Effect of vermicompost application on soil enzyme activity and bacterial number

In this study, effect of vermicompost applied in different doses on soil enzyme activity and soil bacterial number was investigated with the comparative application of farm manure in the same doses. For this purpose, a pot experiment in which mixtures of soil and fertilizers were incubated for sixteen weeks in greenhouse conditions was carried out. During the experiment, soil moisture was kept at 60% of the field capacity water content. The experiment was conducted with randomized factorial block design with four replicates. Soil samples were collected and analyzed in regular intervals (0, 1th, 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th week) during the experiment. During the incubation period, enzyme activity values and numbers of total aerobic mesophile bacteria in fertilizer-treated soils showed fluctuation in general and remained above the control values. At the end of the incubation period, enzyme activities and total number of aerobic mesophile bacteria were also found to be above the control values. The increase in these parameters in fertilizer-treated soils compared to the control was determined to be statically significant. In addition, the changes in total number of aerobic mesophile bacteria between fertilizer types were found to be significant.