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The Westsik’s long-term crop rotation experiment was set up in 1929 at the Nyíregyháza Experimental Station (NE Hungary) on a slightly acidic Arenosol. Besides fallow crop rotation (CR), effects of different organic amendments (lupine as green manure, lupine as main crop, straw manure, and farmyard manure (FYM) were studied with or without N or NPK-fertilizers. The crop rotation consisted of rye, potato, lupine, and oat with common vetch. The soil of potato plots was analysed in 2019 at the 90th anniversary of Westsik’s crop rotation experiment.The following chemical and microbiological soil parameters were determined: soil pH, available nutrient contents, organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (ON) contents, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), soil respiration, net nitrification, and activity of some soil enzymes.In the CRs, the soil pHH2O varied from acidic to weakly alkaline and it largely differed from pHKCl. The results showed a significant increase in the content of nitrate, available phosphorus and potassium in most of the fertilized plots. Applying straw, green manure, or FYM significantly increased the OC and ON contents. The total count of cultivable bacteria increased upon the application of the organic manures. Combined application of straw manure and N-fertilization heavily improved the abundance of the microscopic fungi.While all the applied organic manures significantly enhanced the MBC, the MBN increased only by the green manure amendment. Our results revealed higher soil respiration rate in the plots receiving straw or FYM than in the control. Both green manure and FYM elevated the net nitrification rate. Phosphatase, saccharase, urease, and dehydrogenase enzymes showed a hesitating response to the manure application in the different CRs.The soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity correlated to most of the measured chemical parameters. Among microbiological properties, the MBC and MBN, as well as dehydrogenase and other enzyme activities displayed a positive correlation. Results proved the need for the exogenous application of organic matter in the form of organic manures to enhance the nutritional status and health of the soil.

Cultivating the top 0-25 cm soil layer by ploughing cultivating method requires considerable energy, labor, and additional costs. Also, the larger soil surface caused by cultivation, the moisture content of soil can be lost easier. Therefore, in recent years soil loosening cultivation has become gained popularity, particularly to protect the moisture content of soil and reduce the risk of desertification. At the Experimental Station of Debrecen University, known as Látókép (a name, which corresponds approximately to visual image), two cultivation methods have been applied for research: (i) conventional ploughing and (ii) strip and streaked loosening cultivation methods (and variation of this method applying satellite determination of position, RTK system). In this paper, total number of bacteria, soil respiration, biomass carbon and nitrogen, net nitrification, and dehydrogenase activity were measured under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effects of the various cultivation methods. Soil samples were collected in spring (May) and autumn (September). Microbiological effects on the soil resulted from various cultivation methods were compared. Results demonstrate that the loosening cultivation method (strip tillage with loosening) exerts a more favorable effect on the parameters of soil biological activity than the conventional ploughing system. The most significant effect of loosening cultivation system was experienced in the increase of microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) by over 80%, along with an intensified dehydrogenase activity. Loosening system yielded positive effects on the other examined biological parameters, except for the total bacteria number and soil respiration.

The residues of organic matter in the soil are transformed biologically over a shorter or longer time period. In the humification process, a part of the organic decomposition products formed the dark-coloured humus. The other part of the organic matter is also decomposed by the activities of heterotrophic organisms, in which inorganic substances are produced from the organic matter. The direction and intensity of the transformation, however, depends not only on the organic material stock of the soil but also on the organisms in the soil. They are closely related to soil properties, natural fertility, environmental factors and applied agrotechnical processes. The rate and speed of humus formation and mineralization processes determines the soil organic matter stock and the set of nutrients that can be uptaken by plants during the degradation of organic matter. The transformation of alternative plant nutrient, organic matter (composts, green manure, sewage sludge, slurry etc.) is determined by the living organisms with different activities in the soil. In present publication the results of most important physical and chemical properties of 12 different soil types in eastern part of Hungary (chernozem, meadow, marsh, brown forest soil, blown sand, and solonetz) are analysed. The vegetation of involved soil types were: winter wheat, orchard, oak forest and natural grassland. There were also determined the total content (stock) of some main elements (C, N, S, P) in the soils and their ratios (C/N, C/S, N/S) were compared also. There were investigated the available nutrient content of the soils (CaCl2 solution extractable nitrate and sulfate content). Based on the results, there was also calculated the proportion of the available and the total element content of soils.

