J.Rushing Thesis
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Indigenous Microorganism 4 (IMO 4) as a Soil Inoculant Presented to the Faculty of the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science James Rushing Mountain View, Hawai'i Thesis Committee: Dr. Norman Arancon, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Chairperson Dr. Bruce Mathews, University of Hawai'i at Hilo Dr. Theodore Radovich, University of Hawai'i at Manoa Dr. Koon-Hui Wang, University of Hawai'i at Manoa Acknowledgements This thesis was made possible through the collaborative effort of instructors, researchers, students, farmers, and other stakeholders who have strongly supported me and my research goals since I began this project. But first I must recognize the people who have inspired me to become a better person, husband, son, and father through education. My wife Sarah, who inspired me to go back to school to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture. She has stood strong by my side through all of the hardships and joy we have seen together for over 10 years and is undoubtedly my soulmate, who has given me two of the greatest gifts I could have envisioned, Felix and Ferris, my wondrous sons. My parents, John and Dianna, and my grandmother, Lynn, who have raised me to be a good, hardworking man. They taught me to give back in everything you do, and the world will reward you a hundred fold, as long as you never give up. Thank you for supporting me through my struggles and triumphs. Finally, I would like to thank all of those people who volunteered their time and resources to this project. Dr. Norman Arancon, my advisor, mentor, and dear friend gave me the guidance I needed to design and implement a high quality master thesis project. His commitment to excellence was an inspiration and I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with such a likable yet professional partner. Tara Holitzki and Erik Johnson provided countless hours of help in the UH Hilo Analytical Laboratory, and I would not have been able to write this report without their unwavering assistance. Thank you Dr. Theodore Radovich for showing me a career path that has been more rewarding than I had ever imagined. I am thankful for the folks who provided land, materials and elbow grease to the project; Ed Bouc, Drake Weinert, Randy Ahuna, John Caverly, Chris Holz, Taka and Kimberly Ino, and Kenny Wadman. Also, thank you to my student assistants Blake Dinger, Jarrett Shaw, and Madeline Stark for being there when I needed a hand. i Abstract Since 1997, many farmers across the world have adopted techniques of an agricultural system called Natural Farming, which utilizes indigenous microorganisms and naturally derived soil amendments to improve soil dynamics and plant production. However, due to a dearth of peer reviewed reports that exist on the subject, many stakeholders and researchers have been hesitant to use these agricultural techniques. The most widely discussed and utilized Natural Farming amendment is Indigenous Microorganism 4 (IMO 4), which is a form of indigenous microorganism inoculated compost made from agriculture by-products, high in carbohydrates, and a moderate concentration of plant available nutrients. Because of this lack of scientific data discussing IMO 4 as a soil bio-stimulant, a series of experiments were designed and implemented to analyze the physical, chemical, and biological properties of IMO 4, as well as examine the effect of IMO 4 on soil dynamics and growth of corn (Zea mays) in Andisol soil, when compared to other organic amendments. It was determined that IMO 4 was rich in indigenous microorganisms and possesses an appreciable concentration of plant available nutrients. The physical, chemical, and biological analyses of IMO 4 indicated a potential as a soil bio-stimulant if the indigenous microorganisms survive inoculation. A greenhouse experiment comparing IMO 4 to organic matter applications showed IMO 4 had a similar effect on soil dynamics and growth of corn as the application of organic matter. A further experiment examining the effect of IMO 4 in conjunction with organic fertilizers showed that IMO 4 had similar impact on soil dynamics as organic matter amendments, due to the substrate effect of IMO 4 applications. Organic matter amendment applications also showed a significantly greater effect to plant height, dry weight, and total leaf area than the IMO 4 samples. There was no evidence the indigenous microorganisms on the IMO 4 substrate survived inoculation into the soil environment. It was concluded that IMO 4 was effective in adding organic matter and plant available nutrients to the soil via a substrate effect. Due to the lack of effect IMO 4 applications have on plant growth and the absence of significant improvement to plant production, organic matter amendment applications in the form of composts and mulch are recommended. