Edaphic mesofauna and microbial activity in different soil management systems in the culture of tobacco

Abstract

The biological quality of the soil in areasunder cultivation of tobacco has been of interestand concern. However, there are only few studiesthat monitor soil mesofauna and microbial activityin these areas. Such evaluations are importantbioindicators for assessing the impacts of tillagesystems and crops on soil quality. This studyaimed to evaluate the diversity of groups ofedaphic mites and springtails, and potential use asa biological indicator of soil quality along withassessments of microbial activity in differentmanagement systems of the culture of tobacco.The study was conducted in eight areas undertobacco cultivation, six areas under minimumtillage, two areas of conventional culture and anative forest (considered as a reference). Soilsamples were collected in two times, before andafter cultivation of tobacco being removed fromthe 0 – 7.5 cm layer of soil with the use of metalcylinders (7 cm diameter x 7.5 cm height). Forextraction and capture of specimens used themethod Tullgren-Berlese Funnel. The same pointswere also collected soil samples for evaluation ofbasal respiration (BR) and microbial biomasscarbon (MBC) in the 0 - 20 cm. The results showedthat the groups of edaphic mites and springtailswere significantly influenced by tillage systemsconventional soil, occurring decrease ofCollembolan. The increased microbial activity wasobserved in the soil samples of the area underminimum tillage cultivation systems tobacco, inboth periods. The diversity of the groups ofedaphic mites and springtails are influenced byconventional tillage tobacco. The edaphicmicroarthropods, Oribatida (mites) and familyHypogastruridae (springtails), systems affected bythe conventional system of cultivation of tobaccoand have potential to be bioindicators of soilbiological quality. The basal respiration, microbialbiomass carbon and enzyme activity of acetatehydrolysis fluorescein microbiological indicatorsare influenced by soil management systems of thetobacco crop