In the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science of Debrecen University in pot experiment, the effect of two carbonate containing amendments are examined on some properties of an acidic humous sandy soil (pHH2O=5.2) originating from Nagykáta. In the two treatments the amendments were granulated dolomite and calcite, the applied quantities were 3 t ha-1. In the amelioration pot experiment all treatments enriched NPK fertilizers taking into account the nutritional requirements of test plant (Phaseolus vulgaris nanus L); it was a „Yellow-podded -Maxidor" bean. On the bases of the first year results, the water management parameters were influenced positively by dolomite and calcite treatments. The water permeability of sandy soils decreased significantly in dolomite treatment. At the same time, the water holding capacity of the soil increased almost equally due to dolomite and lime doses. The pH of the soil increased, the hydrolytic acidity decreased, both under the influence of dolomite and lime, but the soil remained acidic. Among microbiological soil properties the number of total bacteria, the activity of saccharase, urease and dehydrogenase activity increased significantly, especially in the dolomite treatment. The CO2-production didn’t change significantly in the treatments. The intensive soil management, the application of high fertilizer doses affect negatively on soil reaction (pH), thereby some features of the soil would deteriorate; so the soil acidification affects an increasing proportion of agricultural land. With these results we would like to draw attention to the importance of soil amelioration of acidified soils with natural, carbonate-containing materials.

Water stress and nutrient supply are two of the most ubiquitous global changes that surely drive substantial variations not only in agricultural productivity but also extend to alert soil living organisms. The present study aims to understand the intrinsic changes in the composition of soil populations and their functions due to the interaction between long-term fertilization and rainfall fluctuations, seeing whether fertilization history would render the soil microbial communities and their activities more resistant to water stress or not. The experiment was established in 1988 on a typical meadow soil (Vertisols) as a rainfed maize monoculture receiving six elevated rates of NPK annually. The 30-year average annual precipitation of the growing season in this region is 345.1 mm. However, in 2010 rainfall was 106.1% greater than the average, while in 2011 it was 26.5% lower. The results show that long-term NPK fertilization has made the soil microbes more tolerant to changes in soil moisture content resulting from rainfall fluctuations. Soil microbes and their activities, however, did not follow a dose-response relationship of NPK as soil moisture content was the main driving factor. Numbers of total fungi, cellulose decomposing bacteria, and nitrifying bacteria increased as rainfall in 2010 increased. Moreover, microbial biomass carbon in 2010 was almost 2-fold higher than in 2009. Soil respiration in 2010 was 11 and 35% higher than in 2009 and 2011, respectively. Otherwise, high rainfall in 2010 significantly diminished soil NO3− content and nitrification rate. Soil enzyme activity showed a higher response to soil moisture than the rate of NPK. The highest activity of phosphatase, dehydrogenase, and saccharase was measured in the driest year (2011), while urease displayed its highest activity in 2010. High rates of NPK significantly reduced soil dehydrogenase activity. These results illustrate how important it is for fertilizer programs to be flexible to match expected climate change in order to improve productivity and reduce environmental pollution.

