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Studying green manure in several returning methods to enhance soil fertility and crop benefits is a strong foundation for cropland nutrient management. However, how different types of green manures and their variable doses affect the efficacy of applied manures, either buried or mulched, remain overlooked. The objective of this study was to optimize green manure management to enhance soil fertility and maize biomass using five types of green manures (white mustard, forest rye, fiddleneck, sufflower, and pea) in two different doses (low, 5 g per pot, and high, 10 g per pot), which were either buried or mulched before and after maize sowing. Results revealed that total carbon content increased due to green manure treatments, representing a 10% increase over control, particularly through buried w. mustard (10% increase before maize cultivation) and mulched safflower and pea (12% and 11% increase after maize cultivation over control). Dry maize aboveground biomass yields also improved across all variants, with buried mustard yielding 18.4 g·plant−1 (compared to 8.6 g·plant−1 in the control), mulched mustard yielding 16.4 g·plant−1, and buried pea yielding 17.8 g·plant−1. Green mulching generally acidified the soil (pH 5.71 compared to 6.21 in the control), except for buried fiddleneck (pH 6.39 after maize cultivation) at a high dose of manures. Carbon-mineralizing enzyme activities (dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase) were significantly increased by green manures, with buried fiddleneck showing a 22.6% and 20.6% increase over the control, and mulched fiddleneck showing a 24.5% and 22.4% increase under high doses. The study suggests that partially decomposed and mineralized mulched biomass may induce a negative priming effect on carbon-mineralizing enzymes due to a decrease in the C/N ratio of the soil. It emphasizes that the nutrient content and stoichiometry of green manures, alongside soil characteristics such as the C/N ratio, are critical factors for sustainable soil management and carbon sequestration. These findings underscore the need for careful selection and management of green manures to optimize soil health and carbon-storage outcomes.

Abstract Farmyard manure is the most common type of organic fertilizer, and its properties depend mainly on the type of livestock, bedding material and the conditions of fermentation. Co-maturing of manure with other amendments to modify its final properties has been seen as a win–win strategy recently. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the effect of unenriched manure and manures co-matured with biochar, elemental sulfur or both amendments on the soil physico-chemical and biological properties, and plant (barley, maize) biomass production. For this purpose a pot experiment was carried out in a time-dependent way. Samples were taken from 12 week-lasting (test crop barley) and 24 week-lasting (test crop maize) pot cultivation carried out in a growth chamber. Co-matured manure with biochar showed the highest rate of maturation expressed as humic to fulvic acid ratio, its amendment to soil significantly increased the dry aboveground biomass weight in the half-time (12 weeks) of experiment. However, the effect vanished after 24 weeks. We received for this variant highest long-term (24 weeks) contents of total carbon and nitrogen in soil. Contrarily, co-matured manure with biochar and elemental sulfur led to short-term carbon sequestration (the highest total carbon in 12 weeks) due to presumed retardation of microbial-mediated transformation of nutrients. We conclude that the prolonged pot experiment with biochar or elemental sulfur enriched manure led to the increased recalcitrancy of soil organic matter and retardation of soil nutrient transformation to the plant-available form.

Abstract Background Soil carbon-rich organic amendments (biochar, humic substances) may improve the quality and fertility of arable soil. Their co-application can additively enhance the beneficial effect on soil. Hypothetically, the pre-treatment of biochar, by aging via soaking in a solution of commercially available humic substances, could result in synergism, which may exceed the benefit from simple co-application of both amendments to the soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biochar, humic substances, the combination of both, and the impact of biochar aged by humic substances solution on soil microbial activities and plant growth in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce. Results The aging of biochar decreased the C:N ratio as compared to non-activated biochar. The co-application of biochar and humic substances into the soil resulted in the highest microbial biomass carbon and respiration activity. The majority of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, phosphatase) were the highest in humic substances-amended soil. The application of humic substances and biochar with humic substances seemed to stimulate microbial growth and activity followed by the competition of microflora for nutrients with plants, whereas the aged biochar behaved differently. The plants treated by aged biochar achieved the highest values of dry aboveground and root biomass of all variants. However, the assumed rapid uptake of nutrients by plants resulted in lower nutrient availability for microflora, and a decline in microbial viability. Conclusions Based on this study, the positive effect of co-applied humic substances and biochar on soil fertility, quality, and health can be concluded. The usability of biochar aging by humic solution requires further study. Graphic abstract

