INFLUENCE OF MOLASSES ON SOIL CELLULOLYTIC MICROORGANISMS AND MINERALIZATION OF SUGARCANE TRASH

JIMENEZ C.M.; SAMPIETRO D.A.; VATTUONE M.A.; SGARIGLIA, M. A.; SOBERÓN, J. R.; QUIROGA, E. N.

Tucumán – Argentina

Congreso; XXIV Annual Scientific Meeting of Tucuman Biology Society; 2008

Tucuman Biology Society (publicado en Bio Cell 32 (2), A46, 2008)

Green harvest is a desirable agricultural practice that provides sustainability to sugarcane agroecosystem. However, sugarcane trash interfers with agricultural practices usually performed after harvest. The aim of this work was to evaluate populations of cellulolytic microorganisms and microbial mineralization of sugarcane trash after molasses incorporation. 0.6 and 2% molasses were added to soil containers where sugarcane trash was incorporated or left onto soil surface. Containers irrigated with water serve as controls. Soil samples were taken from containers at different times after molasses addition. Cellulolytic fungus and bacterial populations were monitored using specific media. Cellulose content and organic matter were also evaluated. Our results indicate that addition of molasses to sugarcane trash accelerates cellulose degradation by stimulation of soil cellulolytic microorganisms, increasing organic matter mineralization when trash is soil incorporated.