The size of the arable land is constantly decreasing all over the world due to severe anthropogenic disorders. Plant production therefore has to be adapted to changing environmental conditions along with the proper selection of crop varieties and the application of sustainable environmental technologies which also consider economic aspects. The investigations were carried out in the Westsik long-term fertilization experiment near Nyíregyháza, East Hungary, which was set up in 1929 (89 years ago). Alternative forms of nutrient supplies (A) (green manure, straw with and without fermentation, organic fertilizer with and without inorganic fertilizer supplements) were used in different crop rotations. The test plant was potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and the soil type sand with a low humus content (Arenosols). A further long-term experiment is located on calcareous chernozem soil (Chernozems) in Debrecen (set up in 1983, 35 years ago). In one part of this experiment, organic farming (OF) has been carried out with a pea, winter wheat and maize crop rotation for over 15 years with no inorganic fertilization. In another block in this experiment, changes in soil properties as a result of the medium and high doses of fertilizers applied in intensive farming (I) were evaluated with a maize (Zea mays L.) monoculture as the test plant. The results obtained with alternative nutrient supplies (green manure, fermented and unfermented straw, farmyard manure, fertilization) proved that the soil organic carbon content increased to varying degrees in humus-poor, acidic sand soil. The organic matter content of the soils increased in response to the treatments, contributing to a significant enhancement in soil microbial parameters (MBC, saccharase, dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzyme activities). The carbon dioxide production and saccharase enzyme activity in organic plots (OF) were significantly lower than in intensively farmed (I) soils. At the same time, in the case of organic farming (OF) the microbial biomass carbon, phosphatase and dehydrogenase activity were significantly higher in OF plots than in I plots. Compared to the control soil, MBC was 7-8 times higher in organic plots and 1.3-3.8 times higher in intensive plots. Organic farming on chernozem soil generally resulted in higher microbial activity (MBC, phosphatase, saccharase and dehydrogenase enzyme activity) than in either intensively farmed chernozem or in the case of alternative farming (A) on sandy soil.

Some chemical and microbiological properties of the carbon cycle were investigated in three chernozem soil profiles. The soil profiles originated from a long term fertilization experiment (potato) of the University of Debrecen, Látókép, Kryvyi Rig Botanic Garden (grassland) and a large-scale farm (sunflower) of Ukraine. The results of the organic C-content, total number of bacteria, microscopical fungi, cellulose decomposing bacteria, CO2-production, microbial biomass carbon and saccharase and dehydrogenase activities were compared and evaluated with the help of correlation analyses. Close correlation was found between the organic carbon content and the number of microscopical fungi,, saccharase and dehydrogenase enzymes’ activities, as well as close correlation was found between the dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass-C and saccharase activity.

Soil-borne plant diseases are a major source of crop losses. Biologically active soils have the ability to suppress pathogenic infections of plants, but little is known how this essential soil function might be affected by abiotic stresses. Using a model system with pea and its fungal pathogen Pythium ultimum we studied how the suppressiveness of different soils from a wide geographic range responds to combined heat and drought stress. We found that different soils strongly differ in their ability to suppress diseases and that a stress event of combined heat (40 °C) and drought (−50% moisture) can strongly reduce this disease suppressiveness. Further, the response of suppressiveness to the stress depended on the provenance of the soil. Soils from a cool-climate site in Scotland were much more negatively affected than soils from warmer sites in Germany and Hungary. After being exposed to stress, one soil was able to regain suppressiveness after several weeks while the others were not, thereby collectively showing different degrees of resilience to the stress. Stress tolerance was negatively related to resilience. Our results suggest that microbial communities responsible for suppressiveness are adapted to prevailing climate, which has potentially severe consequences for the impact of climate change upon plant health.

Agricultural management practices – directly or indirectly – influence soil properties. Fertilization rates and crop rotation can strongly affect soil pH, soil nutrient supply and soil organic matter content due to the changes of microbial processes. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of different fertilization doses in monoculture and tri-culture of maize (monoculture: only maize grown since 1983, tri-culture: it is a three-year crop rotation system: pea – winter wheat – maize) on selected soil characteristics. The long-term fertilization experiments were set up in 1983 in Eastern Hungary. These experiments are situated west of Debrecen in Hajdúság loess region, on calcareous chernozem (according to WRB: Chernozems). The test plant was maize (Zea mays L.). One-one pilot blocks were selected from monoculture and tri-culture of the long-term experiments. The observed soil samples were taken in the 30th year of the experiment, in 2013. The doses of NPK fertilizers increased parallel together, so the effects of N-, P- and K-fertilizers cannot be separated. With the increasing fertilizer doses, the soil pH has decreased in both crop production systems and, in parallel, the hydrolytic acidity has significantly increased. A close negative correlation was proved between the pHH2O, pHKCl and hydrolytic acidity. An increased nutrient content in soil was recorded in every NPK treatment and the available phosphorus and nitrate content increased in higher proportion than that of potassium. Of the measured parameters of C-and N-cycles, fertilization has mostly had a positive effect on the microbial activity of soils. Besides the effects of fertilizer doses, correlation were looked for between soil microbiological properties. Evaluating the ratios among the measured parameters (organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon, OC/MBC ratio; carbon-dioxide and microbial biomass carbon; CO2/MBC proportion), the fertilization rate seems to be favoured by the increase of amounts of organic compounds