Improvement of manure by co-composting with other materials is beneficial to the quality of the amended soil. Therefore, the manure was supplied with either biochar, elemental sulphur or both prior to fermentation in 50 L barrels for a period of eight weeks. The manure products were subsequently analyzed and used as fertilizers in a short-term pot experiment with barley fodder (Hordeum vulgare L.). The experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in a growth chamber for 12 weeks. The sulphur-enriched manure showed the lowest manure pH and highest ammonium content. The co-fermentation of biochar and sulphur led to the highest sulphur content and an abundance of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in manure. The biochar+sulphur-enriched manure led to the highest dry aboveground plant biomass in the amended soil, whose value was 98% higher compared to the unamended control, 38% higher compared to the variant with biochar-enriched manure and 23% higher compared to the manure-amended variant. Amendment of the sulphur-enriched manure types led to the highest enzyme activities and soil respirations (basal, substrate-induced). This innovative approach to improve the quality of organic fertilizers utilizes treated agricultural waste (biochar) and a biotechnological residual product (elementary sulphur from biogas desulphurization) and hence contributes to the circular economy.

A digestate with amendments provides plants with available nutrients and improves the microbiological properties of treated soil. Modification of a digestate through the addition of a biochar and sulphur source is less well-known. This pot experiment aimed at comparing the short- and long-time fertilization effects of a digestate enriched with biochar, with elemental sulphur, or with a combination of both on soil health and plant biomass. The experiment was carried out with maize, cultivated twice (1st–12th week = pre-cultivation; re-sowing after shoot harvest, 13th–24th = main cultivation) in soil amended with prepared digestate. The digestate used in pre-cultivation was incubated untreated (D) and was then treated with biochar (D + B), with elemental sulphur at a low (LS) and high (HS) dose, or with a combination of both (D + B + LS and D + B + HS). An additional unamended digestate (D) was added to each soil variant before the main cultivation. The application of digestate with a high dose of elemental sulphur and biochar mediated the most significant differences in the soil. The increase (compared to the unamended soil) was of short-term type (+11% and +6% increased total nitrogen and carbon after 12 weeks), then of long-term type (+54% and +30% increased sulphur and arylsulfatase activity after 24 weeks), and later emerged in the 13th to the 24th week of the experiment (+57% and +32% non-inhibited urease, increased N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase and phosphatase). No significant differences in the effect of the applied amendments on dry aboveground plant biomass were observed.

In several studies, the discriminating factor in land use of arable soil is tilling, along with its depth and intensity. Reduced and no-till technologies are held to be beneficial for soil health. Strip-till reduces soil disruption and enables the application of liquid fertilizer directly in rows at different levels. The objective of the research reported here was to evaluate the effects of digestate application on the biochemical and microbiological properties of soil at various soil depths. Three doses of digestate (0, 20, and 40 m3∙ha−1) applied at three different soil depths (0–10, 10–15, and 15–20 cm) were tested in two seasons (2020 and 2021) of semi-operational field trials with maize cultivated according to strip-till practice. In 2020, a lower (20 m3∙ha−1) dose of digestate caused the most significant improvement in β-glucosidase, urease, and basal and L-alanine-induced respiration in topsoil (0–10 cm) and in oxidizable carbon in mid-soil (10–15 cm). In 2021, the most significant positive effect on arylsulfatase, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, urease, and all types of respiration were caused by higher (40 m3∙ha−1) digestate dose in mid-soil (10–15 cm). The benefits of the strip-till amended digestate in 2020, as revealed by respiration indicators, strongly decreased with soil depth. Finally, the markedly positive impacts of the digestate applied via the strip-till agromanagement technique were similar for three different depths of soil in 2021, verifying its benefits.