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………......….... i Abstract ………………………………………………………..….………………........ ii List of Tables ....................................................................................................... iii List of Acronyms ................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1: Bio-Stimulation of Soils Through the Inoculation of Indigenous Microorganisms: A Review Agricultural Microbial Ecology: An Introduction ………………..…....... 1 What is Farming in the 21st Century?………………………………......... 2 Soil Biotic Management Through Biodiversity ……………….….......… 3 Bio-stimulant Utilization in the Amelioration of Agricultural Soils.. 5 Bio-fertilizer Formulation ..………………………………..……..…………. 5 Use of Bio-stimulants ……………………………………………….……….. 7 Indigenous Microorganism Bio-stimulant Formulation ....................… 9 Use of Indigenous Microorganisms in Bio-Stimulation…..……………. 10 The Development of Sustainable Biological Agricultural Systems …. 14 Components of the Korean Natural Farming System ........................... 16 Socio-Economic Effect and Adoption of Natural Farming Methods…. 20 Reports of Improved Plant Production and Marketability ….……........ 22 The Use of IMO 4 in Livestock Production .....................................…… 22 The Use of IMO 4 in Agriculture ………………………………………........ 23 Chapter 2: The Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Indigenous Microorganism 4 (IMO 4) Soil Inoculant Introduction …........................................................................................... 29 Materials and Methods …......................................................................... 33 Results ...................................................................................................... 45 Discussion ………………………………………………………………….….. 49 Tables …………………………………………………………………………… 53 Chapter 3: Effect of IMO 4 on the Physical, Chemical, and Biological Characteristics of Andisol Soil and Corn (Zea mays) Growth and Production Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 55 Materials and Methods ………………………………………………………. 60 Results ………………………………………………………………………….. 70 Discussion ………………………………………………………………….….. 87 Tables …………………………………………………………………………… 96 Chapter 4: The Effect of IMO 4 as an Organic Fertilizer Enriched Compost on Corn (Zea mays) Growth and Production Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 106 Materials and Methods ………………………………………………………. 109 Results ………………………………………………………………………….. 120 Discussion …………………………………………………………..…………. 126 Tables …………………………………………………………………………… 131 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………….. 133 References …………………………………………………………………………….. 137 List of Tables Table 2.1 Mean climactic conditions near the IMO 4 production sites from 51 8/20/14-9/20/14 Table 2.2 Means (±SE) of plant physical, chemical, and biological properties of 52 IMO 4 samples produced at various locations in Hilo, Hawaii, along a transect. Table 2.3 Means (±SE) of plant available nutrient concentrations of IMO 4 53 samples produced at various locations in Hilo, Hawaii, along a transect. Table 3.1 Means (±SE) of plant physical, chemical, and biological properties of 101 IMO 4 samples produced at various locations in Hilo, Hawaii, along a transect. Table 3.2 Means (±SE) of plant available macronutrient concentrations of IMO 4 102 samples produced at various locations in Hilo, Hawaii, along a transect. Table 3.3 Means (±SE) of plant available micronutrient concentrations of IMO 4 103 samples produced at various locations in Hilo, Hawaii, along a transect. Table 3.4 Means (±SE) of plant physical, chemical, and biological properties of 104 IMO 4 sample treated soils. Table 3.5 Means (±SE) of plant available macronutrient concentrations of IMO 4 105 sample treated soils. Table 3.6 Means (±SE) of plant available micronutrient concentrations of IMO 4 106 sample treated soils. Table 3.7 Means (±SE) of the measurements of corn grown in IMO 4 sample 107 treated soils. Table 3.8 Means (±SE) of plant tissue macronutrient concentrations of corn 108 grown in IMO 4 sample treated soils. Table 3.9 Means (±SE) of plant tissue micronutrient concentrations of corn 109 grown in IMO 4 sample treated soils. Table 3.10 Summary of significant r² and P values resulting from orthogonal 110 contrasts of IMO 4 characteristics. Table 4.1 Means (±SE) of the physical, chemical, biological, plant measurements, and plant available nutrient concentrations of sample treated 156 soils. Table 4.2 Means (±SE) of the plant tissue nutrient concentrations