The most important aim of sustainable agriculture is to ensure our natural resources – such as soils – protection, which includes fertility preservation and the use of appropriate methods of cultivation. If we want to get accurate information about the occurred changes, way and danger of changes, we should track the resupply and effect of the mineral nutrients and the removed quantity of nutrients with the harvest. Nitrogen is an essential element for living organisms and it is present in the soil mainly in organic form. In general only a low percentage of the total nitrogen content can be used directly by plants in the soil. The mineral nitrogen is incorporate by plants into our bodies. This inorganic nitrogen is produced by the transformation of organic contents through mineralization processes and it gets into the soil by fertilization. This is how nitrogen turnover occurs when mineral forms become organic and organic forms become mineral. The objective of this publication was to introduce – through some element s of nitrogen turnover- how changing the properties of soil in a long term fertilization experiment. We established that the fertilization is influenced the soil pH. With the increase of fertilization levels increased the acidity of the soil, maybe it is related with the number of nitrification bacteria. The fertilization and the rotation affected to the quantity of nitrate.

The 30 years old long-term experiment of Látókép is continued in our experiments. The long-term fertilization experiment was set in 1983, and our sample was taken in spring 2014. The examinations of soil respiration processes and factors that influence soil respiration are required in optimal management. In our study, we interested to know how the growing levels of fertilization influence the microbial processes under nonirrigated and irrigated conditions in maize mono, bi, and triculture. The experimental results and those statistics suggest that the bi and triculture influenced higher microbial activity which was reflected in number of fungus, soil respiration, and microbial biomass carbon (MBC).

In a long-term fertilization field experiment set up in Debrecen-Látókép in 1983 on calcareous chernozem soil the changes in the chemical and microbiological characteristics related to the carbon and nitrogen cycles of the soil are shown and evaluated. The soil samples were taken in the 26th and 27th years of the experiment, (in 2009, 2010) from maize monoculture and tri-culture. In addition to the effects of fertilizer doses, correlations among soil chemical and microbiological properties were established; and the various ratios among some microbiological parameters were also evaluated.The elements of NPK fertilizers increased together with the doses, so the elements’ effect cannot be separated, the minimum factor is not identifiable.With increasing fertilizer doses, the soil pH decreased in both the mono- and triculture, parallelly there was a significant increase in hydrolytic acidity. A close negative correlation was proved between the pH(H2O) and hydrolytic acidity and pH(KCl) and hydrolytic acidity. An increased soil nutrient content was recorded in each NPK treatment, the available phosphorus and nitrate content increased in a higher proportion than that of potassium.Among the measured parameters of the carbon and nitrogen cycles fertilization had a positive influence on the organic carbon (OC), organic nitrogen (ON), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents, the number of cellulose decomposing and nitrifying bacteria, the nitrate exploration and CO2-production, while it mainly had negative effects on the investigated enzymes (saccharase and urease) activity.Evaluating the ratios among the measured parameters, fertilization seems to have promoted the increase in nitrogen-containing organic compounds, because the OC/ON and MBC/MBN ratios decreased due to the effect of different doses of NPK fertilizers in both cultures.

