Back M. G. M. Bruggenwert
EMRO Netherlands
Full Paper (PDF File: 100KB)
Abstract
Under Dutch conditions EM can have a positive effect on the growth of plants. In a pot experiment with English rye-grass EM-technology was tested in combination with 6 treatments of manure and fertilizers. In pots with EM, grass production of the first as well as the second cut was higher than without EM. In the first cut this effect was significant in 3 out of the 6 treatments. Combination of first plus second cut resulted in a significant positive effect of EM in one of the 6 treatments. EM effect was most evident in pots with low nutrient supply. This is important because attention is focused whether EM-technology can contribute to maintain high plant production while nutrient supply is reduced. EM-technology was also tested on meadows. Results are very positive: grass production was kept almost at the usual high level while chemical fertilizers were reduced to about 30 percent of the original supply. The effect of EM on the photosynthesis of grass and maize was measured on 8 parcels. Photosynthesis on EM-parcels was higher than on parcels without EM.
Attention was also paid to possible negative effects of EM1: In a field experiment with 36 plots no significant effect of EM on soil organic matter was measured after one year. On farm meadows: application of EM-technology during four years resulted in an evident increase in content of soil organic matter. Concerning effect of EM1 on microbes: 10 species were isolated from soil and water. Microbial growth was not inhibited by the presence of diluted EM-suspensions.