Articles
Responses of culturable fungi and bacteria, and soil fertility to greenhouse soil biosolarisation with fresh plant debris in two different seasons
Article number
1410_17
Pages
115 – 124
Language
English
Abstract
This study was conducted over a two-year period in two commercial greenhouses in Almería, Spain.
The effect of soil biosolarisation with fresh plant debris (FPD) on physical and chemical soil properties, as well as on culturable soil fungi and bacteria was assessed.
Four rates of FPD (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 kg m‑2), a treatment with 5 kg m‑2 of fresh sheep manure + 0.1 kg m‑2 of feather meal (FSM), and a non-amended solarisation treatment were tested.
The treatment dates differed between the two greenhouses: 1) March-May in Greenhouse 1 and 2) May-August in Greenhouse 2. After treatments, pepper and cucumber crops were grown without fertilizer input in Greenhouse 1 and Greenhouse 2, respectively.
Soil samples were taken before and after treatments, as well as at the end of the crops in both years.
Overall, the measured physical and chemical variables in soils that received at least 5 kg m‑2 of FPD did not differ from those treated with FSM. The highest levels of assimilable potassium were found in soils treated with 10 kg m‑2 of FPD, generally showing an increase in this element based on the amount of FPD that had been incorporated.
Soils treated with FSM showed the highest levels of assimilable phosphorus.
The incorporation of FPD influenced the fungal community composition.
Fungal density and diversity decreased only when treatments were performed with higher temperatures in May-August (Greenhouse 2). At the end of the crop, fungal population tended to reach or even increase the initial levels, especially when the higher amounts of FPD were used.
At the end of the study, the soils that received the highest amounts of FPD had higher fungal populations.
Likewise, FPD led to an increase in bacterial populations.
Incorporating FPD through biosolarisation is a practice aligned with the circular economy that improves soil quality in greenhouses.
The effect of soil biosolarisation with fresh plant debris (FPD) on physical and chemical soil properties, as well as on culturable soil fungi and bacteria was assessed.
Four rates of FPD (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 kg m‑2), a treatment with 5 kg m‑2 of fresh sheep manure + 0.1 kg m‑2 of feather meal (FSM), and a non-amended solarisation treatment were tested.
The treatment dates differed between the two greenhouses: 1) March-May in Greenhouse 1 and 2) May-August in Greenhouse 2. After treatments, pepper and cucumber crops were grown without fertilizer input in Greenhouse 1 and Greenhouse 2, respectively.
Soil samples were taken before and after treatments, as well as at the end of the crops in both years.
Overall, the measured physical and chemical variables in soils that received at least 5 kg m‑2 of FPD did not differ from those treated with FSM. The highest levels of assimilable potassium were found in soils treated with 10 kg m‑2 of FPD, generally showing an increase in this element based on the amount of FPD that had been incorporated.
Soils treated with FSM showed the highest levels of assimilable phosphorus.
The incorporation of FPD influenced the fungal community composition.
Fungal density and diversity decreased only when treatments were performed with higher temperatures in May-August (Greenhouse 2). At the end of the crop, fungal population tended to reach or even increase the initial levels, especially when the higher amounts of FPD were used.
At the end of the study, the soils that received the highest amounts of FPD had higher fungal populations.
Likewise, FPD led to an increase in bacterial populations.
Incorporating FPD through biosolarisation is a practice aligned with the circular economy that improves soil quality in greenhouses.
Authors
J.I. Marín-Guirao, M.A. Gómez-Tenorio, F.J. Castillo-Díaz, J.C. Tello-Marquina
Keywords
circular economy, physical and chemical soil variables, waste management
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