A presentation Dr. Kumar N.G.

1. ENHANCEMENT OF SOIL BIOTA AND SOIL
BIOLOGICAL HEALTH THROUGH INOCULATION
AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
IN COFFEE PLANTATIONS
M. RAGHAVENDRAKUMAR, A. N. BALAKRISHNA, N. G. KUMAR,
K. S. USHA, P. NIRMALA and K. T. PRASANNA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, GKVK CAMPUS,
INTRODUCTION
BANGALORE-560065, KARNATAKA, INDIA.
Dr.N.G.Kumar
Dr.N.G.Kumar
Figure 1: Conservation and re-establishment of soil fauna in
soybean ecosystem.
70
Soil biota play an important role in various ecosystem
services viz., supply of nutrients, maintenance of soil 60
Abundan of soil invertebrates (#/400g)
structure, water regulation and more generally, in the
resilience of the below-ground system. 50 2001
2002
(Swift et al., 2004 and Kibblewhite et al., 2008) 40 2003
Among the soil biota, meso- and microfauna forms the 30
2004
2005
major groups and are regarded as important elements of 2008
soil fauna due to their biomass, abundance, richness of
nce
20 2009
species, ecological role and their distribution within the
10
ecosystem.
(Hoffman and Andersen, 2003) 0
Keesing and Wratten (1998) reported the importance of
0
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T1
Treatm ents
indigenous fauna its conservation and re-establishment of
soil fauna in degraded agro-ecosystems. T1: Recommended fertilizer (25:60:25: NPK kg ha-1) + Rec. FYM (10 t ha-1) + Phorate 10G
@ 1 kg a .i. ha-1+ herbicide( Lasso granules @ 20 kg ha-1) + fungicide seed treatment;
T2: 12.5 t rec. FYM + 75 per cent RDF; T3: 15.0 t rec. FYM + 50 per cent of RDF;
T4: 17.5 t rec. FYM + 25 per cent of RDF; T5: 20.0 t rec. FYM; T6: 10.0 t rec. FYM;
T7: Rec. FYM (partially decomposed); T8: Rec. FYM + mulching (Glyricidia 2 t ha-1);
T9: Rec. fertilizer alone; T10: 50 per cent of rec. FYM.
Table 9. Physico-chemical properties of coffee soil. OBJECTIVE
Parameters Natural forest Coffee
Bulk density 1.2± 0.14 1.270± 0.17 To know the role of application of microbial
Sand 61.69 ± 4.96 61.09 ± 9.48 inoculants, forest soil along with FYM and
Silt 26.35 ± 2.90 25.10 ± 4.59 recommended dose of fertilizers on abundance of
Clay 14.06 ± 5.77 13.88 ± 6.98
soil and litter invertebrates, beneficial microbes,
enzyme activities soil microbial biomass C N and
activities, biomass-C,
pH (Water extract) 6.20 ± 0.30 6.16 ± 0.25
P in coffee ecosystem.
pH (KCl extract) 5.24 ± 0.49 5.03 ± 0.54
Organic carbon (%) 3.77 ± 0.92 3.70 ± 0.73
Soil mesofauna (#/m2) 4052.02 ± 1881.20 3435.80± 1678.25
Dr.N.G.Kumar
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2. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Place : Koothi village, Somvarpet Taluk in Coorg district,
Karnataka, India.
Longitude: 7504711011E to 7507911411 E
Latitude: 1204010311 N to 1204211911N
Annual rainfall: 2000 to 3500 mm
Treatments: 8
Replications:3
Design: RCBD
Plot size: 96 m. sq
Spacing: 2X2m
Dr.N.G.Kumar
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TREATMENT DETAILS
Microbial parameters:
T1: Untreated Control 1. Population of mycorrhizal colonization
T2: Farmyard manure @10t ha-1 (FYM) 2. Spore density
T3: Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (160 N: 120 P: 160K ha-1; 50% 3. Population of PSM (Psudomonas sp.) and Azotobacter chroococcum:
was applied as a basal dose and remaining 50% fertilizers applied Standard dilution plating technique (Johnson & Curl, 1972)
after 3 months) 4. Microbial Biomass-C, N and P: Carter method (1991)
T4: FYM+RDF Bio-chemical parameters:
T5: MIC+MFC 1. Dehydrogenase activity-Casida et al., (1964)
T6: MIC+MFC+FYM
MIC MFC FYM 2. Acid phosphatase activity, Alkaline phosphatase activity and Urease
T7: RDF+MIC+MFC activity: Eivazi and Tabatabai (1977)
T8: RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC Chemical parameters:
1. Available-P- Brays No. 1 method
Note: MIC- Microbial consortium (Azotobacter chroococcum - 6.0x106 CFU ml-1, 2. Available-N- Kjeldhal wet oxidation method
P-solubilizing Pseudomonas sp. containing 8.0x106 CFU ml-1 Soil and litter fauna extraction: Mcfadyen high gradient funnel method
VAM fungi - 10,000 I.P/ plant).
