• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.368-374
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: The urgency of feeding the world's growing population while combating soil pollution, salinization and desertification requires suitable biotechnology not only to improve crop productivity but also to improve soil health through interactions of soil nutrient and soil microorganism. Interest in the utilization of microbial fertilizer has increased. A principle of nature farming is to produce abundant and healthy crops without using chemical fertilizer and pesticides, and without interrupting the natural ecosystem. Beneficial microorganisms may provide supplemental nutrients in the soil, promote crop growth, and enhance plant resistance against pathogenic microorganisms. We mixed beneficial microorganisms such as Bacillus sp. Han-5 with anti-fungal activities, Trichoderma harziaum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum with organic material degrading activity, Actinomycetes bovis with antibiotic production and Pseudomonas sp. with nitrogen fixation. This study was carried out to investigate the mixtures on the soil microflora and soil chemical properties and the effect on the growth of lettuce and cucumber under greenhouse conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: The microbial mixtures were used with each of organic fertilizer, swine manure and organic+swine manure and compared in regard to changes in soil chemical properties, soil microflora properties and crop growth. At 50 days after the treatment of microorganism mixtures, the pH improved from 5.8 to 6.3, and the EC, $NO_3$-Na and K decreased by 52.4%, 60.5% and 29.3%, respectively. The available $P_2O_5$ and $SiO_2$ increased by 25.9% and 21.2%, respectively. Otherwise, the population density of fluorescent Pseudomonas sp. was accelerated and the growth of vegetables increased. Moreover, the population density of E. coli and Fusarium sp., decreased remarkably. The ratio of bacteria to fungi (B/F) and the ratio of Actinomycetes bovis to fungi (A/F) increased 2.3 (from 272.2 to 624.4) and 1.7 times (from 38.3 to 64), respectively. Furthermore, the growth and yield of cucumber and lettuce significantly increased by the treatment of microorganism mixtures. CONCLUSION(S): These results suggest that the treatment of microorganism mixtures improved the chemical properties and the microflora of soil and the crop growth. Therefore, it is concluded that the microorganism mixtures could be good alternative soil amendments to restore soil nutrients and soil microflora.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2000

This study was performed to investigate whether the earthworm cast could be reused as bulking agent in the whole processing of the food wastes using the earthworm. In addition, the growth conditions of microorganism lived upon earthworm lasts was investigated. Because the raw food wastes used in this experiment had low pH, and high moisture and organic matter contents, it was unsuitable to use as direct feeds to earthworm. However, when the food wastes were mixed with some earthworm cast, the mixtures were suitable to the feed condition and the growth environment of the earthworm. Therefore, it shows the possibility that the earthworm cast be reused as bulking agent for food wastes. In the microbiological investigation on earthworm cast, the bacteria showed most high density among the microbial species. And the microbial density showed higher under the mid-temperature than under high-temperature, and higher under the anaerobic than the aerobic condition. The drying methods of earthworm cast for the moisture adjusting, has no effect on microorganism growth whether natural or artificial drying. And the activity of enzyme presented more highly before the drying than after the drying.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2015

Insecticidal and antifeeding activities of 29 commercialized eco-friendly organic products for managing plant diseases and insect pests against Plutella xylostella larvae, Spodoptera exigua larvae, Frankliniella occidentalis adults, and Myzus persicae adults were tested using spraying and leaf dipping bioassays under laboratory conditions. Products containing 60% Sophora extract (EOIS) and mixtures (EOISm) with Sophora extract, Stemona japonica extract, Melia azedarach extract, and Nepeta cataria extract as well as mixtures (EOISc) with Sophora extract, Chenopodium ambrosioides extract, and Melia azedarach extract as active ingredients showed strong insecticidal activity at recommended concentration against P. xylostella larvae. At half concentration, their insecticidal activities were decreased under 50%. The EOIS gave good insecticidal activity against S. exigua larvae and also showed 85% and 95% insecticidal activity at 24 and 48 hours after treatment to F. occidentalis adults, respectively. For M. persicae adults, EOISm and mixtures (EOIR) containing rape seed extract, neem extract, and castar oil produced 93% and 68% insecticidal activity, but their activities did not be increased at double concentration. EOISm only showed 100% contact toxicity against M. persicae adults exposed to dipping leaves. Interestingly, the insecticidal activity of EOIR and EOICi (citronella oil and derris extract) against M. persicae adults was increased with exposed time and concentration. In addition, EOICe (cedar oil), EOIS, EOISm, EOISc, EOIM (microorganism), EOIR, EOIPe (plant extract), and EOIT (tea tree extract) gave strong antifeeding activity against S. exigua and P. xylostella larvae. EOIB, EOIBs, EOIM, EOICi, and EOIMc showed above 70% antifeeding activity to the lepidopteran larvae. These results indicate that mixtures containing 2 to 3 plant extracts with Sophora extract show good activities against insect pests, although the difference of insecticidal and antifeeding activities was produced depending on both a tested insect species and an active ingredient or concentration.