The effective use of digestate as exogenous organic matter to enhance soil carbon sequestration depends on the balance between labile and recalcitrant organic carbon, which is influenced by the type of feedstock, the fermentation process, and the fraction (liquid, solid) of the fermented product used. In this work, in order to change the ratio of labile to stable carbon in the resulting fertiliser, the digestate was mixed with organic carbon-rich supplements: biochar and Humac (a humic acid-rich substance). The pot experiment was carried out under controlled conditions with maize (Zea mays L.) in soil amended with the digestate (D), which was incubated with Humac (H), biochar (B), or a combination of both (D + B + H) before the application. Digestate enriched with Humac showed improved short-term nutrient (carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen) transformation, as indicated by soil enzyme activity and the highest maize biomass production of. Total carbon content, C:N ratio, short-term respiration activity, and nitrification were most enhanced by digestate enriched with either biochar or combined biochar + Humac). Long-term nitrogen mineralization was mostly enhanced by digestate + Humac, as indicated by amino-acid-induced respiration and urease activity. Short-term positive effects of digestate + biochar (eventually + Humac) on catabolism were proven, whereas their long-term effects on nutrient mineralization were negative (i.e., biochar-mediated immobilization, sequestration), which should be the focus of further research in future.

ObjectivesAs a liquid organic fertilizer used in agriculture, digestate is rich in many nutrients (i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, potassium); their utilization may be however less efficient in soils poor in organic carbon (due to low carbon:nitrogen ratio). In order to solve the disadvantages, digestate enrichment with carbon-rich amendments biochar or humic acids (Humac) was tested.MethodsSoil variants amended with enriched digestate: digestate + biochar, digestate + Humac, and digestate + combined biochar and humic acids-were compared to control with untreated digestate in their effect on total soil carbon and nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration and soil enzymatic activities in a pot experiment. Yield of the test crop lettuce was also determined for all variants.ResultsSoil respiration was the most significantly increased property, positively affected by digestate + Humac. Both digestate + biochar and digestate + Humac significantly increased microbial biomass carbon. Significant negative effect of digestate + biochar (compared to the control digestate) on particular enzyme activities was alleviated by the addition of humic acids. No significant differences among the tested variants were found in the above-ground and root plant biomass.ConclusionsThe tested organic supplements improved the digestate effect on some determined soil properties. We deduced from the results (carbon:nitrogen ratio, microbial biomass and activity) that the assimilation of nutrients by plants increased; however, the most desired positive effect on the yield of crop biomass was not demonstrated. We assume that the digestate enrichment with organic amendments may be more beneficial in a long time-scaled trial.

Application of biochar and composts prepared from organic wastes as soil amendments has been recognized as a beneficial strategy to enhance soil fertility and crop production. However, the modification of manures with applied organic amendments such as biochar has not been well explained. Therefore, the preliminary study was designed to evaluate the impact of two doses of biochar (low 0.4 kg + 10 kg of manure and high 4 kg + 10 kg of manure) on the modification of resulting co-composted manure properties, and subsequently to evaluate the effect of matured manure amendment on the soil chemical and biological properties and plant yield in the pot experiment with barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The following variants were tested: control, manure (M), manure + low biochar dose (M + LB), manure + high biochar dose (M + HB). Results revealed that, the M + HB significantly improved the co-composted manure properties as compared to control and M + LB, respectively. The most pronounced effects of M + HB treatment were observed on pH, NH4-N and humic acid to fulvic acid ratio (used as an index for manure maturity) relative to other treatments. Similarly, significant variations were observed between AOB (ammonium oxidizing bacteria) and nirs genes under M + HB which lowered the AOB and increased the nirs abundance as compared to other treatments. Moreover, when applied to soil, M + HB increased the observed soil chemical parameters with the exception of TN contents as compared to M and M + LB treatments. Similarly, plant biomass was significantly enhanced under the applied M + HB treatment. However, statistically insignificant differences were observed regarding soil enzyme activities and soil respiration values under the applied amendments. Thus, it was concluded that the co-composted manure with high biochar dose can have the potential to enhance the manure properties, soil fertilization value and plant biomass. However, its effects on soil microbiological and enzyme activities were intended be explored under long-term field experiments.