MFC- Mesofaunal consortia i.e., indigenous natural forest soil+ litter
collected from 15cm depth applied @ 2 kg/plot (0.5 t ha-1).
Dr.N.G.Kumar
Dr.N.G.Kumar
Table 1: Abundance of soil invertebrates in coffee ecosystem as influenced by different
treatments.
Abundance (#/400g)
Treatments Other Other Total
Cryptostigmatids Collembola
Acari invertebrates fauna
9.33 6.33 5.06 1.40 23.13
T1= Control
(3.07)d (2.24) (2.17)b (1.24)e (4.86)d
14.93 9.20 8.93 4.40 36.66
T2= FYM
(3.87)ab (3.02) (3.07)ab (2.04)bc (6.08)b
MONITORING OF THE INTRODUCED BENIFICIAL T3=RDF
9.86
(3.16)cd
7.06
(2.61)
6.26
(2.37)ab
2.00
(1.47)e
25.60
(5.11)cd
MICROORGANISMS 13.26 5.93 8.33 4.59 34.40
T4=RDF+FYM
AND SOIL FAUNA IN THE COFFEE RHIZOSPHERE
SOIL-FAUNA (3 63)bc
(3.63) (2.31)
(2 31) (2 97)ab
(2.97) (2 25)cd
(2.25) (5 91)b
(5.91)
12.13 7.40 9.20 4.66 30.59
T5=MIC+MFC
(3.51)bcd (2.68) (3.11)ab (2.27)bcd (5.59)bc
15.73 11.00 12.16 5.13 45.06
T6=MIC+MFC+FYM
(3.95)ab (3.31) (3.56)ab (2.37)ab (6.74)a
11.46 8.06 9.46 2.46 30.53
T7=RDF+MIC+MFC
(3.31)cd (2.75) (3.15)ab (1.72)de (5.57)bc
17.13 11.53 18.66 7.99 48.03
T8=RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC
(4.16)a (3.37) (4.40)a (2.91)a (6.97)a
SEm± 0.17 0.19 0.21 0.17 0.18
CD@5% 0.48 NS 0.60 0.48 0.52
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3. Table 2: Abundance of litter invertebrates in coffee ecosystem as influenced by
different treatments.
