JOURNAL of Soil Biology and Ecology

Influence of organic farming practices on soil microbial biomass C and N

Authors: GOLIVE PRASANTHI AND N.G. KUMAR

Abstract:

Soil is an important reservoir of biodiversity and is vital in determining many soil characteristics. The decomposition of organic matter by soil mesofauna greatly influences soil fertility, plant growth, soil structure and carbon storage. The growth of soil mesofauna is greatly influenced by soil microbial biomass. The microbial biomass directly affected organic matter formation and soil mesofauna population. With this knowledge, a field experiment was conducted to test varied doses of farm yard manure and chemical fertilizers on soil microbial biomass in a 13-year-old experiment plot at GKVK, Bangalore, The present findings indicated that adding FYM @ 20.0 t /ha increased the microbial population. Significantly higher soil microbial biomass C and N were recorded at 45 DAG near the rhizosphere than in the non -rhizosphere region. The soil microbial biomass represents the living and most dynamic component of the soil organic matter and indicates the potential biological activity of the soil.

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