Effect of Fertigation on Soil Microbiological Activity and Productivity of Apple Orchard

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Fruit Research Institute Cacak (Serbia) to evaluate the influence of fertigation on development of soil microorganisms and production of apple 'Gloster', 'Hapke Delicious' and 'Morens Jonagored'. The experiment involved three variants of treatment: high water-soluble mineral fertilizer NPK 16: 8: 32, high water-soluble mineral fertilizer NPK 12: 0: 43; microbiological fertilizer (inoculum on associative nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Klebsiella species). Unfertilized soil served as the control. Fertilizers were incorporated with Venturi Injector three times over the growing season. The effect of the applied fertigation measures on soil biological parameters was monitored by determining the number of soil microorganisms by indirect dilution methods of growing on adequate culture media. Of all the variants examined, the most stimulatory effect on development of soil microorganisms was expressed in fertigation treatment that involved microbiological fertilizer in all the examined cultivars. The results of the investigation suggest that incorporation of microorganisms contributes to more productive, nutrient-efficient and environmentally safe orchard management system.