Abundance (#/200g)
Figure 2: Abundance of soil invertebrates in coffee ecosystem as influenced by Treatments Other Other Total fauna
different treatments. Cryptostigmatids
Acari
Collembola
invertebrates
60
10.66 10.06 7.33 2.79 26.75
T1= Control
(3.34)c (3.24)b (2.79)d (1.81)c (5.21)e
50 16.80 14.20 12.32 7.06 48.72
ndance (#/400g)
T2= FYM
(4.15)ab (3.83)ab (3.58)bc (2.75)b (7.02)b
40 C r y p t o st i g m a t i d s
12.40 15.86 8.73 3.59 35.26
Ot h e r A c a r i T3=RDF
30 C ol l e m bo l a (3.59)c (4.04)a (3.03)cd (2.02)c (5.97)d
Ot h e r i nv e r t e br a t e s
16.20 12.20 8.98 8.99 40.59
20 T ot a l f a un a T4=RDF+FYM
Abun
(4 08)b
(4.08) (3 56)ab
(3.56) (3 07)cd
(3.07) (3 08)b
(3.08) (6 41)cd
(6.41)
10 13.40 11.13 9.20 6.33 48.12
T5=MIC+MFC
(3.72)bc (3.41)ab (3.11)cd (2.61)b (6.97)bc
0 16.20 15.53 14.20 9.59 66.06
T6=MIC+MFC+FYM
(4.08)b (4.01)a (3.83)ab (3.17)b (8.15)a
FC
FC
F
M
M
FC
YM
ol
D
FY
FY
tr
+M
+M
=R
+M
+F
on
F+
13.73 13.20 12.06 5.66 48.62
=
T3
IC
IC
FC
IC
T2
T7=RDF+MIC+MFC
C
D
+M
M
=R
(3.77)bc (3.70)ab (3.54)bc (2.46)b (7.01)b
=M
=
+M
F+
T1
M
T4
T5
IC
D
FY
=R
=M
21.13 15.60 17.53 13.46 75.26
F+
T7
T8=RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC
T6
D
(4.65)a (4.08)a (4.24)a (3.73)a (8.71)a
=R
T8
SEm± 0.19 0.25 0.21 0.23 0.20
Treatm ents
CD@5% 0.54 0.70 0.61 0.65 0.59
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Dr.N.G.Kumar
Table 3. Changes in populations AM fungi spore density, Azotobacter and P-
Figure 3: Abundance of litter invertebrates in coffee ecosystem as influenced by Solublizers as influenced by different treatments in coffee rhizosphere.
different treatments.
Azotobacter P-
AM fungi
population Solublizer
80 Treatments spore density
(CFU x 103 (CFU x 103
(#/50g soil)
70 g-1soil) g-1 soil)
60
ance (#/200g)
T1= Control 247ab 0.70g 0.97g
50 C r y p t o st i g m a t i d s
ot he r A c a r i
T2= FYM 261ab 1.06e 1.26f
40 C o l l e m b ol a
Ot he r i n v e r t e b r a t e s
T3=RDF 204de 0 87f
0.87 1 30f
1.30
Abunda
30 To t a l f a un a
20 T4=RDF+FYM 232cd 1.06e 1.63e
10 T5=MIC+MFC 242bc 1.76d 1.95d
0 T6=MIC+MFC+FYM 258ab 2.09c 2.48c
FC
M
FC
F
YM
FC
M
ol
D
FY
FY
198e
+M
tr
2.31b 2.71b
+M
R
T7=RDF+MIC+MFC
+M
+F
on
F+
=
=
IC
IC
FC
T3
IC
T2
C
D
+M
M
R
M
=
+M
F+
T1
=
M
=
T8=RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC 263a 3.12a 3.11a
T4
IC
T5
D
FY
R
M
F+
=
=
T7
T6
D
=R
CD @ 5% 19.58 0.17 0.14
T8
Treatments
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Table 4. Simple correlation (r) between soil enzyme activities, microbial and
chemical properties across all treatments.
Avail.- Urease Avail.-
Parameter SMBC SMBN SMBP APA ALPA
P 2 O5 activity N
MRC -0.036 -0.039 0.200 0.001 -0.106 -0.366* -0.271 -0.349
Azotobacter 0.737** 0.737** 0.812** 0.719** 0.740** 0.242 0.454** -0.364
Pseudomonas sp. 0.763** 0.764** 0.798** 0.793** 0.823** 0.344* 0.574** 0.532**
MONITORING OF THE SOIL HEALTH DHA 0.433** 0.431** 0.782** 0.889** 0.859** 0.020 0.520** 0.472**
SMBC 0.999** 0.546** 0.520** 0.612** 0.369** 0.418** 0.456**
APA 0.881** 0.228 0.671** 0.611**
ALPA 0.239 0.655** 0.621**
Urease activity 0.887**
MRC-Mycorrhizal Colonization; DHA-Dehydrogenase Activity; SMBC-Soil Microbial biomass-C; SMBN-
Soil Microbial Biomass-N; SMBP-Soil Microbial Biomass -P; APA-Acid Phosphatase Activity; ALPA-
Alkaline Phosphatase Activity.
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4. Table 5. Soil microbial biomass-C, N, P (μg g-1 soil) and dehydrogenase activity (TPF Table 6. Effect of microbial inoculation, application of FYM and fertilizers on
μg g-1 soil) as influenced by microbial inoculation with and without FYM and inorganic enzyme activities and available-N and P in coffee rhizosphere soil.
fertilizers in coffee rhizosphere soil.