With the rising interest in digestate use as a fertilizer on permanent cultures, there is a need to examine its effects on food and feed quality. This study is focused on the use of digestate in grassland fertilization and its effects on nutritive value parameters such as mycotoxin contamination (deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin, and T-2 toxin) and nutrient content (crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, nitrogen-free extract, digestibility of organic matter, acid detergent fiber, and ash-free neutral detergent fiber). The experiment was carried out in the Czech Republic, and the effects of fertilization regime, year, and harvest date (summer and fall cuts) on nutritive value were observed. An effect of the year on DON, AFB1, and T-2 contamination levels was observed. An effect of the harvest or fertilization regime on mycotoxin contamination was not observed. Significant differences were observed in the content of all nutrients, except ash, depending on the year. Differences were found only in the case of ADF levels, depending on the harvest date, as well; however, no differences were found between fertilization regimes. Our findings suggest that digestate does not negatively affect fodder in terms of nutritive value nor safety.

Co-composting of raw manure with other organic sources has recently gained the attention of the scientific community. In the present study, raw manure and manures enriched with humic substances (Humac) or biochar were co-composted to improve their physico-chemical properties. We conducted an experiment including variants consisting of soil amended with manure (M), manure + Humac (M + H), manure + biochar (M + B), and unamended (control). Soil physico-chemical, biological, and plant properties were assessed altogether. All matured manures differed from each other physico-chemically (nutrient content) and in microbial composition, and hence their effects on the observed parameters. Compared to control, the soil respiration and enzyme activities related to N and P mineralization were enhanced due to the amendment of either manure or enriched manures. The M + H treatment resulted in higher pH of the manures as compared to other treatments, whereas the M + B and M treatments revealed the highest Corg contents of the final product, which was negatively correlated with HA:FA. In the same manner, M + H and M + B were the most prominent treatments, causing higher variations in basal soil respiration. The same treatments resulted in the highest percent increase values of soil enzymes related to C, N, and P, which further show the potential of manure modification as a viable option to boost soil fertility and health.

A number of agriculture residues may be used either directly or after suitable treatment as amendments to improve soil quality. Such materials include biochar made of agriculture residues, digestate or elemental sulphur obtained from biogas desulphurisation. The joint use of these materials via pre-incubation may be more advantageous than only mixing prior the application to soil. In this study, digestates were mixed with amendments and incubated for 6 weeks before application to soil in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce (Lactuca sativa). The following treatments were tested: control digestate, digestate + biochar, digestate + elemental sulphur, digestate + biochar + elemental sulphur. The biochar-enriched digestate significantly increased soil microbial biomass, soil C:N, fresh above ground biomass, fresh and dry root biomass. Elemental sulphur-enriched digestate caused highest arylsulfatase and phosphatase, increased urease, microbial biomass in soil and fresh root biomass. Amendment of digestate + biochar + sulphur led to the significantly highest total soil carbon, microbial biomass, β-glucosidase, urease, and increased C:N ratio, arylsulfatase in soil and root biomass. It mitigated the adverse effect of either biochar or elemental sulphur on soil respiration. Properties of digestates were apparently affected by pre-incubation. This approach in digestate fertilizer production may contribute to sustainable farming.

Different types of soil respond variably to biochar amendment. Soil structure and fertility are properties which strongly affect the impacts of biochar on soil fertility and microbial activity. A pot experiment with lettuce was conducted to verify whether biochar amendment is more beneficial in sandy soil than in clay soil. The nutrient content (carbon and nitrogen), microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, metabolic quotient, and plant biomass yield were determined. The treatments were prepared by mixing silty clay loam (Haplic Luvisol) with a quartz sand in ratios of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of sand; the same six treatments were prepared and amended with biochar (12 treatments in total). Soil carbon and nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, and soil respiration were indirectly dependent on the descending sand ratio, whereas the metabolic quotient increased with the ascending sand ratio. The biochar’s effects were positive for total carbon, microbial biomass carbon, metabolic quotient, and plant biomass in the sand-rich treatments. The maximum biochar-derived benefit in crop yield was found in the 100% sand + biochar treatment, which exhibited 24-fold (AGB) and 11-fold (root biomass) increases compared to the unamended treatment. The biochar application on coarse soil types with lower fertility was proven to be favorable.

