A Master's Thesis at the University of Kirkuk Discusses "Applying Some Physical Treatments to Chicken Litter and Evaluating Their Effect on the Fertility of Soil Cultivated with Certain Plant Species"
A master's thesis entitled "Applying Some Physical Treatments to Chicken Litter and Evaluating Their Effect on the Fertility of Soil Cultivated with Certain Plant Species" was discussed at the College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Kirkuk.
The study, presented by researcher Ibtisam Abdul-Kareem, aimed to evaluate the effects of chicken litter treated by sieving and soaking compared to untreated litter on soil fertility and the growth of garden cress, celery, leek, and parsley across two locations in the Al-Zab sub-district during the 2025–2026 winter season.
The findings revealed that the sieved fertilizer had the highest nitrogen and organic matter content, while the soaked fertilizer was superior in phosphorus, total dissolved solids, and electrical conductivity. The untreated litter recorded the highest potassium content. The soil analysis showed a sandy loam texture, with elevated sodium levels at the second location.
Plant responses varied depending on the treatment: leek recorded the highest carbohydrate content at the second location when using soaked fertilizer, whereas garden cress attained the highest nitrogen content with sieved fertilizer. Furthermore, the fertility index confirmed an improvement in soil fertility as a result of fertilization, with a more pronounced effect at the first location—particularly with the application of sieved and soaked fertilizers.
The examination committee consisted of:
- Prof. Dr. Dilshad Aziz Darwish – Chair
- Prof. Dr. Tawoos Mohammed Kamil – Member
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Yassin Ali – Member
- Prof. Dr. Rushdi Sabah Abdul-Qadir – Member and Supervisor
