Microbiological properties of root zone of coconut grown in different soil series in Sri Lanka
Keywords:
Soil Microbes, Soils, Coconut, Sri Lanka
Abstract
In Sri Lanka, coconut is cultivated under diverse soil conditions of varying fertility status available in different agro-climatic zones. Although chemical and physical characteristics in some of these soils are known, their biological properties are yet to be studied. Hence the aim of this study was to determine the microbiological parameters in root zone of coconut grown in different soil series. For this study, 20 different soil series in coconut growing area were analyzed for number of total bacterial and fungal colonies, identification of bacteria and fungi, biomass C and N; CO2 evolution and nitrogen mineralization.
The microbiological parameters varied with the soil series. The bacterial population densities were significantly (p=0.001) high in Ambakelle, Kalpitiya, Rathupasa and Madampe soil series while the fungal colonies were significantly (p=0.001) high in Thambarawa, Pallama, Wilatawa and Ambakelle soil series.
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Balasubramanium, A., Shantharam, M.V., Sardeshpande, T.S. and Rangaswamy, G.
1972. Studies on certain microbiological properties of the old permanent manorial plots at Coimbatore. Madras Agric. J. 59:
443-448.
Biswas, T.D. and Khosla, B.K. 1971. Building up of organic matter status of soil and its relation to soil physical properties. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Soil and Fertilizer Evaluation, India, pp. 831-842.
Brady, N.C. 1990. The Nature and Properties of Soils. 10th edition. Macmillon Publishing Company. Inc., New York.
Cosico, W.C. 1994. Are microbial innoculants necessary in composting. Philippine Agricul. 77(1): 67-76.
Cowan, S.T. and Steel, 1974. Identification of Medical Bacteria. Cambridge University Press.
Jenkinson, D.S. and Powlson, D.S. 1976. The effects of biocidal treatments on metabolism
in soil. I. Fumigation with chloroform. Soil
Biol. Biochem. 8: 209-213.
Kibble, R.A. 1966. Physiological activity in pinewood soil. PhD Thesis. University of Livepool, U.K. Studying the ecology of soil microorganisms, I.B.P. Handbook No. 19, International Biological Programme, London, WWI.
Killham, K. 1994. Soil Ecology. Cambridge
University Press. pp. 5, 16, 40-46, 71-75.
Lindemann, W.C., Connell, G. and Urquhart, N.S.
1988. Previous sludge addition effects on nitrogen mineralization in freshly amended soil. Soil Sci. Soc. American J. 52: 109-117.
Marr, I.L. and Cressor, M.S. 1983. Environmental Chemical Analysis. International Text Book Company, New York.
Medoza, N.S. and Joson, L.M. 1986. Isolation, selection and characterization of cellulose degrading fungi. Phillippine J. Sci. 115(1):
31-41.
Nordmeyer, H. and Richter, J. 1985. Incubation experiments on N mineralization in loam & sandy soils. Plant and Soil 83: 433-445.
Onions, A.H.S., Allsopp, D. and Eggins, H.O.W.
1981. Smith’s Introduction to Industrial
Mycology. (Seventh edition). Edward Arnold Publishers Limited, 41, Bedford Square, London, WCLB 3DQ.
Parkinson, D., Gray, T.R.G. and Williams, S.T.
1971. Methods for studying the ecology of soil microorganisms, p. 36-51, 64-66, 71-
101. IBP Handbook No. 19. International
Biological Programme, London, NW1.
Parkinson, D. and Paul, A.E. 1982. Microbial biomass. Cited in method of soil analysis part 2, chemical and microbiological properties. Agronomy Monograph No. 9, pp. 821-830.
Rai, B. and Srivastara, A.K. 1982. Microbial decomposition of leaf litter as influenced by fertilizers. Plant and Soil 66(2): 195-
204.
Ramaswami, P.R. and Raj, D. 1973. Studies on certain physico-chemical and microbiological properties of the old permanent manorial plant at Coimbatore. Madras Agric. J. 60(8): 1001 – 1005.
Shanmuganathan, R.T. 1985. Soils of the Coconut
Areas. Cocon. Bull. 2(1): 8-9.
Shantaram, M.V; Balasubramanium, A. and Rangaswami, G. 1973. Sequence of soil microflora decomposing maize straw and stubble added to a red sandy loam soil. Madras Agric. J. 60(8): 1074-1079.
Sneath, P.H.A. 1986. Bergy’s Manual of
Systemic Bacteriology 2: 1104-1125.
Somasiri, L.L.W., Nadarajah, N., Amarasinghe, L. and Gunethilaka, H.A.J. 1993. Land Suitability Assessment of Coconut Growing Lands in the Coconut Triangle. Coconut Research Institute, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka, pp.
1-5.
Wani, S.P. and Lee, K.K. 1995. Microorganisms as biological inputs for sustainable agriculture. In: Organic Agriculture, (P.K. Thampan Ed.). Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation Cochin - 682020, Gandhi Nagar, Kerala, India.
Widanapathirana, S. 1994. Soil Quality. The role of microorganisms. Proceedings of the Workshop on Soil Quality - Assessment of Degradation and Restoration. Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo, 23-25
March.
Tennakoon, N.A. 1998. Study of the
Microbiological and other Related
Properties of Different Coconut Soils.
CARP Research Terminal Report. Coconut
Research Institute, Sri Lanka. pp. 70-73.
Van Veen, J.A., Ladd, J.N. and Amato, M. 1985.
Turnover of carbon and nitrogen through the microbial biomass in a sandy loam and a clay soil incubated with [14C(U)] glucose and [15N] (NH4)2SO4 under different moisture regimes. Soil Biol. & Biochem.
17: 747-756.
Verma, L.N. 1995. Conservation and efficient use of organic sources of plant nutrients. In: Organic Agriculture, (P.K. Thampan Ed.) Peekay Tree Crops Development Foundation Cochin - 682020, Gandhi Nagar, Kerala, India.
Published
2004-12-01
How to Cite
K.S.K.S. Fernando, N.A. Tennakoon, & S. Widanapathirana. (2004). Microbiological properties of root zone of coconut grown in different soil series in Sri Lanka. CORD, 20(01), 34. https://doi.org/10.37833/cord.v20i01.378
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