Open AccessCan different soil fertilization regimes modify soil fauna to interfere in maize grain yield?
Author(s) -
Ana Luiza Martins,
Glécio Machado Siqueira,
Emanoel Gomes de Moura,
Raimunda Alves Silva,
Francisca Ferreira Farias,
Alana das Chagas Ferreira Aguiar
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
australian journal of crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1835-2693
pISSN - 1835-2707
DOI - 10.21475/ajcs.20.14.10.p1485
Subject(s) - agronomy , gliricidia sepium , dominance (genetics) , gliricidia , soil biology , human fertilization , biology , soil fertility , soil water , ecology , biochemistry , gene
Soil fauna activities transform the soil, but soil organisms are also influenced by changes in the land. We hypothesize that different soil fertilization regimes modify soil fauna and in this way affect maize grain yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different soil fertilization regimes on the structure of the soil fauna and the association between these organisms and the maize grain yield. The experiment was conducted in Maranhão State (Brazil), in an alley crop system which was divided into 32 plots of 4×10 m, with four replicates and the following treatments: Gliricidia sepium – gliricidia (G), potassium (K), humic acid (HA), humic acid + potassium (HA + K), potassium + gliricidia (K + G), humic acid + potassium + gliricidia (HA + K + G), humic acid + gliricidia (HA + G) and uncovered soil (US). Soil fauna dominance, abundance, richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and Pielou evenness index and maize grain yield were determined. Fertilization with humic acid and potassium caused the dominance of isopods. The dominance of ants was also related to soil potassium (K treatment). The only taxon associated with yield was Araneae. Although fauna abundance did not show differences between treatments, it was related to yield. This study does not confirm the hypothesis that different soil fertilization regimes affect soil fauna and consequently influence maize grain yield. Nevertheless, we confirm that maize grain yield may be improved by the presence of specific groups and by the increased abundance of soil fauna.