Bentonite-based organic amendments may have the potential to enhance soil microbial properties. The experiment was carried out from 2014 to 2017 comprising four treatments: NPK fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mineral fertilizer as a control), NPK + cattle manure, NPK + bentonite, and NPK + combination of manure with bentonite (MB) to verify this hypothesis. The effect of treatments on seven different soil microbial properties was measured: dehydrogenase activity (DHA), bacterial phospholipid fatty acid content, fungal phospholipid fatty acid content, microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in soil. The results showed that solely bentonite treatment increases the bacterial and fungal biomass, which was further confirmed by the increased 16S rDNA and 18s rDNA gene copy numbers. The only significantly decreased values upon treatment with solely bentonite were recorded for DHA and Cmic. The ammonia-oxidizing bacteria population increased with the sole application of bentonite and reached its maximum value when bentonite was applied with manure. The MB treatment showed the highest value for all seven measured properties. In summary, the application of bentonite solely might increase or decrease the soil activity, but its addition, along with manure, always promotes an abundance of soil microorganisms and their activity. The co-application of bentonite with manure altered the soil microbial properties in a 3-year field experiment in favor of increased microbial biomass, which is beneficial for agriculture and environment and reveals the potential for the restoration of polluted lands.

Food production sustainability is one of contemporary agriculture’s fundamental challenges. Farmers are currently facing high input prices in crop production and declining organic matter in the soil. For this reason, a field experiment was established to assess the effect of the biostimulant NeOsol (NS), the manure stabilizer Z’fix (ZF), farmyard manure (FM), and their combination in farm practice. In situ measurements provided information on the change in bulk density (BD), unit draft (UD), saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC), and cone index (CI). Furthermore, the vegetation status was investigated via vegetation indices, and the yield and quality parameters were assessed. Management of the experimental field resulted in an overall decrease in BD over time for the treated variants compared to the control (CL). The decrease with time was also verified in the case of UD and CI at the depth zone of 10–20 cm. Variants FM (by 8.0%), FM_NS (by 7.3%), and FM_ZF_NS (by 3.8%) proved to have lower UD values than CL. An overall increase in SHC and in yield was observed over time. Concerning SHC, only FM (by 58.5%) proved different from CL. The yield of all the treated variants, i.e., NS (by 8.2%), FM (by 10.8%), FM_NS (by 14.1%), FM_ZF (by 17.8%), and FM_ZF_NS (by 20.1%), surpassed CL. Simultaneously, none of the examined treatments proved to have any adverse effect either on soil or on plant-related variables.

A three-year experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Z'Fix on soil physical properties and crop status. Z'Fix is an agent recommended as an addition to animal bedding to prolong its function and to lower ammonia emissions in stables. Concurrently, a positive effect on organic matter transformation in resulting manure is claimed. The experiment involved control, farmyard manure (FYM), and farmyard manure with Z'Fix (FYM_ZF) as variants. In-field sampling was conducted for cone index, water infiltration and implement a unit draft, where the latter two showed significant differences in favour of FYM_ZF. Also, concerning crop yields, FYM_ZF consistently attained the highest values, followed by FYM throughout all three seasons. Furthermore, remotely sensed data were analysed to describe crop status via normalised difference vegetation index where significant differences were found across all variants. Based on the study, FYM_ZF demonstrated positive effects both on soil properties and crop conditions.

The aim of the study was to estimate changes in the floristic composition near Švýcárna lodge (1304 m a.s.l.), where cattle grazing after a long-term management cessation was introduced on a pasture area of 3.6 ha in 2012. The pasture was divided into two grazing sub-localities: P1 (Nar) with dominance of Nardus stricta and Avenella flexuosa and P2 (Des) with dominance of Deschampsia cespitosa. For grazing, Highland Cattle was used with a stocking rate up to 1 livestock unit per ha and year. The floristic composition was evaluated and statistically analyzed. After six years of restored grazing the overall species richness enhanced and a higher dominance of rare and endangered species was found. The dominance of some common species like Vaccinium myrtillus, and Calamagrostis villosa tended to decrease within a grazing period in favor of new species colonisation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in chemical soil properties of permanent grasslands after the cessation of their regular utilisation and organic fertilisation. A long‑term small plot trial was established in 2004 in locality Rapotín. During 2004 – 2012 the experiment was fertilised with compost and slurry, both with the range of stocking rates 0.9, 1.4, and 2.0 livestock units (LU).ha−1 (corresponding to 54, 84, and 120 kg N.ha−1). It was further observed the unfertilised grassland as control. The plots were cut 2 – 4 times per year depending on given dose of fertiliser. During 2013 –2016 the regular management was ceased and the grasslands were completely abandoned. It was found statistically significant influence of the year and the type of fertiliser almost for all evaluated parameters. The dose of nitrogen was not significant. On the basis of our results we can conclude, that the both types of the organic fertilisers had a positive influence on the chemical soil properties, however, the compost manifested itself as the better fertiliser than the slurry from this point of view. In 2016, four years after the last application of the organic fertilisers, there were found the better chemical soil conditions in the treatments previously fertilised with compost.

