Nutrition and soil health to optimize production understanding soil biology...
Bdai lecture i bd research
1. Lecture plan & Demonstration
• 1. Recent trends in Biodynamic agriculture research
• 2. Case studies on the influence of biodynamic agriculture
practices on soil, seed, crop and human health
• 3.Qulatitaive analysis of soil, manure and plant products
through image forming chromatograms
• 4. AAT for soil and manure (Quantitative determination of
soil nutrients)
2. Recent trends on BD agriculture
Dr.K.Perumal, (Deputy Director, R&D)
research AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre
Shri
3. Main ingredients of Biodynamic preparations.
Field and Crop Spray Preparations Compost Preparations
Preparation Preparation
Main Ingredient Main Ingredient
Number Number
500 Cow Manure 502 Yarrow
501 Silica 503 Chamomile
508 Equisetum 504 Stinging Nettle
505 Oak bark
506 Dandelion buds
507 Valerian
4. How Might BD Preparations Work?
• Primary modes of operation for BD preparations are: nutrient
addition (primarily micronutrient), microbial inoculation, plant
immunity stimulation, plant hormones, and microbial signaling.
• BD preparations could change the plant or soil microbial community
directly, through inoculation, or indirectly, by changing the habitat or
by stimulating microbial growth.
• A change or increase in microbial community could cause either
detriments, such as disease, or benefits, such as increased
availability of nutrients from the soil.
General effects of soil
inoculation. Figure credit: Lynne
Carpenter-Boggs, Washington
State University.
5. Influence of BD 501 on microbial signaling.
• The community make-up and/or its activities can be affected by
microbial signaling.
• Microorganisms communicate with each other by several means,
including through volatile or diffusible molecules
• .
• Individual microbes can release tiny amounts of hormones, signals,
and other chemicals that may induce a change in the activities of
neighboring microbes.
• Antibiotics are a well-known example, and are produced by many
soil and compost microbes to reduce the growth of other
populations.
• The chemistry and complexity of microbial signaling is a new frontier
in microbiology.
6. Influence of BD Preparations on
•
disease inhibition
BD preparations are gaining popularity and interest is for disease inhibition.
• Preparations may suppress plant pathogenic organisms through competition,
predation, antagonism of microbes in the preparations, or inhibitory compounds
from the microorganisms.
• Some materials can also induce “systemic resistance” in plants. This is similar to
a plant vaccination or overall immune system stimulation.
•
• Typical plant responses to pathogenic attack such as production of chitinase (an
enzyme that breaks down fungal cell walls) and thickening of plant defensive cell
walls can be stimulated PRIOR to actual attack by a pathogen .
Plant immunity stimulation after treatment
with silica spray. Figure credit: Lynne
Carpenter-Boggs, Washington State
University
7. Testing BD on the Farm
• The use of BD methods and
preparations on thousands of
farms suggests that there can be
real benefits.
• Successful use of any new
material should be accompanied
with on-farm experimentation and
diligent record keeping
8. Area under cultivation of biodynamic
Agriculture
There are more than 4200 BD farms
in 43 countries, the area of which,
over 128,000 ha, is certified
according to Demeter standards.
http://www.demeter.net/
9. New Zealand
Study directly comparing BD and Conventional farms was carried out in
on 16 farms . BD farming practices for at least 8 years resulted in
higher soil organic matter contents, increased quality of soil
structure, increased microbial activity and higher numbers of
earthworms. BD farms were financially as viable as their conventional
counterparts.
Droogers and Bouma compared BD and conventional soils on two
neighboring farms, where each farming practice has been applied for
at least 70 years. They found significant differences in soil organic
matter (SOM) content and water availability in favor of BD soils.
10. Australia
According to Ryan et al., there is a strong
negative correlation between the levels of P
(soil extractable and in pasture shoots) and
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization
in white clover and rye grass.
BD plants and soils contain less extractable
P, but have higher levels of arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi colonization.
Raupp also reports a higher density of roots Arbuscular mycorrhizal
on plots treated with BD preparations. as fungi
they have been proved to stimulate lateral colonization.
root formation and thus increase potential
root–mycorrhiza interaction points.
11. Northern Victoria and New South Wales
(Animal husbandry)
Burkitt et al. compared ten BD and CON dairy farms for 4 years.
