Dynamics of Soil Enzyme Activities and Microbial Populations under Different Temperature Regimes and Organic Residue Amendments

Abstract

Aim: The primary objective was to study the enzyme activities and microbial population from organic residue added soil under different temperature regimes. Study Design: Factorial completely randomized design (FCRD). Methodology: The experiment was laid out with 36 treatments of Six Crop residue (pearl millet straw, wheat straw, sorghum straw, sugarcane trash, parthenium weed and cassia weed) and six temperature regimes (15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50°C). To maintain the particular temperature experimental bottles are kept in BOD incubator. Results: During the experiment of 16 weeks, the microbial population increases up to 60th days in cassia weed, sugarcane trash, parthenium weed, pearl millet straw, sorghum straw and up to 90th days in wheat straw and there after it declined. Similar trends were notice for enzymes activities. Temperature positively enhanced the microbial activities of organic materials in the order of 50 > 40 > 30 > 25 > 20 > 15°C. Conclusion: Our research found that rising temperatures significantly boost soil enzymatic activity and microbial populations, which accelerates the decomposition of organic residues, with Cassia and sugarcane weeds showing the fastest mineralization rates.