above 93%, while the control reached only 85%. Seabird guano did not perform as expected due to its limited nutrient content. Implications. The findings highlight the potential of organic sources—particularly compost, poultry manure, and vermicompost—to improve soil fertility and the productivity of organic avocado crops in coastal Peru. Conclusions. The application of organic amendments positively influenced both yield and exportable fruit quality in organic Hass avocado cultivation, while significantly improving soil chemical properties. Copyright © the authors. Work licensed under a CC-BY 4.0 License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión