زیست بوم پویامهر

Excessive Use of Poultry Manure Can Significantly Reduce Your Yield

30 May 2026 ENGLISH/ESSAYS

Poultry manure is one of the most commonly used organic fertilizers in Iranian pistachio orchards. However, relying on it continuously is not always the best management practice. To maintain soil balance, it is recommended to alternate poultry manure with other organic manures, such as cattle or sheep manure, every 3 to 5 years

Because poultry manure contains high levels of nitrogen, excessive application—especially in young orchards—can lead to growth imbalances and reduced productivity. In addition, heavy use of poultry manure is not recommended in soils with high lime (calcium carbonate) content.

Cattle and sheep manures are valuable alternatives, and a combination of both can provide excellent results. Sheep manure is generally more suitable for soils deficient in potassium, while cattle manure performs well in soils with moderate to high fertility levels

For maximum effectiveness, all animal manures should be applied during winter in fertilizer trenches located beneath the tree canopy. If necessary, limited amounts of chemical fertilizers can be used as a supplement to meet specific nutrient requirements

Key Recommendations

Continuous use of poultry manure is not recommended; diversify manure sources every 3–5 years
Maximum recommended poultry manure application:
- Young trees: up to 10 tons per hectare
- Mature trees: up to 20 tons per hectare
Avoid excessive poultry manure application in soils containing more than 30% lime.
Poultry manure should always be incorporated deeply into fertilizer trenches.
A mixture of cattle and sheep manure is recommended.
Sheep manure is more suitable for potassium-deficient soils.
Cattle manure is more suitable for normal or relatively fertile soils.