Most of the soils in Iran, located in arid and semiarid region of Asia, have less than one percent organic matter. For improving the organic matter in these soils, organic fertilizers are used, which ameliorate the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of these soils. Considering shortage of manures, application of organic fertilizers like municipal waste leachate and compost, as a rich source of nutrition, is favorable .with regard to the importance of this issue; our research was aimed at evaluating the impact of municipal waste compost (MWC) and municipal waste compost leachate (MWCL) on some soil chemical properties and corn plant responses under greenhouse conditions. To this aim, soil samples were exposed to composted garbage Leachate concentrations of 0,20 ,40 and 60 % (v v-1, MWCL/Water) and compost rates of 0,15,30 and 60 ton ha-1 in greenhouse conditions for 3 months and measured some soil chemical properties and corn plant responses. Municipal waste compost and its leachate increased the amounts of available macro- (N, P, K) and micronutrients [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), Zn, and Ni] in soil, which in turn enhanced soil productivity and crop yield. Application of municipal waste compost and its leachate significantly increased the levels of EDTA–extractable nickel (Ni) and other elements in the soil. Although municipal waste compost and its leachate increased concentrations of some heavy metals and other nutrients in corn, particularly in 60% (V/V, MWCL/Water) and 60 t ha-1 (MWC) treatments, the concentrations were below the reported critical levels for these metals. Municipal waste compost and its leachate are rich in plant nutrients and OM and are acidic; therefore, they may be used as solid and liquid fertilizers especially in calcareous and low organic matter soils.

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