Karpun N.N. (Cand. Biol.Sci.), Yanushevskaya E.B. (Cand. Biol.Sci.)

Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution

“Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops”,

c. Sochi, Russia, e-mail: nkolem@mail.ru

Enhancing the resistance of soil microbe cenosis

to abiotic stresses within the application

of a biological preparation Albit^®

Abstract. Soil contamination with Delan^® (dithianon) and Decis^® (deltamethrin) during peach treatments leads to inhibition of basal respiratory activity and substrate-induced respiration of microbe cenosis. Applying Score^® (difenoconazole) did not cause any adverse effects. Applying Albit^® (poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid) at a dosage of 250 ml/ha, together with consumption norms of fungicides reduced twice caused a protective effect under the action of toxicants. Albit^® restored an adequate response of soil biosystem to temperature effects, impaired by pesticides.

Key words: adaptation, albite, pesticides, soil microbe cenosis.

Introduction. Over the past decade, new methods in cultivation of southern fruit crops have been intensively developed to reduce pesticide loads on agro cenosis and increase their resistance to abiotic stresses [3]. The relevance of these studies is dictated by the need to reduce any negative effects of pesticide use, which manifest themselves not only in soil contamination, but also the in oppression of metabolic activity of microbe cenosis with a subsequent breach of the recovery process [5]. The research priority has increased in the field of applying biologically active preparation Albit^® (poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid) in fruit crop cultivation technology, which boosts plant protective mechanisms to pathogens and protective mechanisms of soil microbiota useful to synthetic pyrethroids [8, 10].

Based on the wide range of positive characteristics in Albit^®, urgent is to find out the expediency of its use in peach protection systems as an adaptogen, which increases the stability of soil biological media to pesticide loads.

Materials and methods. Investigations were carried out in peach plantations of Russian Research Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops in 2012-2013. Production and field experiments were carried out in accordance with conventional methods [1]. In production options of the experiment, peach was treated with Delan^® (dithianon, producer BASF SE) - 0,7 kg/ha in mid-April, Score^® (difenoconazole, producer Syngenta, Switzerland) – 0,2 l/ha at the beginning of May and June; they were effective in fight against Taphrina deformans (Berk.) Tul., Clasterosporium carpophilum (Lév.) Aderh., Monilia cinerea Bonord. One day before the first treatment with score plants were sprayed with the insecticide Decis^® (deltamethrin? producer Bayer CropScience, Germany) (0,5 l/ha) to control Grapholita molesta Busck. Unlike the production treatments, experimental treatments were carried applying tank mixtures of Albit^® (poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid, producer scientific and production firm «Albit», Russia) (250 ml/ha) with half doses of fungicides. Reducing their consumption rates is generally accepted combined with immunomodulators. Assessment of pesticides and Albit^® impact on soil microbe cenosis was performed according to its overall biological activity indicators, which are universal indicator of the metabolic state of soil biological component [6, 7]. We determined a basal respiratory activity and substrate-induced respiration (substrate 5% glucose solution) in the arable soil horizon (0-20 cm) of peach trees [9]. These parameters were studied in dynamics one and two weeks after each treatment, thus in accordance with the common methodological techniques it became possible to diagnose the degree of microbe cenosis resistance to the damaging effects [2]. The results of the studies were processed statistically by Student's method.

Results and discussion. The studies conducted in 2012 determined a negative effect of the production treatment with fungicide Delan^® on the functional state of soil microbe cenosis. There was a significant (P <0,01) decrease in its basal respiratory activity and inhibition of substrate-induced respiration regarding control values. These violations are the result of soil contamination by pesticides during peach trees treatments [4].

An improvement in environmental conditions was recorded in the experimental option when Albit^® was used in conjunction with Delan^® rate reduced twice. Ecotoxic action of the fungicide did not manifest, and the given indicators were within the control. Protective effect of Albit^® on soil microbe cenosis is a consequence of its activating effect on the metabolic processes of microbiota as a result of its occurring in soil with the working solution in the amount of 52,1 ± 4,3% of the applied dose.

