Abstract
Summary A microbial inoculant known as Effective Microorganisms or EM is a mixed culture of naturally-occurring, beneficial microorganisms (predominantly lactic acid bacteria, yeast, actinomycetes, photosynthetic bacteria and certain fungi) that has been used with considerable success to improve soil quality and the growth and yield of crops, particularly in nature farming and organic farming systems. Despite this success, the exact mechanisms of how this EM elicits such beneficial effects is largely unknown. Consequently, a study was conducted to determine the effects of EM and organic fertilizer on the growth, photosynthesis, and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) under glasshouse conditions, compared with chemical fertilizer. An organic fertilizer consisting of a mixture of oilseed mill sludge, rice husk and bran, and fish processing waste, was inoculated and fermented with EM as the microbial inoculant. The organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer were then applied to respective pots to compare the growth, yield and physiological response of sweet corn plants. EM applied with the organic fertilizer was shown to promote root growth and activity, and to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and capacity, which resulted in increased grain yield. This was attributed largely to a higher level of nutrient availability facilitated by EM application over time. Interestingly, during the early stage of the experiment, the growth and dry matter yield of plants that received organic fertilizer were actually lower than those treated with chemical fertilizer that provided higher initial levels of macronutrients. However, during the intermediate and late growth stages, EM increased the nutrient availability of the organic fertilizer to a higher level, than the chemical fertilizer. Consequently, even though there was an early lower growth rate for plants that received EM-fermented organic fertilizer compared with chemical fertilizer, the final biomass and grain yield from organic fertilizer was equal to or higher than from chemical fertilizer.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
EM with organic fertilizer promoted sweet corn root growth and activity.
- Taxon
- sweet cornt0
- Treatment
- EM applied with the organic fertilizere0
- Interactor
- EMe0symbiont
- Outcome
- root growth and activitye0
- Direction
- promotee0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“EM applied with the organic fertilizer was shown to promote root growth and activity”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
EM with organic fertilizer enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and capacity.
- Taxon
- sweet cornt0
- Treatment
- EM applied with the organic fertilizere0
- Interactor
- EMe0symbiont
- Outcome
- photosynthetic efficiency and capacitye0
- Direction
- enhancee0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“EM applied with the organic fertilizer was shown to promote root growth and activity, and to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and capacity”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
EM with organic fertilizer increased sweet corn grain yield.
- Taxon
- sweet cornt0
- Treatment
- EM applied with the organic fertilizere1
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“which resulted in increased grain yield”
t0“Sweet Corn”
e1“EM applied with the organic fertilizer was shown to promote root growth and activity, and to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and capacity, which resulted in increased grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Early growth under organic fertilizer was lower than under chemical fertilizer.
Verbatim
e0“during the early stage of the experiment, the growth and dry matter yield of plants that received organic fertilizer were actually lower than those treated with chemical fertilizer”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Early dry matter yield under organic fertilizer was lower than under chemical fertilizer.
Verbatim
e0“during the early stage of the experiment, the growth and dry matter yield of plants that received organic fertilizer were actually lower than those treated with chemical fertilizer”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
EM increased nutrient availability of organic fertilizer above chemical fertilizer at intermediate and late stages.
Verbatim
e0“during the intermediate and late growth stages, EM increased the nutrient availability of the organic fertilizer to a higher level, than the chemical fertilizer”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Final biomass with organic fertilizer equaled or exceeded that with chemical fertilizer.
Verbatim
e0“the final biomass and grain yield from organic fertilizer was equal to or higher than from chemical fertilizer”
t0“Sweet Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Final grain yield with organic fertilizer equaled or exceeded that with chemical fertilizer.
Verbatim
e0“the final biomass and grain yield from organic fertilizer was equal to or higher than from chemical fertilizer”
t0“Sweet Corn”
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