Effect of bioplant-k and slavol on soil microbial activity and growth of the ornamental plant species ficus nitida and euonymus compacta

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of Bioplant-K and Slavol on soil microbial activity (total number of microorganisms, numbers of azotobacter, oligonitrophiles, soil fungi and actinomycetes) and growth (length of underground and aboveground plant parts) of Ficus nitida and Euonymus compacta. Microbial counts were determined by an indirect method of growth on specific selective media. The tested microbial fertilisers induced a substantial increase in the total number of microorganisms and oligonitrophiles in the soil under the 2 plants, whereas the number of actinomycetes increased only by Bioplant-K. The soil azotobacter number was not significantly increased by the applied microbial fertilisers. The use of Bioplant-K resulted in a considerable decrease in fungi number in the soil under the two plants, whereas the effect of Slavol was not statistically significant. An increase in the number of the tested groups of microorganisms was observed during the growing season. Either of the microbial fertilisers had a stimulating effect on the growth of the underground and aboveground parts of the plants, that of Bioplant-K being, however, more pronounced.