Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(1):25-32 | DOI: 10.17221/327-PSE

Changes in fungal communities in organically fertilized soil

B. Cwalina-Ambroziak¹, T. Bowszys²

¹ Department Phytopathology and Entomology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland

² Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland

The research project was carried out as a field experiment with application of the following crop rotation system: industrial potato, spring barley for fodder, winter rape and winter wheat, established in the random distribution of blocks in triplicate on gleyic luvisol formed of silty light loam. The aim of the research was to determine the influence of diversified organic fertilization based on composted wastewater sediments and farm manure on the community of soil fungi as compared to fields without fertilization and with NPK fertilization only. The fungi were cultured on the Martin medium and were counted and identified afterwards. As a result of three-year field experiments it was established that organic fertilization had a more determining effect on qualitative composition than numbers of soil fungi. Total number of fungal colony-forming units in the soil fertilized with Biohum at 10 t/ha and 5 t/ha was significantly higher than in soil with mineral NPK fertilization and without fertilization. Most frequently pathogens populated the soil in fields without fertilization and to a lesser extent the soil with mineral NPK fertilization. A positive influence of organic fertilizers on the fungal community structure was recorded. The number of pathogens was limited (to 1.2% in fields fertilized with farm manure) while the population of saprotrophic fungi possessing antagonistic properties increased.

Keywords: soil; organic fertilization; pathogenic fungi; saprotrophic fungi; water extract from kompost

Published: January 31, 2009  Show citation