LAUSR

Abstract Degradation by wind erosion is detrimental to both soil and land quality in arid regions. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of some organic amendment - poultry manure (PM), farmyard manure (FYM) and rice husk (RH) and were applied on the sandy soil surface at 1 and 3 cm thickness and control (no treatment; C) to make clear the sand particles stabilization. Total soil nitrogen, organic carbon (OC), and pH in the PM and FYM treatments exceeded those in the RH treatment. Soil hardness in the PM compost was 6.7, 1.4, and 2.7 times the mean determined in the control, FYM and RH, respectively, whereas CaCO3 in the PM treatment was 56 and 69% higher than the levels in FYM and RH, respectively. Soil hardness varied in the order of PM 3 cm > PM 1 cm > FYM 1 cm > FYM 3 cm > RH 1 cm > RH 3 cm > C. The erodible fraction (0.85–1.0 mm) decreased linearly with increase in soil hardness (R2 > 0.9), OC, CaCO3. Farmyard manure and PM composts decreased the erodible fractions by up to 5 and 15%, respectively. Surface application of PM compost is an effectively stabilized the sand particles during this study.