Impact of effective microorganisms on yields and nutrition of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and microbiological properties of the substrate

Abstract

The objective of the performed investigations was to assess the effect of application of effective microorganisms (EM), employed in the form of substrate inoculant (I), seed inoculation (II) and foliar application in the form of a spraying solution (III), on growth, development and macroelement uptake as well as microbiological properties of the root zone in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivated in a peat substrate. The application of effective microorganisms for sweet basil cultivation resulted in the inhibition of plant growth dynamics, among other things, reduction of plant height and fresh mass. A significantly higher macro-element content was observed for the application of EMs in form Ion the improvement of plant nutrition with nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) and in the form IIIon the improvement of plant nutrition with nitrogen (N). The application of the EM inoculum was found to reduce the total number of bacteria, numbers of fungi, copiotrophs and oligotrophs. Recapitulating, it can be concluded that the application of EMs for a short cultivation period of spice plants in pots fails to yield any positive effects in the form of improved yield.

Impact of effective microorganisms on weed infestation and yield of peppermint cultivated on muck-peat soil

“…3 Plant fresh weight (g), yield of fresh and dry herb (kg ha −1 ), content of essential oils in the dry herb (%), and yield of essential oils (kg ha −1 ) as affected by the number of applications with EM preparation. Different authors stated positive, negative, or a nonsignificant influence of effective microorganisms on plant growth and yield depending on the species, cultivation method, EM application method, and the prevailing environmental conditions [5][6][7][8][9][10]13]. In the our study, EM preparation did not affect the growth and yield of peppermint plants cultivated in the field on peat-muck soil (Tab.…”

“…In this study, peppermint was planted on well-fertilized peat-muck soil containing 82.1% of organic matter and was harvested 100 days later. According to Frąszczak et al [9], application of EM to spice plants grown on substrates rich in humus and macroelements and characterized by a short cultivation period failed to have any positive effects in the form of improved yield. In some soils it takes longer for Tab.…”

“…Any literature showing the reaction of medicinal plants to EM treatment is scarce. Based upon a complex study curried out on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown in a peat substrate in growth chambers, Frąszczak et al [9] found that the application of EM resulted in the inhibition of plant growth dynamics, among others, in reduction of plant height and fresh mass. In a 2-year field experiment, Filipović et al [10] observed usually positive, however, a mostly insignificant and weather-dependent influence of soil and foliar EM application on basil plant height and width, root length, number of inflorescences, yield of fresh and dry biomass, content and yield of essential oil.…”

Impact of Effective Microorganisms (EM) Application on the Physical Condition of Haplic Luvisol

“…The fairly common use of these preparations in agricultural production in Poland has raised questions concerning the effects of the use of EMs on soil properties and the yield of crop plants. The effect of EM application to soil has been intensively investigated, both in the laboratory [24][25][26][27][28] and in the field in typical agricultural conditions [29][30][31][32]. The studies in question were typically one-year projects predominantly concerned with the biological and chemical properties of soil and the yield-forming effect of EMs.…”

“…On the other hand, the studies conducted in Poland have failed to determine the positive or negative effects of soil inoculation with EMs on the quantity and quality of the yield of the cultivated test plants, e.g., winter wheat, maize, spring barley, buckwheat, pea, potatoes, lettuce, or sweet basil. Most frequently, the observed differences were negligible and statistically insignificant [23,[29][30][31]34]. The authors of several experiments [24][25][26][27][28]35] incubated two different soil types (Haplic Luvisol and Gleyic Chernozem) in 2000 cm 3 containers for 9 or 12 months.…”