Acid Alkaline Urease
Treatments Soil microbial Soil Microbial Soil Microbial Dehydrogenase Available-
biomass-C Biomass-N Biomass-P activity
phosphatase phosphatase activity Available-
P 2 O5
(μg g-1 soil) (μg g-1 soil) (μg g-1 soil) (TPF µgg-1 soil) Treatments activity activity (μg NH4- N
(g/kg
(μg PNP g -1 (μg PNP g -1 N g-1 (Kg ha-1)
Control 954g 111f 23e 261f soil)
soil) soil) soil/2 hr)
FYM 1576f 182e 40c 805d Control 29f 22g 0.163de 106d 255e
RDF 1691ef 197de 20e 478e FYM 40d 34e 0.156cde 124c 297d
RDF+FYM 1889e 219d 38cd 885c RDF 37e 32f 0 192a
0.192 128c 328c
MIC+MFC 2114d 246c 35d 836d RDF+FYM 47c 39c 0.147ef 138b 404b
MIC+MFC+FYM 2450c 285b 43c 834d MIC+MFC 39de 37d 0.145f 109d 260e
RDF+MIC+MFC 2700b 315b 53b 940b MIC+MFC+FYM 45c 41b 0.180ab 136b 312cd
RDF+MIC+MFC 50b 47a 0.169bcd 130b 332c
RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC 3310a 385a 59a 989a
RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC 53a 43b 0.184ab 154a 434a
CD @ 5% 198.22 23.11 4.51 37.05
FYM-farmyard manure; RDF-recommended dose of fertilizer; MIC- microbial consortium; CD @ 5% 2.15 2.09 0.019 9.44 21.31
MFC-meso-faunal consortium : Means with the same superscript do not differ from each other. FYM-farmyard manure; RDF-recommended dose of fertilizer; MIC-microbial consortium; MFC-meso-
faunal consortium : Means with the same superscript do not differ from each other.
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Table 8. Yield of coffee beans as influenced by microbial
Table 7. Changes in Total-N (%), P, K (g/kg soil) and organic-C (%) as inoculation with and without FYM and inorganic fertilizers.
influenced by different treatments in coffee rhizosphere.
Treatments (Q / ha)
Total- N Total-P Total-K Organic-C
Treatments
(%) (g Kg-1 soil) (g Kg-1 soil) (%)
Control 10.76b
T1= Control 0.116c 3.60f 7.35f 3.79 FYM 12.58a
T2= FYM 0.136b 5.28c 9.10c 4.16 RDF 13.02a
T3=RDF 0.131b 4.04e 7.88e 4.26 RDF+FYM 12.67a
T4=RDF+FYM 0.137b 4.89d 9.20c 4.06 MIC+MFC 12 28a
12.28
T5=MIC+MFC 0.130b 4.19cd 8.64d 4.52 MIC+MFC+FYM 12.85a
T6=MIC+MFC+FYM 0.133b 4.90d 9.96b 3.93 RDF+MIC+MFC 13.28a
T7=RDF+MIC+MFC 0.134b 5.80b 10.39a 4.34 RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC 13.54a
T8=RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC 0.146a 6.28a 10.40a 4.27 FYM- Farm Yard Manure; RDF- Recommended Dose of Fertilizer; MIC- Microbial Consortium; MFC-
Meso-faunal Consortium; Means with the same superscript do not differ from each other.
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CONCLUSION
Soil management practices such as application of organic manures
and inorganic fertilizers and inoculation of soil biota (soil mesofuana and
beneficial microorganisms) in rhizosphere of plants help in increasing
soil and litter invertebrates and microbial biomass in soil.
The increased microbial biomass in soil increases the soil enzyme
activities and brings about mineralization of organic forms of nutrients to
inorganic forms making them available to plant uptake.
The increased microbial biomass also increases soil N and P leading to
increased soil fertility. This suggests that, soil biological health is
important in maintaining soil fertility.
Application of RDF+FYM+MIC+MFC also acts as a favoured habitat for
soil mesofauna throughout the experiment period compared to rest of
the treatments.
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