Microbial biomass dynamics in a Zea mays-cultivated soil treated with paper mill sludge and waste cooking oil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63804/saastal.v2i1.e3Keywords:
soil quality, microbial biomass carbon, organic amendments, paper mill sludge, substrate-induced respiration, agricultural soilAbstract
Agricultural soil degradation reduces ecosystem services and the productivity of strategic crops such as Zea mays. The incorporation of mixed organic amendments improves soil properties; however, methodological variability in the quantification of soil microbial biomass (SMB) limits the accurate monitoring of soil recovery. In a greenhouse experimental design, soil treated with a mixed amendment composed of paper mill sludge and used cooking oil (3:1 ratio) was evaluated at application rates of 0, 5, and 25 Mg ha⁻¹. Over a period of 117 days, physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, and moisture) and microbiological parameters (basal respiration and microbial biomass carbon, MBC) were determined. MBC was quantified using two methodologies: fumigation-incubation (FI) and substrate-induced respiration (SIR). Data were analyzed using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test, Spearman correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA). The amendment significantly increased soil pH from slightly acidic (6.24) to neutral conditions (p < 0.05) and enhanced soil organic matter content. Microbial activity and biomass increased proportionally with amendment dose and incubation time, reaching maximum values at 117 days with the 25 Mg ha⁻¹ treatment. A strong positive correlation was observed between FI and SIR methods ( ; p < 0.05). The FI method exhibited greater analytical sensitivity, recording a maximum value of 2239.84 mg biomass C kg⁻¹ and a coefficient of variation of 1.23%. PCA clearly separated amended systems according to the induced biological stimulation. The paper sludge–used cooking oil amendment (PS-UCO) induced sustained positive effects on the biological and chemical quality of the soil. Both analytical methodologies proved to be viable and strongly correlated tools for biological monitoring, confirming the rapidity of SIR and the high precision and sensitivity of FI for the assessment of agricultural soils under organic management.
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