Microbial consortium and pig slurry to improve chemical properties of degraded soil and nutrient plant uptake (Schoebitz and Vidal, 2016)

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to assess the effectiveness of commercial microbial consortium (MC) and the addition of pig slurry (PS) on the growth of L. perenne and the enhancement of soil properties. The combined treatment of microbial consortium and pig slurry (MC+PS) was the most effective in terms of root dry weight compared to the control plants, reaching a 14-fold and 4-fold increase in Quillon and Florida soils, respectively, while the pig slurry and the combined MC+PS treatments resulted in a 4-fold increase in shoot dry weight. Values of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in both soils were higher than the non-amended soils. Foliar levels of N, P and K increased with the use of pig slurry and MC+PS, but not with the use of microbial consortium alone. The combined treatment of microbial consortium and pig slurry also enhanced the chemical quality of the soil and nutrient uptake by L. perenne. The application of beneficial microorganisms to the soil can enhance nutrient uptake and increase the efficiency of organic amendments. In this regard, the combined use of microbial consortium and pig slurry has a potential role in the development of sustainable systems for grassland production.