SOIL MICROBIAL POPULATION AND ENZYME ACTIVITIES UNDER ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE IN SEMI-ARID TROPICAL CONDITIONS OF CENTRAL INDIA

Abstract

Present field experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India in a clayey soil (Typic Haplusterts) under soybean (Glycine max, cv. JS 335) wheat (Triticum durum, cv. HI 8498) cropping system in a randomized block design with seven treatments in four replications to study the changes in soil fungal, bacterial and actinomycetes population; and resultant enzymatic activities in soil under organic, biodynamic and conventional agriculture management. The results of study revealed that, the soil microbial population (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes), soil enzyme activities and soil microbial biomass carbon were found in the order of organic > conventional biodynamic agriculture. The organic agriculture registered 27-102% and 28-111% higher enzymatic activities than conventional and biodynamic agriculture, respectively. Similarly, soil microbial biomass carbon was found 30-45% and 33-42% higher under organic agriculture management as compared to conventional and biodynamic agriculture management, respectively. No significant effect of biodynamic agriculture management on soil microbial properties was observed.