The aim of the study was to estimate the forage quality and mycotoxin contamination in the locality of Švýcárna (1304 m a.s.l.), where the cattle grazing after the long-term management cessation was introduced on the pasture area of 3.6 ha in 2012. The pasture was divided into two grazing plots: P1 (Nar) (dominance of Nardus stricta) and P2 (Des) (dominance of Deschampsia cespitosa). Samples of forage were taken in June, July, August and September 2014 and 2015 from five permanent plots situated in different places of locality. Samples were analysed on the content of basic nutrients and macro- and micro- elements. Further, the content of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and T-2/HT-2 toxin was determined using ELISA method. From June to September the mean content of crude fibre significantly (P < 0.05) increased (from 243.9 g.kg−1 DM to 331.7 g.kg−1 DM, respectively) and the content of crude protein significantly (P < 0.05) decreased (from 166.9 g.kg−1 DM to 89.2 g.kg−1 DM, respectively). Mean concentration of DON in P1 (Nar) was numerically higher than in P2 (Des), being 715 and 620.63 µg.kg−1, respectively (P < 0.05). Mean concentration of T-2/HT-2 toxin was 44.88 and 55.04 µg.kg−1 in P1 (Nar) and P2 (Des), respectively. The content of ZEA in P1 (Nar) of 54.65 µg.kg−1 was lower than in P2 (Des) being 78.72 µg.kg−1 (P < 0.05).

The aim of this paper was to verify the effect of the Z'fix (PRP Technologies, France) activator of biological transformation of manure from the viewpoint of the cowshed conditions parameters, produced manure quality, manure application effect on crop yields, and overall economics. Concerning manure production, the application of the Z'fix agent enhanced quality, structure and nutrient content (N total by 23%, P2O5 by 42%, K2O by 17%) in the manure from deep litter housing. Compared to the untreated control, differences in the nutrient content of N total and K2O were statistically significant, NH3 emissions dropped significantly by almost 35%. The economic benefit of manure production with the use of the Z'fix agent demonstrated overall savings at the level of 1,369 CZK/LU/year. The influence of manure produced combined with the PRP Sol application was tested in terms of a boost of crop yield potential of silage maize and of winter wheat. Compared to the control, both crops reached yields higher by 0.7% to 9.8%.

The effects of different levels of grazing utilization (two, three and four grazing cycles per year) and mineral fertilization (nil-fertilization; N100P30K60) on the botanical composition of permanent grasslands were studied in the locality of Rapotín (Czech Republic, 332 m a.s.l.) from 2003–2010. The vegetation of the experimental pasture was classified as Cynosurion. It was found that moderate treatment (three grazing cycles per year) without mineral fertilization showed the highest value of diversity index (DI = 6.08), and maximum dominance of legumes (Dmax = 9.1%), particularly Trifolium repens. The highest dominance of grasses (Dmax = 77.7%), mainly Dactylis glomerata and Elytrigia repens, was achieved with the fertilized treatment utilized in two grazing cycles per year. Based on RDA results, tested management treatments explained 26% of species composition variability, where effect of number of grazing cycles per year was five-times higher than effect of fertilization. We recommend grassland utilization in three grazing cycles per year as the most suitable way from the objective of both species diversity and botanical composition of pastures in similar site conditions. Pasture fertilization should be more controlled by careful consideration of individual pasture goals, actual nutrient status of the soil and possible environmental risks.