Abstract
The impact of organic amendments on the soil microorganisms and plant growth and health in conditions of organic agriculture of Northern temperate climate was analyzed. Some case studies dealing with green manure or vermicompost amendments are discussed giving deeper analyses of the vermicompost impact on plant growth. The first case study is about the impact of green manure on soil microbial populations and soil suppressiveness against such pathogens as late blight, potato scab, and black scurf of potato in organic agriculture. The second case study is about the use of vermicompost in organic starch potato cultivation. Significantly higher numbers of all groups of analyzed cultivable microorganisms were observed in organic agriculture fields in comparison to conventional fields. Results obtained by molecular methods regarding fungal diversity did not show such an increase. Controversial results about plant health, in terms of disease suppressiveness, have been obtained. The possible acting mechanisms of the vermicompost on plant growth are discussed. Our studies raise particular concerns about the vermicompost. Definitely, the unique nature of organic amendments in each case must be taken into account. Further studies are needed to explain the impact of green manure and vermicompost on the plant health.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aira M, Gómez-Brandón M, González-Porto P, Domínguez J (2011) Selective reduction of the pathogenic load of cow manure in an industrial-scale continuous-feeding vermireactor. Bioresour Technol 102:9633–9637
Anastasi A, Varese GC, Marchisio VF (2005) Isolation and identification of fungal communities in compost and vermicompost. Mycologia 97:33–44
Arlauskiene A, Nemeiksiene D, Slepetiene A (2013) Innovative green manure technologies on organic farming. In: Proceedings of 12th international scientific conference “Engineering for rural development”, Jelgava, 23–24 May 2013
Atiyeh RM, Subler S, Edwards CA, Bachman G, Metzger JD, Shuster W (2000) Effects of vermicomposts and composts on plant growth in horticultural container media and soil. Pedobiologia 44:579–590
Atiyeh RM, Edwards CA, Subler S, Metzger JD (2001) Pig manure vermicompost as a component of a horticultural bedding plant medium: effects on physicochemical properties and plant growth. Bioresour Technol 78:11–20
Bailey KL, Lazarovits G (2003) Suppressing soil-borne diseases with residue management and organic amendments. Soil Tillage Res 72:169–180
Beffa T, Staib F, Fischer LJ, Lyon PF, Gumowski P, Marfenina OE, Dunoyer-Geindre S, Georgen F, Roch-Susuki R, Gallaz L, Latgé JP (1998) Mycological control and surveillance of biological waste and compost. Med Mycol 36:137–145
Bengtsson J, Ahnström J, Weibull AC (2005) The effects of organic agriculture on biodiversity and abundance: a meta-analysis. J Appl Ecol 42:261–269
Bernard E, Larkin RP, Tavantzis S, Erich MS, Alyokhin A, Sewell G, Lannan A, Gross SD (2012) Compost, rapeseed rotation, and biocontrol agents significantly impact soil microbial communities in organic and conventional potato production systems. Appl Soil Ecol 52:29–41
Biederbeck VO, Zentner RP, Campbell CA (2005) Soil microbial populations and activities as influenced by legume green fallow in a semiarid climate. Soil Biol Biochem 37:1775–1784
Bloem J, de Ruiter PC, Koopman GJ, Lebbink G, Brussaard L (1992) Microbial numbers and activity in dried and rewetted arable soil under integrated and conventional management. Soil Biol Biochem 24:655–665
Börjesson G, Menichetti L, Kirchmann H, Kätterer T (2012) Soil microbial community structure affected by 53 years of nitrogen fertilisation and different organic amendments. Biol Fertil Soils 48:245–257
Bridge P, Spooner B (2001) Soil fungi: diversity and detection. Plant Soil 232:147–154
Bulluck LR III, Ristaino JB (2002) Effect of synthetic and organic soil fertility amendments on southern blight, soil microbial communities, and yield of processing tomatoes. Phytopathology 92:181–189
Cordier C, Edel-Hermann V, Martin-Laurent F, Blal B, Steinberg C, Alabouvette C (2006) SCAR-based real time PCR to identify a biocontrol strain (T1) of Trichoderma atroviride and study its population dynamics in soils. J Microbiol Methods 68:60–68
Deportes I, Benoit-Guyod JL, Zmirou DE, Bouvier MC (1995) Hazard to man and environment posed by the use of urban waste compost: a review. Sci Total Environ 172:197–222
Doltra J, Olesen JE (2013) The role of catch crops in the intensification of spring cereals in organic farming under Nordic climate. Eur J Agron 44:98–108
Doneche B, Seguin G, Ribereau-Gayon P (1983) Mancozeb effect on soil microorganisms and its degradation in soils. Soil Sci 135:361–366
Drenth A, Janssen EM, Govers F (1995) Formation and survival of oospores of Phytophthora infestans under natural conditions. Plant Pathol 44:86–94