Similar results were obtained in 2013 (Table 1). Applying Delan^® at a dosage of 0,7 kg/ha resulted in inhibition of respiratory activity of microbe cenosis. As tank mixtures of Albit^® with half consumption norms of this fungicide were applied, no negative effects were observed. Positive effect of Albit^® manifested in the activation of substrate-induced respiration rates, the indicators of which exceed the level of control values a week after the treatment.

Table 1

The effect of Delan^® and Albit^® treatments

on the respiratory activity of peach orchard soil

Experiment options	Statistical indicators	Basal respiratory activity (mg CO2/kg soil/day)		Substrate-induced respiration (CO2 mg/kg soil/day)
		18.04.2013	25.04.2013	18.04.2013	25.04.2013
Control	M±m	83,2±3,3	105,2±1,9	251,2±5,1	312,2±5,4
Industrial treatment with Delan^®	M±m	67,2±1,4	73,4±1,5	211,7±4,4	196,3±5,1
	p	<0,001	<0,001	<0,001	<0,001
Experiment treatment with Delan^® including Albit^®	M±m	87,5±5,6	109,3±4,9	320±7,4	312,5±5,4
	p	>0,05	>0,05	<0,001	>0,05

The second industrial fungicide treatment was carried out in 2012 together with spraying Decis^® on peach. The combined effect of insecticide with fungicide Score^® led to the persistent depression of soil respiratory processes. Compared with the controls, basal respiration decreased to 26% a week after the treatment (<0,05). A similar pattern of change was recorded during the second week of observation. Applying half doses of score in a test option together with Albit^® and Decis^® treatments had no adverse impact on biological activity of soil microbe cenosis. We should note an activation of substrate-induced respiration, indicating that Albit^® stimulates bioenergetic processes which are the basis of increasing microbiota resistance. Albit^® not only normalized respiratory processes, but also provided an adequate response microbe cenosis to soil increasing temperature in May. This is also evidenced by the results of the research obtained in 2013 (Table 2).

Table 2

The effect of Decis^®, Score^® and Albit^® treatments

on the respiratory activity of peach orchard soil

Experiment options	Statistical indicators	Basal respiratory activity (mg CO2/kg soil/day)		Substrate-induced respiration (CO2 mg/kg soil/day)
		11.05.2013	17.05.2013	11.05.2013	17.05.2013
Control	M±m	114,8±4,2	115,8±2,1	341,7±4,8	347,5±7,1
Industrial treatment with Decis^® and Score^®	M±m	92,7±2,0	95,4±1,9	306,2±7,3	297,5±6,3
	p	<0,001	<0,001	<0,001	<0,001
Experiment treatment with Decis^®, Score^® and Albit^®	M±m	117,7±3,1	125,7±3,4	369,4±7,1	373,3±7,2
	p	>0,05	<0,001	<0,001	<0,001

Industrial treatment of peach trees with Score^® (0,2 l/ha) made in June of 2012-2013 did not lead to any negative consequences, the indicators of basal respiratory activity and substrate-induced respiration did not differ from the controls.

In the experimental option, as a result of Albit^®, together with twice low-dosed Score^® we observed an activation of substrate-induced respiration, which is largely resulted by the stimulating effect of biological preparation on soil metabolic processes.

The studies have found that applying the indicators of soil biological activity as the main indicators characterizing an interaction of biological component with ecotoxicants, allows us to determine an optimal mechanism of controlling microbe cenosis resistance to pesticide loads. Activating protective processes of soil biosystem adaptogenic properties of Albit^® provide stabilization of microbiota functional state within negative impacts.

Conclusions. Applying Delan^® and Decis^® in peach cultivation technologies has a depressing effect on soil biological activity, applying Score^® in its pure form does not lead to any negative consequences. Albit^® shows adaptogenic properties, increasing the resistance of soil microbe cenosis to ecotoxicants. Albit^® restores an adequate response of soil biosystem to the temperature effects, impaired by pesticides.

References

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