He suggested the use of certified inputs on BD farms to increase milk fat,
protein and production levels, but did not give further details. This was the
only published study found that dealt with farm animals and BD farming
practices
12. Sweden
Dr.Artur Grandstedt conducted biodynamic
field trails from 1950 to 1980 nearby baltic sea
The eight treatment which was named as K
experiment
Yields in K-experiment during 30 years
showed a continues increases of the yields.
After a ten years period was the yields in the
biodynamic and conventional fertilized system
on the same level.
Organic carbon in the top soil 0-10 cm 1958-
baltic sea
1989 in biodynamic trial shows 2.71 % of C.
13.
14. HV I
2,35 2,31
C % top soil
2,28
2,30
2,25
2,20 2,16
2,15 2,12
2,10
2,05
2,00
1,95
1991 1995 2000 2006
15. California
BD wine grape production is also increasingly attracting attention, as
some of the world’s prestigious wine producers have started to use BD
practices in the past decade.
Research followed suit and experimental results suggest that BD practices
have an effect on wine grape canopy and chemistry, whereas no
significant effects on soil fertility parameters were shown in a 6-year
on-farm comparison trial between ORG and BD practices in an organic
vineyard.
Probst et al., however, measured significant differences in soil fertility
between CON and BD soils on farms with a long history of BD (since
1981) and CON cultivation.
16. Egypt
SEKEM’s companies enterprises like the
institutes of education, vocational training,
research centre and hospitals
Scientific outcomes in biodynamic research
Convert desert into oasis by following
biodynamic methods
As a direct result of biodynamic farming
activities was the landmark achievement of the
reduction in the use of synthetic pesticide in
Egypt by over 90% from over 35000 tonnes
per year to about 3000 tonnes.
At the same time, the average yield of raw
cotton was increased by almost 30% to 1200
kg per acre and fibre elasticity and overall
quality was improved, compared to cotton
grown by conventional method;
17.
18.
19. The Mekong Delta Of Vietnam
• Yield and seed quality of modern and traditional soybean [Glycine max (l.)
Merr.] under organic, biodynamic and chemical production practices.
• The experiment revealed that seed yield from biodynamic, organic or
chemical production practically the same and significantly higher by 50-
66% than that of the control
• The biodynamic production practice improved soil properties especially
in soil organic matter content and earthworm population
• Biodynamic practices gave good seed qualities such as high storability
and high protein
20. The main characteristics of long-term trials, which are based on sound
scientific methods and include BD research
Country Trial description Duration Crop rotation References
of trial of trial and fertilization
Therwil, In the DOK trial biodynamic, 1978–the Pfiffner and
organic, conventional present FYM, composted FYM Ma¨der;
Switzerland
farmyard manure and with added BDpreparations Ma¨der et al.;
conventional-mineral farming and MIN are used, depending on Fließbach etal.
production system
systems are compared with
control plots
Darmstadt, With the MIN–ORG trial, 1980–the Same crop rotation and similar Raupp
Germany maintained at the Institute for present soil tillage are used in all
Biodynamic Research, the treatments
question of mineral versus Nitrogen (N) input levels are
maintained at the same level,
organic fertilizers is tackled
whereas MIN, FYM and
composted FYM with added BD
preparations are used to supply N
to the soil
Bonn, Effects of traditionally 1993–2001 Same 6-year crop rotation Zaller and Ko¨pke
Germany composted FYM against with similar land management
two types of BD composted Techniques was used. FYM and
FYM1 and a control plot composted FYM with added BD
preparations were used
were investigated
as fertilizers at a rate of
30 t ha – 1
21. National and international research
Institutes
Germany: Nicolaas Busscher, Johannes Kahl,Gaby Mergardt and Angelika Ploeger
Department of Organic Food Quality and Food Culture, University of Kassel,
Nordbahnhofstrasse and Witzenhausen, Germany
Denmark: Jens-Otto Andersen and Marianne Paulsen, Biodynamic Research Association
Denmark.
Netherlands: Machteld Huber and Paul Doesburg, Department of Healthcare and Nutrition,
Louis Bolk Institute.
Sweden: Eric - Biodynamic Research Institute Järna, Sweden
UK: Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association www.biodynamic.org.uk
Good Gardeners Association www.goodgardeners.org.uk
McCarrison Society www.mccarrisonsociety.org.uk
Austria:CMC Austria www.landmanagement.net
Vietnam: Lam Dong Tung, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, Can Tho, Vietnam
India????
