Effect of Microbial-Based Plant Biostimulants on the Growth of Brassica Chinensis in Acidic Clay Soil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/bioprocessing.v4n2.88Keywords:
Effective Microorganism, Problematic Soil, Abiotic Stress, Choy Sum, Soil characteristicAbstract
Acidic clay soil is common in Malaysia and is often perceived as problematic soil as its acidic nature and high clay content are not ideal for plant growth. Plant biostimulants are defined as substances or microorganisms applied to plants to enhance nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance, crop quality, regardless of their nutrient content. This study assessed whether commercial plant biostimulants containing effective microorganism could enhance plant growth in acidic clay soil. A field trial was conducted using Brassica chinensis var. parachinensis (Choy Sum), a major vegetable crop in Malaysia. The plants were treated twice a week with T1 (control with distilled water), T2 (Midori Enviro Magic Active Solution) and T3 (Midori Active Organic Solution), with five replicates each (n=5). Plant growth data (leaf length and number, height, stem circumference) were collected weekly, while plant weight and root length were measured at the end of experiment. Soil pH, soil carbon, soil moisture, soil organic matter, microbial count, and contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, K, Na, and S contents were analysed. Both T2 and T3 (P<0.01) produced plants with larger diameter (32.71±12.43 cm and 59.43±26.05 cm, respectively) compared to the control. Soil treated with T3 exhibited higher pH (4.81± 0.06) and organic matter content (5.94 ± 0.31%) than T2 (pH: 4.51± 0.04, organic matters: 3.51 ± 0.28%) and non-treated soil (pH: 4.53 ± 0.06, organic matters: 4.49 ± 0.25%). The findings demonstrated the microbial-based biostimulants have the potential to improve plant tolerance to acidic clay soil conditions.
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