• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.15-25
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• 2019

The study was conducted to compare the chemical properties and microbial activity of soil and the crop productivity by applying homemade liquid fertilizers (LF) used in leading cucumber farms as well as to evaluate the eco-friendly LFs to substitute for a chemical fertilizer. Three homemade LFs, EM, starfish, and native microbes, and a chemical LF were regularly fertigated per three days during the growing season. Chemical LF contained the highest pH, EC (electrical conductivity), and concentrations of T-N, $P_2O_5$, K, Ca, and Mg, while the lowest EC level was observed for EM LF. Soil EC was the highest to the 3.0 dS/m for chemical LF-plots, with lowering soil pH, OM (organic matter), and Mg concentration. Soil chemical properties mostly increased in native microbes LF-plots. However, soil microbial properties were not significantly different among the LF treatment plots. OTU (operational taxonomic units), richness estimator, and diversity index of bacteria and fungi increased in the chemical LF and EM LF based on the pyrosequencing analysis. SPAD and PS II values on the treated-cucumber leaves were seasonally decreased from 32 to 60 days after transplanting, with the rapid decline observed at 45 days after transplanting. Number of leaves and crop height increased in the treatments with EM and native microbes LF. LF treated-cucumber crops were not significantly different for total fresh weight and fruit yield.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.15-24
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• 2019

The study was compared for soil chemical and microbial properties as well as growth of the cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme) plants environmentally friendly gown for 3 years and 5 years, which had been fertigated with homemade liquid fertilizer (LF) with indigenous microorganism as an additional fertilizer. Treatment included LF with indigenous microorganism for 3 years (3-year IM-LF) and for 5 years (5-year IM-LF), with an effective microorganism for 10 years (EM-LF), which had been applied with 1,000 times of dilution in the farmhouse. IM-LF and EM-LF materials had increased pH pattern for 16 weeks, in particular for increase of 1.2 for EM-LF. IM-LF material contained slightly higher EC but similar level of 0.2 dS/m to EM-LF. For a pot experiment in the greenhouse, IM-LF treatment increased root dry weight of the cherry tomato plants. In the farmhouse experiment, IM-LF treatment increased to 7.5 of soil pH and 8.4 dS/m of EC, indicating high salt accumulation. EM-LF treatment increased to 62 g/kg of soil OM, which would have affected concentrations of macro essential nutrients, including T-N in the soil. However, the optimum soil chemical levels for growth of cherry tomato plants were observed on the IM-LF plots. EM-LF treatment increased number of bacteria and actinobacteria in the soil. EM-LF treatment increased concentrations of macro essential nutrients in the plants, except for P, with similar nutrient concentrations observed between 3-year IM-LF and 5-year IM-LF-treated plants. Leaf SPAD and PS II levels decreased in the plants treated with 3-year IM-LF. EM-LF treatment increased leaf width and length, number of leaves, canopy area, plant height, and stem diameter in the mid-term stage of growth, which were not significantly different between the treatments. EM-LF treated-plants had two times higher leaf dry weight than those of values observed on the IM-LF plants, which was the opposite result observed on the number of fruit.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 2019

The study was initiated to compare crop productivity as affected by a long-term application with homemade liquid fertilizers in leading organic cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) farms in Suncheon and Kimcheon provinces. A Suncheon farm have applied an EM (effective organism) liquid fertilizer for one year and fifteen years, designating as EM 1-year and EM 15-year plots, respectively, with 4-year and 5-year application of native microbes-liquid fertilizer in Kimcheon farm, designating as Micro 4-year and Micro 5-year plots, respectively. pH in the EM-liquid fertilizer was high to approximately 7.7, and EC in the Micro-liquid fertilizer was 0.1 dS/m higher than those of EM-liquid fertilizer, with similar macro-nutrient concentrations observed in the both liquid fertilizers. Soil EC was the highest to the 10.0 dS/m for the liquid fertilizer with EM 1-year and showed less than 1.5 dS/m for other liquid fertilizer plots. Micro-liquid fertilizer plots had soil OM contents less than 20 g/kg, which was approximately two times less than those of EM plots. Soil microbial properties were not significantly different among the liquid fertilizer plots. SPAD and PS II values were significantly increased by EM 15-year plots with high levels of soil OM and EC. Liquid fertilizer plot with EM 1-year had high concentrations of T-N, Ca, and Na in the cucumber crops but low concentrations of P and Mg, in particular for low K of 1.2% which was two times less than those of desired level for an optimum cucumber growth. The lowest fruit yield was observed for the liquid fertilizer plot with EM 1-year with the highest soil EC accumulated. Liquid fertilizer plot with EM 15-year produced the expanded volume of crop canopy and increased fruit yield. Therefore, long-term of continuous application with an organic liquid fertilizer would have sustainably improved soil stability and the crop productivity.