MCRC doing work on quality testing of soil, manure and food samples through image forming
techniques.
22. Case studies on biodynamic
agriculture research
• Properties of BD preparations
• Influence of BD on Soil,
• Influence of BD on Manure maturation
• BD on Seed treatment and germination
• BD management on Crop Growth
• Crop yield
• Quality of the products
23. Effect of biodynamic manure on soil properties
Biodynamic farmers use ‘preparations’ to improve soil
health and crop quality/ vitality
Field sprays that are either made from cow manure and silica
fermented in cow horns, or from special mixtures of cow
manure with concentrated applications of herbs (Koepf et al.
1989).
24.
25. Physical properties
• An experiments were carried out during the year
1999, at Shivri farm of Uttar Pradesh, to explore the
significance of biodyanmic preparation-500 (BD-
500) as compost inoculum in sodic soils.
• Biodynamic management could be another
promising technology that could be employed in
bioremediation process of problematic soils.
Ansari and Ismail(2008)
26. Chemical properties
Soil organic matter content was found to
be significantly higher on most of the
biodynamic farms than on their
conventional counterparts
Compost-fertilized soils supported
greater dehydrogenase activity, more soil
respiration 19.0 mL CO2 g 21 soil h21
in biodynamic compost plot.
Compost may supply an additional
source of labile C and other nutrients to
the soil for microbial growth and
activity. (Carpenter-Boggs et al., 2000)
27. Biological properties
Rupela, 2003 reported that the microbial
population in BD preparations was found to be
substantial where bacteria population (3.45 to
8.59 log10 g – 1
). fungi was found in the
preparations 502 and 506 (5.30 and 4.26 log10 g
Bacillus
- 1, respectively).
Mader.et al., 2002 studied that difference in
dehydrogenase, protease and phosphatase
activities with respect to the farming systems in
the biodynamic, organic and conventional
agriculture long term comparison trial, where
highest values were measured for the
biodynamic system
Trichoderma
28. Contd.,
Microbial biomass nitrogen also differed significantly and was highest
in the biodynamic system with 59% more than that in the
conventional farming. Furthermore, the microbial biomass carbon
was 35% higher in the Biodynamic system, compared with the
conventional farming.
A plots receiving the biodynamic field sprays had more MinC than
water- sprayed soils. There fore C is usually a good indicator of
29. Earthworm population
Contd.,
Pfiffner et al (1995) found more
earthworms under organic than
biodynamic management, and fewest
in mineral-fertilized compost.or
unfertilized plots.
Carbon sequestration:
In Switzerland, a long-term trial for a
biodynamic system showed a stable
carbon content, while a carbon loss of
15% in 21 years was measured for the
compared conventional systems
(Fliessbach, 2007)
30. Effect BD on crop management
A total of 1,443 colonies (ranging
between 45 in BD500 to 527 in BD506)
were observed from the nine samples,
from that 67 isolates, 17 suppressed
disease causing fungi such as R.
bataticola, A. flavus, S. rolfsii. (Rupela et
al 2003 from ICRISAT).
Antagonistic
31. Effect on physiology and growth of crop plant
Tung and Fernandez, 2008
found that the shoot biomass at
pod filling stage of biodynamics
was higher by 24-28% and crop
growth rate as well for the two
different soybean varieties
32. Effect on crop yield
Rice crop: The grain yield and total milling
yield was similar under organic and
biodynamic methods (Garcia-Yzaguirre,et
al., 2011).
Wheat and maize:
o Six years near Elkhorn with five different
treatments. The BD+ system resulted in
403 to 605 kg /ha more wheat grain than
did the organic system
o Five years of maize crop trials showed
average yields of 5.58, 6.71,6.77, and 7.15
Mg/ha of grain for the conventional,
organic, BD, and BD+ treatments,
respectively. (Goldstein and Barber
2005).
33. Contd.,
Carpenter-Boggs et al. (2000) found no significant differences in yield
of wheat and lentil in biodynamic and chemical system, although the
yield of lentil per unit of plant biomass was higher in biodynamic.
The experiment was conducted at Mekong Delta of Vietnam, revealed that
seed yield of soybean from biodynamic, organic or chemical production
practically the same and significantly higher by 50-66% than that of the
control (Tung1 and Fernandez, 2007).
