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Changes in nutrient content, enzymatic activities and microbial properties of lateritic soil due to application of different vermicomposts: a comparative study of ergosterol and chitin to determine fungal biomass in soil
Author(s) -
Pramanik P.,
Ghosh G. K.,
Chung Y. R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.2010.00304.x
Subject(s) - vermicompost , chemistry , ergosterol , agronomy , nutrient , biomass (ecology) , soil water , amylase , microbial population biology , straw , microorganism , food science , bacteria , biology , enzyme , biochemistry , organic chemistry , ecology , genetics
In this experiment, vermicomposts, prepared from five different waste materials, were applied to acid lateritic soil under field conditions and soil samples were collected after 90 days to study the effect of vermicomposts on different chemical and biochemical. Results suggest that vermicompost prepared from paddy straw is most effective to improve nutrient content, enzymatic activities and microbial properties of lateritic soil. Vermicompost application significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) increased the concentration of organic C, mineralizable N, available P and exchangeable K in soil. Amylase, protease, urease and acid phosphatase activities were also significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) higher in vermicompost treated soils compared with the control. Both basal and substrate‐induced microbial respiration, microbial biomass C and N and fungal population in lateritic soil were increased due to vermicompost application. Ergosterol and chitin content were significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) higher in vermicompost treated soils over the control. Application of vermicompost increased the proportion of fungal biomass in total soil microorganisms.