African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 10 (4), pp.

556-559, 24 January, 2011

Available online at [Link]
DOI: 10.5897/AJB10.699
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2011 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of long-term organic fertilizer application on soil

microbial dynamics
Ndubuisi-Nnaji, U.U1, Adegoke, A.A3*, Ogbu, H.I2, Ezenobi, N.O2 and Okoh A.I3
1
Department of Microbiology, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
2
Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
3
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology,
University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.
Accepted 28 September, 2010

We assessed the effects of long-term organic fertilizer application on the culturable resident bacterial
and fungal communities of a typical tropical soil of the Niger delta. The total viable bacterial counts
ranged from 5.8 × 105 cfu/g to 1.6 ×106 cfu/g, while the fungal density varied from 3.5 × 105 cfu/g to 5.5 ×
105 cfu/g. The highest bacterial and fungal counts were recorded during 21 – 52 weeks (S2) of fertilizer
application, while the lowest counts were recorded during the 0 – 4 and 104 – 260 weeks of fertilizer
application. Several bacteria isolated belonging to six genera including Bacillus, Erwinia,
Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Proteus, and Klebsiella were observed in this study, while the fungal
isolates included members of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Fusarium. Bacillus,
Proteus and Aspergillus and were observed to have increased in number within the period of the
different treatments, in comparison with Erwinia, Klebsiella, Micrococcus and Fusarium genera which
decreased in population. We conclude that the organic fertilizer used in the present study was well
tolerated by the native soil micro flora since there were no discernable changes in the overall
population of the resident soil bacteria and fungi. Besides their value in restoring soil nutrient and
structure, incorporation of organic fertilizer could lead to the control of some soil borne bacterial and
fungal pathogens.

Key words: Organic fertilizer, soil microbial dynamics, bacteria and fungi.

INTRODUCTION

Intensive cultivation, which leads to depletion of soil products. One distinct merit of organic fertilizers is that
nutrients, is a major constraint on food production. To they naturally contain organic matter that is beneficial to
overcome the rapid decline in soil fertility, inputs of plants and the soil. Organic matter in organic fertilizers
organic materials such as manure, compost and animal helps to improve the water-holding capacity of soil and
dung that contain nutrients are applied to the soil to also augments its structure, thus increasing its nutrient-
improve and maintain crop yield. holding capacity as well. Another benefit of organic
vanCotthem (2007) defines fertilizer as any organic or matter in organic fertilizers is that it encourages microbial
inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin which is activity which plays a crucial part in the breakdown of
added to a soil to augment the level of or supply certain nutrients so that plants can use them (Nester et al.,
element essential for plant growth. Any amendment to 1998). There is less danger of over-fertilization by adding
the soil to enhance soil fertility is therefore a fertilizer. decomposed organic material to a garden. According to
Organic fertilizer is derived from materials that are Paul and Clark (1996), it provides a slow release of
essentially carbon in nature. These materials of organic nutrients as micro-organisms in the soil break down the
fertilizers can either be plant or animal or their by- organic material into an inorganic and water soluble form
which the plants can use. The ultimate goal of fertilizer
application is to maximize productivity and economic
returns.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: anthonyadegoke@[Link]. Several studies have shown that application of organic
Tel: +2348023285239. fertilizers reduces the incidence of soil-borne diseases
 Ndubuisi-Nnaji et al. 557

