Use of Trichoderma spp. in no-tillage system: Effect on soil and soybean crop

Abstract

The sustainability of agricultural systems depends on maintaining soil quality. The intensive use of soil and inputs may be leading to a degradation process. In addition, the large consumption of fertilizers associated with non-renewable reserves has increased the search for alternatives to supply nutrients to plants and increase fertilization efficiency. Soil characteristics can influence the efficiency of using biocontrol microorganisms such as Trichoderma spp., which can also improve soil’s chemical, physical and biological quality. Therefore, there is a need to understand better the interaction dynamics of Trichoderma spp. with the soil and plant to allow greater applicability and confidence in the field dynamics of interaction. Thus, the present research aimed to evaluate the effect of the superficial application of Trichoderma spp. in the no-tillage system on the soil’s chemical, physical and biological characteristics and its effects in the soybean culture. For two consecutive years, the experiment was conducted in a commercial field cultivated for 28 years with a no-tillage system in Hapludox soil in Vacaria – RS, Brazil. The treatments consisted of control without applying Trichoderma spp. on the soil surface and applying it. The chemical (nutrient content, acidity, organic matter, and aluminum), physical (resistance of the penetration), and biological properties (disease suppression) of the soil and the development, nutrition, and yield components of the soybean crop were evaluated. The application of Trichoderma spp. by surface spraying resulted in soil acidification, increased uptake of K and Mn by soybean crop (20 and 40% respectively), decreased incidence of white mold and increased the yield in plants presenting Fusarium sp. + Macrophomina sp., but not significantly influenced the development and productivity of the soybean crop in the tested conditions. Nevertheless, the application of Trichoderma spp. on the soil surface reduces the incidence and severity of diseases and increases the absorption of K and Mn by the soybean crop, even in soils with high acidity.