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Abstract
Organic agriculture is increasingly used as an alternative to conventional agriculture due to its positive impact on the health of ecosystems and agroecosystems. However, the outcome of organic agriculture in terms of the production of various crops remains uncertain due to the influence of many variables, rising questions about its advantages over conventional agriculture. This study assessed the impacts of organic agricultural system on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi diversity in soil and green tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Horn) crop production. A field experiment was conducted using a random block design with five repetitions of the following treatments: a) Control (no fertilization, NF); b) Vermicompost use (OTV); c) OTV with vermicompost leaching (OTH); and d) Inorganic fertilization (CST). Throughout the crop cycle, soil samples were analyzed chemically, the relative growth rate (RGR) of the plants was measured, and the colonization and diversity of AM fungi were quantified in roots and soil; finally, above-ground, root biomass, and fruit production were measured. Organic fertilization (OTV, OTH) increased (p p > 0.05). It is concluded that organic agriculture management is essential to promote a greater AM fungi diversity and fungi root colonization. Plant-AM fungi interaction increases growth rates and it allows a similar tomato production compared with conventional agriculture.
Highlights
Conventional agriculture applies large inputs of agrochemical products, especially inorganic fertilizers, to maintain global food production, affecting the health of natural and agricultural ecosystems, the human population, and jeopardizing the economy of resource-poor farmers [1]
Physical soil and biological characteristics are improved with organic fertilizers, like vermicompost, which is the process of bio-oxidation and stabilization of organic matter in controlled conditions of the joint action of specific species of earthworm and microorganisms to accelerate the nutrients transformation [5] [6]
Our data regarding fruit size and development differed from the findings reported by Singh et al [50], who obtained better size and quality of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa, Weston) using vermicompost compared to inorganic fertilization
Summary
Conventional agriculture applies large inputs of agrochemical products, especially inorganic fertilizers, to maintain global food production, affecting the health of natural and agricultural ecosystems, the human population, and jeopardizing the economy of resource-poor farmers [1]. Physical soil and biological characteristics are improved with organic fertilizers, like vermicompost, which is the process of bio-oxidation and stabilization of organic matter in controlled conditions of the joint action of specific species of earthworm and microorganisms to accelerate the nutrients transformation [5] [6]. This kind of fertilization increases the colonization of plant roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, their abundance and diversity [7]. When intensive farming techniques are used in conventional agriculture systems these soil ecosystem services are degraded [9] [10]
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