Bio-indicators of soil fertility in cotton rotation

ABSTRACT

The correlation assessment of the bioindicators and classical chemical indicators of soil fertility can help in testing the practical application of the bioindicators as alternative approach for soil fertility evaluations. The relationship between enzyme activities and some soil properties under the cotton rotation at three governorates was studied to find out whether or not the enzyme activities can be taken as bioindicator to soil fertility. The results showed that there were differences in soil enzyme activities [dehydrogenase, invertase, phosphatase and urease] at the different sites within the three governorates according to its soil fertility level. Also, a significant positive correlation was found between the enzyme activities and soil organic matter content and clay fraction%. Significant positive correlations were also established between the activity of each of the studied enzyme and the microbial population, which are the functions of the essential nutrients of the soil