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Changes in the Soil Microflora Induced by Effective Microorganisms

T. Higa and G. N. Wididana

University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan

Full Paper (PDF File: 354KB)

Abstract

The beneficial effects of effective microorganisms (EM) on plant growth, yield, and quality have been consistently demonstrated. However, there are still questions about which EM cultures, or combinations thereof, are most effective for alleviating certain chemical, physical, and microbiological problems in soils. In the study reported here, EM cultures increased the number of Enterobacter spp. and starch digesting bacteria in soil. A combination of EM 2. 3. 4 markedly suppressed the number of Verticillium, Thielaviopsis, and Fusarium fungal species that are destructive soil borne plant pathogens. Some of the EM cultures significantly increased the population of Trichoderma (EM 2, EM 3, EM 2.3) and Penicillium (EM 3, EM 2. 3, EM 2. 3. 4) species that are known to suppress plant pathogenic fungi in soils: Soil physical properties, including cultivation depth and porosity, were generally improved by EM treatment.
EM 3, EM 4, and EM 3. 4 effectively suppressed nematode damage on tomato plants. With the exception of EM 2, all other EM cultures appeared to either suppress insect damage or heal fruit injuries on tomato caused by insects. Tomato yields obtained with EM 3, EM 4, and EM 2. 3 were comparable to, though less than, the fertilized control. However, the amount of marketable fruit was considerably greater for these EM treatments than for the fertilized plot.