In several studies biodynamic preparations have hormone-like effects
on various crops (Stearn, 1976; Goldstein, 1979; Goldstein and Koepf,
1982; Fritz, et al., 1997) and they can increase root growth (Bachinger,
1996; Goldstein, 1986).
In Germany the biodynamic sprays increased crop yields (cereals and
vegetables) on years where yields were low (Raupp and Koenig, 1996)
34. Biological properties
Rupela, 2003 reported that the microbial population in BD preparations was
found to be substantial where bacteria population (3.45 to 8.59 log10 g – 1
).
fungi was found in the preparations 502 and 506 (5.30 and 4.26 log10 g - 1,
respectively). Several bacterial and fungal strains showed a potential for
suppressing fungal plant pathogens.
Mader.et al., 2002 studied that difference in dehydrogenase, protease and
phosphatase activities with respect to the farming systems in the biodynamic,
organic and conventional agriculture long term comparison trial, where
highest values were measured for the biodynamic system
35. Contd.,
Microbial biomass nitrogen also differed significantly and was highest
in the biodynamic system with 59% more than that in the
conventional farming. Furthermore, the microbial biomass carbon
was 35% higher in the Biodynamic system, compared with the
conventional farming.
A plots receiving the biodynamic field sprays had more MinC than
water- sprayed soils. There fore C is usually a good indicator of
36. Earthworm population
Pfiffner et al (1995) found more earthworms under organic
than biodynamic management, and fewest in mineral-fertilized
compost.or unfertilized plots.
Carbon sequestration:
In Switzerland, a long-term trial for a biodynamic system
showed a stable carbon content, while a carbon loss of 15% in
21 years was measured for the compared conventional systems
(Fliessbach, 2007)
37. Effect BD on crop management
A total of 1,443 colonies (ranging between 45 in BD500 to
527 in BD506) were observed from the nine samples, from
that 67 isolates, 17 suppressed disease causing fungi such
as R. bataticola, A. flavus, S. rolfsii. (Rupela et al 2003 from
ICRISAT).
38. Effect on physiology and growth of
crop plant
Tung and Fernandez, 2008 found that the shoot
biomass at pod filling stage of biodynamics was
higher by 24-28% and crop growth rate as well for
the two different soybean varieties
39. Effect on crop yield
Rice crop: The trials were set up in Pego-Oliva marshland in the year of 2005
to 2009. The grain yield and total milling yield was similar under organic
and biodynamic methods (Garcia-Yzaguirre,et al., 2011).
Wheat and maize:
o Six years near Elkhorn with five different treatments. The BD+ system
resulted in 403 to 605 kg /ha more wheat grain than did the organic system
o Five years of maize crop trials showed average yields of 5.58, 6.71,6.77,
and 7.15 Mg/ha of grain for the conventional, organic, BD, and BD+
treatments, respectively.
o Yields from the conventional plots lagged behind the organic and
biodynamic plots throughout the experiment (Goldstein and Barber
2005).
40. Carpenter-Boggs et al. (2000) found no significant differences in yield
of wheat and lentil in biodynamic and chemical system, although the
yield of lentil per unit of plant biomass was higher in biodynamic.
The experiment was conducted at Mekong Delta of Vietnam, revealed that
seed yield of soybean from biodynamic, organic or chemical production
practically the same and significantly higher by 50-66% than that of the
control (Tung1 and Fernandez, 2007).
In several studies biodynamic preparations have hormone-like effects
on various crops (Stearn, 1976; Goldstein, 1979; Goldstein and Koepf,
1982; Fritz, et al., 1997) and they can increase root growth (Bachinger,
1996; Goldstein, 1986).