and pathogens (Faqir et al., 1995; Vanlauwe et al., 1996; Isolation and counting of most platable microorganisms
Sarathchandra et al., 2001; Graham and Haynes, 2005).
The dilution plate technique was employed to enumerate the most
In a similar study, Mobambo et al. (1994) conducted important groups of soil bacteria and fungi. This involved weighing
surveys of field and compound plantain plantings in ten grams (10 g) of each soil samples and dissolving in one
Nigeria to determine effects of application of organic ferti- hundred milliliters (100 ml) of sterile water in conical flask. After
lizer on the severity of black leaf streak (black sigatoka) which ten-fold serial dilution was carried out for each of the
disease caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis. They noted samples. One milliliter (1 ml) of the dilution(s) were inoculated into
that the disease was reduced in compound gardens the molten agar pour (in Bijou bottles) and mixed gently.
Subsequently, the contents of each of the Bijou bottles were poured
where organic fertilizers were regularly applied in the into the corresponding Petri dish and allowed to set on the bench.
form of household refuse and animal waste. Vanlauwe et Nutrient agar medium was used for the isolation of bacteria and
al. (1996) studying the effects of residue quality and potato dextrose agar was used for fungi. Petri dishes were
decomposition of plant material, observed an increase in incubated in an inverted position at 37°C for 24 h and at 25°C for 5
soil biomass when readily decomposable organic matter days for bacteria and fungi, respectively. Small inoculums from an
isolated colony of each type of organism in the mixture were picked
was added to native soil.
and transferred to an agar slant and preserved for further analysis.
The effect of long-term application of organic fertilizers
on soil microbial populations can be measured either as
changes in the population of a particular organism, Characterization and identification of microbial isolates
organism groups or methodologically defined pools such
as the microbial biomass or as changes in biological The characterization and identification of the microbial isolates were
based on cell morphology, biochemical test and their ability to
activity, for example, soil respiration and enzyme active- hydrolyze cellulose. The fungal isolates were identified by
ties. Variable effects of a given amendment on different microscopic and macroscopic techniques described by Barrow and
organisms may change the composition of the microbial Feltham (2003).
community without changing total populations or activities
(vanZwieten, 2006). The purpose of this study was to
assess the population dynamics of resident soil bacteria RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
and fungi in relation to the period of organic fertilizer
application. The bacterial and fungal counts of soil samples from the
various sites with varying periods of organic fertilizer
application are presented in Figures 1 and 2. From the
MATERIALS AND METHODS results obtained, the total bacterial counts ranged from
5.8 × 105 to 1.6 × 106 cfu/g and fungal counts ranged
Media from 3.5 × 105 to 5.5 × 105 cfu/g. The results showed that
Nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar were the culture media
the highest counts were obtained within 21 – 52 weeks
employed in the study. The media were constituted according to (S2) of organic fertilizer application, while the lowest
manufacturer’s specification. This involved weighing the appropriate counts were recorded during the 0 – 4 and 104 – 260
quantities of each medium and dissolving in required amount of weeks for bacteria and fungi, respectively. According to
distilled water in conical flask with the aid of heat. The media were Nester et al. (1998), microbial population is limited by the
distributed in Bijou bottles according to required volumes and
organic matter available in the soil. This implies that the
sterilized by autoclaving at 121°C for 15 min and maintained in
molten form until ready for use. addition of organic material into site S1, S2 and S3
dramatically increased the number of bacteria and fungi
recorded in this study. This agrees with the findings of
Experimental sites/design Albiach et al. (2000) that long-term application of organic
fertilizers positively influences the soil available nutrients
The study was carried out within Uyo Metropolis, in Akwa Ibom
State, south-south Nigeria. The experimental fields were divided
and results in increased microbial proliferation. Rangaraj
into three sites with control, each for different treatments and levels et al. (2007) also found that incorporation of organic
of fertilizer. The optimum fertilizer dosage was applied to the field fertilizer increases the available phosphorus (P) status at
following the experimental methods adapted from Albiach et al. maxi-mum level. The reason might be the slow releasing
(2000) and Saggar et al. (2000). According to the period of fertilizer nature of the organic fertilizers.
treatments, each of the experimental sites was designated as S1, The results of the bacterial and fungal enumeration at
S2 and S, respectively. The fields were properly ploughed before
adding fertilizer.
the different periods (0 - 4, 21 - 52 and 104 - 260 weeks)
suggests that the applied dose were well tolerated by the
resident micro flora. Evidently, none of the application
Soil sampling and processing rate resulted in any discernable change in the overall
population of soil bacteria and fungi. Also, the frequency
Composite soil samples (0 to 30 cm depth) were collected randomly
of occurrence of bacterial and fungal species presented
and aseptically from the various sites (S1, S2 and S3) with varying
periods of organic fertilizer application. After sieving, approximately in Table 1 indicates a change in the relative abundance
300 g of each sample was pooled into sterile polyethylene bags, of the different species after organic fertilizer treatment.
labeled and taken to the laboratory for analysis. The study revealed the presence of the following
558 Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Bacterial count (cfu/g)

Figure 1. Bacterial counts against period of organic fertilizer application.

Fungal count (cfu/g)

Figure 2. Fungal counts against period of organic fertilizer application.

Table 1. Percentage frequency of occurrence of isolates from soil with organic fertilizer application.

Period of fertilizer application (weeks)

Probable
0-4 21 - 52 104 – 260
organism
Treated soil (S1) Control Treated soil (S2) Control Treated soil (S3) Control
Bacteria
Bacillus sp. 15.0* 19.0 20.0 15.0 21.0 18.0
Erwinia sp. - 5.00 7.00 9.00 - 6.00
Pseudomonas sp. - 14.0 - 3.00 13.0 11.0
Micrococcus sp. 15.0 5.00 12.0 5.00 - 6.00
Proteus sp. 25.0 19.0 17.0 31.0 21.0 23.0
Klebsiella sp. 15.0 5.00 - 5.00 - 6.00
Fungi
Aspergillus sp. 30.0 14.0 17.0 16.0 18.0 6.00
Penicillium sp. - 5.00 12.0 8.00 13.0 12.0
Rhizopus sp. - 9.00 - 5.00 14.0 6.00
Fusarium sp. - 5.00 15.0 3.00 - 6.00
*Frequency of occurrence of isolates (%).

bacterial isolates of the genera: Bacillus, Erwinia, Rhizopus and Fusarium. The initial distribution of soil
Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Proteus and Klebsiella, bacteria and fungi before the organic treatment indicated
whereas the fungal isolates were Aspergillus, Penicillium, that Bacillus, Proteus, Aspergillus and Penicillium species
 Ndubuisi-Nnaji et al. 559

were most abundant. Bacillus, Proteus and Aspergillus organic fertilizer could lead to the control of some soil
species were seen to have increased in number within borne bacterial and fungal pathogens.
the period of the different treatments. On the contrary,
Erwinia spp., Klebsiella spp., Micrococcus spp. and
Fusarium spp. decreased in number, being the least REFERENCES
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