Drinkwater LE, Letourneau DK, Wokneh F, van Bruggen AHC, Shennan C (1995) Fundamental differences between conventional and organic tomato agroecosystems in California. Ecol Appl 5:1098–1112
Eastman BR, Kane PN, Edwards CA, Trytek L, Gunadi B, Sterme AL, Mobley JR (2001) The effectiveness of vermiculture in human pathogen reduction for USEPA biosolids stabilization. Compost Sci Util 9:38–49
Edesi L, Jarvan M, Lauringson E, Akk E, Tamm K (2013) The effect of solid cattle manure on soil microbial activity and on plate count microorganisms in organic and conventional farming systems. Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci 2:476–488
Elfstrand S, Bath B, Martensson A (2007) Influence of various forms of green manure amendment on soil microbial community composition, enzyme activity and nutrient levels in leek. Appl Soil Ecol 36:70–82
Elmholt S, Labouriau R (2005) Fungi in Danish soils under organic and conventional farming. Agric Ecosyst Environ 107:65–73
Fahey JW, Zalcmann AT, Talalay P (2001) The chemical diversity and distribution of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates among plants. Phytochemistry 56:5–51
Fernández-Gómez MJ, Nogales R, Insam H, Romero E, Goberna M (2012) Use of DGGE and COMPOCHIP for investigating bacterial communities of various vermicomposts produced from different wastes under dissimilar conditions. Sci Total Environ 414:664–671
Ferreras L, Gomez E, Toresani S, Firpo I, Rotondo R (2006) Effect of organic amendments on some physical, chemical and biological properties in a horticultural soil. Bioresour Technol 97:635–640
Fliessbach A, Mader P (2000) Microbial biomass and size-density fractions differ between soils of organic and conventional agricultural system. Soil Biol Biochem 32:757–768
Fritz JI, Franke-Whittle IH, Haindl S, Insam H, Braun R (2012) Microbiological community analysis of vermicompost tea and its influence on the growth of vegetables and cereals. Can J Microbiol 58:836–847
Galván GA, Parádi I, Burger K, Baar J, Kuyper TW, Scholten OE, Kik C (2009) Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in onion roots from organic and conventional farming systems in the Netherlands. Mycorrhiza 19:317–328
Garbeva P, van Veen JA, van Elsas JD (2004) Microbial diversity in soil: selection of microbial populations by plant and soil type and implications for disease suppressiveness. Annu Rev Phytopathol 42:243–270
Gopal M, Gupta A, Sunil E, Thomas GV (2009) Amplification of plant beneficial microbial communities during conversion of coconut leaf substrate to vermicompost by Eudrilus sp. Curr Microbiol 59:15–20
Grantina L, Kenigsvalde K, Eze D, Petrina Z, Skrabule I, Rostoks N, Nikolajeva V (2011) Impact of six-year-long organic cropping on soil microorganisms and crop disease suppressiveness. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture 98:399–408
Grantina-Ievina L, Andersone U, Berkolde-Pīre D, Nikolajeva V, Ievinsh G (2013) Critical tests for determination of microbiological quality and biological activity in commercial vermicompost samples of different origins. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97:10541–10554
Grantina-Ievina L, Karlsons A, Andersone-Ozola U, Ievinsh G (2014a) Effect of freshwater sapropel on plants in respect to growth-affecting activity and cultivable microorganism content. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture 101:355–366
Grantina-Ievina L, Malisevs A, Nikolajeva V (2014b) Antifungal activity of water extracts of vermicompost. Abstract of the 72nd scientific conference of the University of Latvia. Environ Exp Biol 12:71–72
Hagn A, Pritsch K, Schloter M, Munch JC (2003) Fungal diversity in agricultural soil under different farming management systems, with special reference to biocontrol strains of Trichoderma spp. Biol Fertil Soils 38:236–244
Hospers-Brands AJTM, Ghorbani R, Bremer E, Bain R, Litterick A, Halder F, Leifert C, Wilcockson SJ (2008) Effects of presprouting, planting date, plant population and configuration on late blight and yield of organic potato crops grown with different cultivars. Potato Res 51:131–150
Ievinsh G (2011) Vermicompost treatment differentially affects seed germination, seedling growth and physiological status of vegetable crop species. Plant Growth Regul 65:169–181
Johansen A, Carter MS, Jensen ES, Hauggard-Nielsen H, Ambus P (2013) Effects of digestate from anaerobically digested cattle slurry and plant materials on soil microbial community and emission of CO2 and N2O. Appl Soil Ecol 63:36–44
Kale RD, Mallesh BC, Kubra B, Bagyaraj DJ (1992) Influence of vermicompost application on the available macronutrients and selected microbial populations in a paddy field. Soil Biol Biochem 24:1317–1320
Karlsons A, Osvalde A, Andersone-Ozola U, Ievinsh G (2015) Vermicompost from municipal sewage sludge affects growth and mineral nutrition of winter rye (Secale cereale) plants. J Plant Nutr (in press)
