Abstract
Nitrogen fixing bacteria play a key role in the growth and persistence of effective microbial communities in the soil by supplying N through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). In the long run, chemical inputs, particularly N fertilisers are known to adversely affect N2 fixers and hence maintenance of soil fertility and crop productivity. This study examined the effect of developed microbial biofilms with N2 fixers on restoration of soils deteriorated by conventional agricultural practices in tea cultivation. Just reducing recommended chemical fertiliser use by 50% significantly increased soil microbial biomass and BNF, and decreased soil NO3− and pest infestation. The lower chemical fertiliser addition coupled with the biofilm-based biofertilisers known as biofilmed biofertilisers (BFBFs) further increased BNF significantly. The combined application significantly increased soil organic C by ca. 20%, and reduced leaf transpiration by ca. 40%. It also supported plant growth, rhizoremediation and soil moisture conservation in comparison to the 100% chemical fertilisation. Those improved performances were observed to be proportional to the increased density of soil bacteria, and have several agronomic and environmental implications. It is apparent from this study that replenishing the depleted soil microbial communities by applying such biofertilisers is likely to be beneficial in agroecosystems with chemical N fertiliser use, if they are to be sustained for crop production.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Halving recommended chemical fertilizer increased soil microbial biomass and BNF significantly.
Verbatim
e0“Just reducing recommended chemical fertiliser use by 50% significantly increased soil microbial biomass and BNF”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Halving recommended chemical fertilizer decreased soil NO3−.
Verbatim
e0“Just reducing recommended chemical fertiliser use by 50% significantly increased soil microbial biomass and BNF, and decreased soil NO3− and pest infestation”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Halving recommended chemical fertilizer decreased pest infestation.
Verbatim
e0“Just reducing recommended chemical fertiliser use by 50% significantly increased soil microbial biomass and BNF, and decreased soil NO3− and pest infestation”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Adding biofilmed biofertilizers to reduced fertilizer further increased BNF significantly.
Verbatim
e0“The lower chemical fertiliser addition coupled with the biofilm-based biofertilisers known as biofilmed biofertilisers (BFBFs) further increased BNF significantly”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined reduced fertilizer and BFBFs increased soil organic C by about 20%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The combined application significantly increased soil organic C by ca. 20%”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined reduced fertilizer and BFBFs reduced tea leaf transpiration by about 40%.
- Taxon
- teae1
- Organ / stage
- leafe0
- Treatment
- combined applicatione0
- Outcome
- leaf transpiratione0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- ca. 40%e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The combined application significantly increased soil organic C by ca. 20%, and reduced leaf transpiration by ca. 40%”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined treatment supported plant growth, rhizoremediation, and soil moisture conservation relative to full chemical fertilization.
Verbatim
e0“It also supported plant growth, rhizoremediation and soil moisture conservation in comparison to the 100% chemical fertilisation”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
Improved performances were proportional to greater soil bacterial density.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Those improved performances were observed to be proportional to the increased density of soil bacteria”
e1“tea cultivation”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors infer that replenishing soil microbial communities with biofertilizers is likely beneficial for fertilizer-dependent crop production.
Verbatim
e0“replenishing the depleted soil microbial communities by applying such biofertilisers is likely to be beneficial in agroecosystems with chemical N fertiliser use”
e1“tea cultivation”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · pest · Camellia sinensis (black tea)Positive and negative results
2 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction
- no effect
- no effect
- positive
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.