In Germany the biodynamic sprays increased crop yields (cereals and
vegetables) on years where yields were low (Raupp and Koenig, 1996)
43. Biodynamic Agriculture Research
Objectives
Collection of organic-biodynamic manures and analysis for physical,
chemical and microbiological parameters
Isolation and identification of microbial populations in selected organic and
biodynamic manures
Production of subtilin
Evaluation of partially purified subtilin and organic, biodynamic manures
against certain selected plant pathogens at laboratory and field trial
Assessment of Cow Pat Pit manure and other combinations of manures for
the yield of bhindi under field trial
Alternative materials for BD 500
Alternative tropical herbs for BD preparations
47. Physicochemical and microbial parameters of biodynamic manures
90
35 a 80
NPK, OC (%) / manure
30 70 b
Humic acid (mg/g) manure
25
20 60
15 50 d
10 40
c
5 30
0 a b
20
CPP Leaves Peat Remuni C Old coco
10
remuni mold moss peat
0
CPP Leaves mold Peat moss Remuni C Old coco
Nitrogen Phosporus Potasium Organic carbon remuni peat
5 3 16
CFU bacteria (10 /g)manure
14
CFU fungi 10 /g manure
4.5
4 2.5
12
PGRs (µg/g)manure
3.5 2
3 10
6
3
2.5 1.5
8
2
1.5 1 6
1 0.5 4
0.5
0 0 2
CPP remuni Leaves mold Peat moss Remuni C Old coco 0
peat CPP remuni Leaves mold Peat moss Remuni C Old coco peat
Total CFU bacteria Azotobacter
Azospirillum Rhizobium
Total CFU fungi Auxin Cytokinin
48. 6
protein content (µg/g)dry
5
4
3
2
1
0
a b c d e f g h i j k l
Different organic and biodynamic manures
Total protein content of different organic and biodynamic
Protein content (µg/g)
Subtilin production
manures
manure dry wt
6 1.2
5 1
(mg/g)
4 0.8 (a) BD 500
3 0.6 (b) BD 502
2 0.4 (c) BD 503
1 0.2 (d) BD 504
0 0 (e) BD 505
a b c d e f g h i j k l
(f) BD 506
Different manures (g) BD 507
(h) BD compost
Protein Subtilin
(i) CPP
(j) Vermicomp
Total protein and subtilin production of Bacillus subtilis in
(k) NADE
different organic and biodynamic manure (l) Panchakavya
49. I II III IV
V VI VII VIII
IX X XI XII
Circular paper chromatogram image analyses of different organic and
biodynamic manures
I. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 500
II. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 502
III. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 503
IV. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 504
V. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 505
VI. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 506
VII. Circular paper chromatogram image of BD 507
VIII. Circular paper chromatogram image of biodynamic compost
IX. Circular paper chromatogram image of CPP (Cow Pat Pit)
X. Circular paper chromatogram image of vermi compost
XI. Circular paper chromatogram image of NADEP
XII. Circular paper chromatogram image of panchakavya
50. Preparation of BD 500
1 4
2 5
3 6
1. Stuff cow Horn with cow dung 4 Staffing the mud horn with cow
2 Place the cow horns in the pit dung
3 Cow horn with fresh cow dung 5 Mud horn alternatives for cow
and BD 500 harvested after 120 horns
days of incubation 6 Placing the cow dung filled mud
horns in pit
51. Chemical analysis of Cow horn
Cow horn Total Nitrogen Protein Major Amino acids
(%) (%) (%)
Raw 14 87.5 -
Steamed 13.5 84.5 -
Hydrolyz 12 75 Cysteine 1,
ed Lysine 2.35
Methionine 0.47
56. Four different biodynamic manure combinations of equal proportion ratio viz.,
BDM I) - CPP + BD 500
BDM II) - CPP + Herbals prep
BDM III) - BD 500 + Herbals prep
BDM IV) - Herbals
Five different manures were prepared as per the description given earlier by
eliminating certain components:
I) CPPM I - prepared with all components (control) viz., such as
cow dung + egg shell + bore well soil + BD herbals
II) CPPM II - cow dung alone
III) CPPM III - cow dung + egg shell + bore well soil
IV) CPPM IV - cow dung + BD herbal preparations + bore well soil
V) CPPM V - cow dung + BD herbal preparations + egg shell
Cow Pat Pit Manure samples were prepared by including all the components
(control) and kept in different containers viz.,
i) Mud pot
ii) Plastic bath tub
iii) Cement pot
57. Effect Of CPPM Manure Preparation at Different localities
Effect containers on Preparation of CPPM manure
58. Different physicochemical parameters viz.,
pH
Electrical conductivity (EC) Muthuvel and Udayasoorian (1999)
Moisture content
Temperature
Brick’s value
Available nitrogen (N) Subbiah et al. (1956)
Phosphorous (P) Olsen (1954)
Potassium (K) Jackson (1958)
Organic carbon (OC) Walkley and Black (1934)
Protein Lowry et al. (1951)
Humic acid Welte et al. (1952)
Plant Growth Regulators Unyayar et al. (1996).
Subtilin Dimick et al., 1947
Circular paper chromatogram image analysis (Pfeiffer, 1984)
