Determination of Microbial Population in Soil of Organic Vegetable Farming Systems

Abstract

Soil samples were collected from three plots of organic vegetable farming (broccoli plot, carrot
plot and and egg plant plot) and another of chemical vegetable farming (garlic plot) in Pak Chong district,
Nakhon Ratchasima province. Each soil sample was performed with 3 replicates using selective media to
isolate microbial organisms such as bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi and algae. It was found that all kinds
of microbial population in organic vegetable farming soils were significantly higher than that in the chemical
vegetable farming soils. Bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, and algae in the organic vegetable farming soils
was found in the range of 7.381-7.695, 5.716-5.933, 4.489-4.698 and 3.094-3.332 log CFU /g of dry soil,
respectively. While microbial population of bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, and algae in the chemical
vegetable farming soil existed at 6.686, 5.237, 3.811 and 2.692 log CFU /g of dry soil, respectively.
The finding also revealed that the amount of soil organic matters and soil pH had correlations with the
amounts of four microbial organisms in soils.