Journal of SOIL BIOLOGY and ECOLOGY

The effect of varied level of FYM on the abundance of soil Collembola in the fodder maize ecosystem

Authors: H.M. MAHESH AND N.G. KUMAR

Abstract:

Soil and litter Collembola are one of the organism play significant role in providing ecosystem services in agricultural ecosystems. The experiment was carried out to know the impact of different levels of FYM and NPK on the abundance of soil Collembola in fodder maize crop cultivated in long-term treatment plots (thirteen years under the same set of treatments) under rainfed conditions at GKVK, Bengaluru. There were ten treatments with varying combinations of FYM and conventional fertilizers, each applied to a specific plot for thirteen years. The results revealed that the significantly higher abundance of Collembola was more in plots treated with 20 tonnes of FYM/ha compared to other treatments during the cropping season, followed by 12.5 t of FYM/ha + 75 per cent NPK treated plot. However, the least abundance of Collembola was recorded in plots treated with 5 tonnes of FYM/ha alone. The mean soil Collembola was more abundant 60 days after crop germination during the Kharif season and the treatment with Recommended fertilizers (100: 50: 25 Kg NPK per ha) + Recommended FYM (10 tonnes per ha) + fungicide seed treatment (Carbendazim) also documented maximum Collembola population followed by 20 tonnes of FYM/ha compared to other treatments. The variation in the abundance of soil Collembola may be due to abundant food supply (organic matter and microbial biomass), crop canopy, optimum moisture and temperature in the soil.

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