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How effective are ‘Effective Microorganisms’? Results from an organic farming field experiment

Mayer, Jochen; Scheid, Susanne and Oberholzer, Hans-Rudolf (2008) How effective are ‘Effective Microorganisms’? Results from an organic farming field experiment. Speech at: Cultivating the Future Based on Science: 2nd Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), Modena, Italy, June 18-20, 2008.

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Summary

The effectiveness of ‘Effective Microorganisms’ (EM) was investigated in a four years field experiment (2003-2006) at Zurich, Switzerland. The experiment was designed to enable clear differentiation between effects of the microorganisms in the EM treatments (Bokashi and EMA) and its substrate (sterilized treatments). Crop yields and soil microbiological parameters as soil respiration and microbial biomass were determined. The EM treatments showed no effect on yield and soil microorganisms which were caused by the EM microorganisms. Observed effects could be related to the effect of the carrier substrate of the EM products. The sampling time showed stronger effects on soil microbial biomass and soil respiration compared to the effect of the treatments. Hence ‘Effective Microorganisms’ are not able to improve yields and soil quality in mid term (4 years) in arable farming under temperate climatic conditions as in Central Europe.


EPrint Type:Conference paper, poster, etc.
Type of presentation:Speech
Keywords:Effective microorganisms, biofertilizer, soil fertility, soil biology
Subjects: Farming Systems > Farm nutrient management
Research affiliation: International Conferences > 2008: IFOAM OWC: Research Track / ISOFAR > 2.1 Soil fertility
Deposited By: Neuhoff, Dr. Daniel
ID Code:14838
Deposited On:10 Oct 2008
Last Modified:12 Apr 2010 07:38
Document Language:English
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted
Additional Publishing Information:This paper is published in the conference proceedings:
Neuhoff, Daniel; Halberg, Niels; Alfldi, Thomas; Lockeretz, William; Thommen, Andreas; Rasmussen, Ilse A.; Hermansen, John; Vaarst, Mette; Lck, Lorna; Carporali, Fabio; Jensen, Henning Hgh; Migliorini, Paola and Willer, Helga, Eds. (2008) .Cultivating the Future Based on Science. Proceedings of the Second Scientific Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), held at the 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress in Cooperation with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and the Consorzio ModenaBio, 18 . 20 June 2008 in Modena, Italy.. International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), c/o IOL, DE-Bonn, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, CH-Frick. http://orgprints.org/13672 and http://orgprints.org/13674

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