Abstract
Compost tea is gaining much interest due to its nutritional, biostimulation and disease suppression benefits to the plants. Four experiments were carried out to determine the effect of incubation temperature, incubation periods, dilution rate and nutritional sources on the microbial populations, physico-chemical properties and indole acetic acid (IAA) levels. Incubation at 28°C showed the highest number of bacteria and aerobic N2-fixing bacteria (ANFB), along with the highest levels of total nitrogen and IAA. All the microbial populations increased in proportion with increase in the incubation period; however, increasing the incubation more than 48 h did not show any significant improvement (P ≤ 0.05) in the physico-chemical properties or IAA levels. All microbial numbers and chemical properties decreased by increasing the dilution rate. Adding a mixture of the three used nutrients (molasses 0.5% v/v, ammonium nitrate 0.5 g/L and di-potassium phosphate 0.5 g/L) resulted in the highest microbial populations (except for ANFB) as compared to the molasses, or double the amount of each other chemical alone. This study show the optimum conditions for preparing compost tea with high microbiological and physico-chemical properties. The study includes ANFB, important for soil application, and IAA, important for foliar application, which have not been studied before in compost tea. Key words: Compost tea extraction, factors, microbiology, physico-chemical, indole acetic acid (IAA), aerobic N2-fixing bacteria (ANFB).
Highlights
Imprroving g physiico-che emicall and m microb biological qu uality of com mpost tea t usiing diffferent treatm ments during g exttractio on
This study demonstrated the optimum conditions for compost extraction which enhances the microbial activity, physico-chemical characters and in ndole acetic acid (IAA) content
Incubation temperature of 28°C was most suitable for growing important microbial groups such as bacteria
Summary
Imprroving g physiico-che emicall and m microb biological qu uality of com mpost tea t usiing diffferent treatm ments during g exttractio on. Four expe eriments we ere carried out to dete ermine the effect of in ncubation temperature e, incubation periods, dilution d rate and nutritio onal source es on the m microbial pop pulations, physico-chemical prope erties and in ndole acetic acid (IAA) le evels. In the phy ysico-chemic cal propertie es or IAA le evels. All m microbial numbers and chemical p properties decreased by increasin ng the dilutio on rate. As co ompared to tthe molasses, or double e the amount of each other chem mical alone. This study show s the op ptimum cond ditions for p preparing co ompost tea w with high microbiolog gical and physico-chem p mical prope erties. The study inclu udes ANFB,, important for soil application, and IAA, im mportant forr foliar application, whic ch have not been studie ed before in compost tea
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