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Biostimulation of the activity of microorganisms and soil enzymes through fertilisation with composts

2018; CSIRO Publishing; Volume: 56; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1071/sr18057

1838-675X

Magdalena Zaborowska, Grzegorz Woźny, Jadwiga Wyszkowska, Jan Kucharski,

Plant Growth Enhancement Techniques

This experiment compared the effectiveness of composts regarded as potential biostimulators to improve soil fertility. Moreover, it determined stable biological indices which could serve as a matrix for determining threshold values to benchmark the quality characteristics of composts. Sewage sludge compost, poultry manure compost, and vermicompost were introduced to soil. The doses of composts were established on the basis of carbon content related to its amount at the level of 0, 10, and 20 g Corg kg−1 dry matter of soil. The scale of the composts’ biostimulation was determined based on activities of dehydrogenases, urease, catalase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase. In order to assess the broad spectrum of changes taking place in the soil, counts of eight groups of microorganisms were also determined. To comprehensively assess the effects of composts, microbial activity was presented using the biostimulation index, colony development, ecophysiological diversity indices, and biochemical indices of soil fertility. The coliform index values were also determined. Poultry manure compost was a good biostimulator of soil fertility. The total activity of all enzymes can be considered the most reliable indicator of soil fertility.