Krishnamoorthy RV, Vajranabhaiah SN (1986) Biological activity of earthworm casts: an assessment of plant growth promotor levels in the casts. Proc Indian Acad Sci Anim Sci 95:341–351
Larkin RP, Griffin TS (2007) Control of soilborne diseases using Brassica green manures. Crop Prot 26:1067–1077
Larkin RP, Honeycutt CW, Olanya OM (2011a) Management of Verticillium wilt of potato with disease-suppressive green manures and as affected by previous cropping history. Plant Dis 95:568–576
Larkin RP, Honeycutt CW, Griffin TS, Olanya OM, Halloran JM, He Z (2011b) Effects of different potato cropping system approaches and water management on soilborne diseases and soil microbial communities. Phytopathology 101:58–67
Liu B, Tu C, Hu S, Gumpertz M, Ristaino JB (2007) Effect of organic, sustainable, and conventional management strategies in grower fields on soil physical, chemical, and biological factors and the incidence of Southern blight. Appl Soil Ecol 37:202–214
Lord JS, Lazzeri L, Atkinson HJ, Urwin PE (2011) Biofumigation for control of pale potato cyst nematodes: activity of brassica leaf extracts and green manures on Globodera pallida in vitro and in soil. J Agric Food Chem 59:7882–7890
Lützow MV, Kögel-Knabner I, Ekschmitt K, Matzner E, Guggenberger G, Marschner B, Flessa H (2006) Stabilization of organic matter in temperate soils: mechanisms and their relevance under different soil conditions – a review. Eur J Soil Sci 57:426–445
Lynch JM, Benedetti A, Insam H, Nuti MP, Smalla K, Torsvik V, Nannipieri P (2004) Microbial diversity in soil: ecological theories, the contribution of molecular techniques and the impact of transgenic plants and transgenic microorganisms. Biol Fertil Soils 40:363–385
Marschner P, Kandeler E, Marschner B (2003) Structure and function of the soil microbial community in a long-term fertilizer experiment. Soil Biol Biochem 35:453–461
Olesen JE, Askegaard M, Rasmussen IA (2009) Winter cereal yields as affected by animal manure and green manure in organic arable farming. Eur J Agron 30:119–128
Postma J, Schilder MT, Bloem J, van Leeuwen-Haagsma WK (2008) Soil suppressiveness and functional diversity of the soil microflora in organic farming systems. Soil Biol Biochem 40:2394–2405
Shannon D, Sen AM, Johnson DB (2002) A comparative study of the microbiology of soils managed under organic and conventional regimes. Soil Use Manag 18:274–283
Singh UP, Maruya S, Singh DP (2003) Antifungal activity and induced resistance in pea by aqueous extract of vermicompost and for control of powdery mildew of pea and balsam. J Plant Dis Prot 110:544–553
Tein B, Kauer K, Eremeev V, Luik A, Selge A, Loit E (2014) Farming system affect potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber and soil quality. Field Crop Res 156:1–11
Tomati U, Grappelli A, Galli E (1988) The hormone-like effect of earthworm casts on plant growth. Biol Fertil Soils 5:288–289
Torsvik V, Sorheim R, Goksoyr J (1996) Total bacterial diversity in soil and sediment communities – a review. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 17:170–178
Truu M, Truu J, Ivask M (2008) Soil microbiological and biochemical properties for assessing the effect of agricultural management practices in Estonian cultivated soils. Eur J Soil Biol 44:231–237
Val-Moraes SP, Pedrinho EAN, Lemos EGM, Carareto-Alves LM (2013) Molecular identification of fungal communities in a soil cultivated with vegetables and soil suppressiveness to Rhizoctonia solani. Appl Environ Soil Sci, Article ID 268768, 7 p. doi:10.1155/2013/268768
Weller DM, Raaijmakers JM, Gardener BB, Thomashow LS (2002) Microbial populations responsible for specific soil suppressiveness to plant pathogens. Annu Rev Phytopathol 40:309–348
Wortman SE, Drijber RA, Francis CA, Lindquist JL (2013) Arable weeds, cover crops, and tillage drive soil microbial community composition in organic cropping systems. Appl Soil Ecol 72:232–241
Yasir M, Aslam Z, Kim SW, Lee SW, Jeon CO, Chung YR (2009) Bacterial community composition and chitinase gene diversity of vermicompost with antifungal activity. Bioresour Technol 100:4396–4403
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Grantina-Ievina, L. et al. (2015). Impact of Green Manure and Vermicompost on Soil Suppressiveness, Soil Microbial Populations, and Plant Growth in Conditions of Organic Agriculture of Northern Temperate Climate. In: Meghvansi, M., Varma, A. (eds) Organic Amendments and Soil Suppressiveness in Plant Disease Management. Soil Biology, vol 46. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23075-7_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23075-7_18
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-23074-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-23075-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)