International Journal of Forestry and Crop Improvement

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Studies on the Assessment of Major Nutrients and Microbial Population of Termite Mound Soil


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1 Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam (T. N.), India
     

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Assessment of major nutrients of open and closed type of termite mound soil showed that available nitrogen and phosphorus were comparatively higher both in the surface and sub-surface layer than normal soil. Bacterial population was high in the sub-surface soil collected from closed termite mound (75.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil) and open termite mound (65.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil) compared to the normal soil (30.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil). Likewise, Actinomycetes population was also observed to be high in the sub-surface soil of both open and closed type of termite mounds.

Keywords

Termite Mound, Soil Nutrients, Bacteria, Fungi, Actinomycetes.
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  • Studies on the Assessment of Major Nutrients and Microbial Population of Termite Mound Soil

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Authors

P. Pretheep Kumar
Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam (T. N.), India
M. Tilak
Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam (T. N.), India
K. Sivakumar
Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam (T. N.), India
K. Saranya
Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam (T. N.), India

Abstract


Assessment of major nutrients of open and closed type of termite mound soil showed that available nitrogen and phosphorus were comparatively higher both in the surface and sub-surface layer than normal soil. Bacterial population was high in the sub-surface soil collected from closed termite mound (75.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil) and open termite mound (65.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil) compared to the normal soil (30.5 × 105 cfu/g of soil). Likewise, Actinomycetes population was also observed to be high in the sub-surface soil of both open and closed type of termite mounds.

Keywords


Termite Mound, Soil Nutrients, Bacteria, Fungi, Actinomycetes.

References