In pot experiment the effect of different bacterial fertilizers on some soil properties, and the amount of plant biomass were studied. Theexperiment was set up in 2010 at the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, in a three replications in a random block design. The ryegrass (Lolium perenne, L.) was used as a test plant. The studied soil type was calcareous chernosem soil from Látókép. In our laboratory AL-soluble P2O5 content of soil, the phosphatase enzyme activityof soil, the dry weight of rye-grass, and the phosphorus content of rye-grass were determined.The results of the study were the following:– The bacterial fertilizers - by basic treatments NPK - had significant positive effect on the AL- soluble phosphorus content of the soil.– The soil phosphatase enzyme activity was increased in all cases strongly by the microbial preparations used, the greatest impact was the Bactofil A bacterial fertilizer.– The plant educed P values significantly increased by the effect of microbial products, in addition to the fund NPK. In this case, the EM-1 and Microbion UNC bacterial fertilizer were the effective.– In case of the rye-grass biomass none of the bacterial preparations used caused any significant changes, either alone or when used them with straw treatment.

Laboratóriumi vizsgálatok keretében tanulmányoztuk a különböző bentonit- és zeolitkezelések (5, 10, 15 és 20 g·kg-1) hatását a homoktalaj vízemelő és víztartó képességére. Továbbá tenyészedényes vizsgálatban az alkalmazott anyagok hatását tanulmányoztuk a talaj néhány kémiai és mikrobiológiai paraméterére, valamint az angolperje (Lolium perenne L.) tesztnövény biomassza szárazanyag mennyiségére. A kísérlet beállítása a DE MÉK Agrokémiai és Talajtani Intézetében történt 2007 és 2010 között, savanyú [pH(H2O) = 5,6], humuszos homoktalajon (Pallag) három ismétlésben. Összesen harminc 6 kg-os, alul perforált edény beállítására került sor. Az alkalmazott bentonit és zeolit a vályog fizikai féleségű talajhoz hasonló (KA = 40–41), kémhatásuk gyengén lúgos [pH(H2O) = 7,3–7,8] volt. A kísérletsorozat négy év átlageredményeit az alábbiakban foglalhatjuk össze: A bentonit és a zeolit alkalmazott dózisainak növekedésével párhuzamosan a homoktalaj kapilláris vízemelésének mértéke csökkent. A nagy dózisú zeolit-kezelésben a vízemelés mértéke kisebbnek bizonyult, mint a bentonit ugyanezen dózisa mellett. Mind a bentonit, mind a zeolit víztartó képessége a homokéhoz képest szignifikánsan nagyobb volt. A dózisok növekedésével a homoktalajban megtartott víz mennyisége nőtt. Eredményeink szerint a homoktalaj víztartó képességéhez mérten a bentonit 10%-kal több vizet tartott meg, mint a zeolit. A talaj kémhatása [pH(H2O), pH(KCl)] minden bentonit- és zeolitdózis hatására szignifikánsan nőtt, a hidrolitos aciditás értékei csökkentek. Már a kis dózisok is szignifikánsan növelték a kémhatás értékeit. A talaj könnyen felvehető tápanyagkészlete mindkét természetes anyag hatására növekedést mutatott. Kismértékben nőtt a talaj nitrát-N-tartalma, míg a talaj AL-oldható foszfor- és káliumtartalma szignifikánsan. A bentonit – kivéve a mikroszkopikus gombák mennyiségét – a vizsgált öt talajmikrobiológiai tulajdonságot egyértelműen pozitívan befolyásolta. Szignifikánsan pozitív hatású volt a kis és közepes dózis is. A zeolit esetében szintén a közepes és közepes–nagy dózisok mellett határoztuk meg a nagyobb értékeket. A zeolit-dózisok a vizsgált talajmikrobiológiai tulajdonságok többségét nagyobb mértékben serkentették, mint a bentonit. A növényi biomassza mennyisége nőtt, mindkét kőzetőrlemény esetében a közepes dózis mellett mértük a legnagyobb szárazanyag-produkciót. A zeolit termésnövelő hatása nagyobbnak bizonyult, mint a bentonité.

A tenyészedényes kísérletünket a DE AGTC MÉK Agrokémiai és Talajtani Intézet tenyészházában állítottuk be 2010. május 27-én. A kísérletben Debrecen-Látókép környékéről származó mészlepedékes csernozjom vályogtalajt alkalmaztunk, amely az alábbi jellemzőkkel rendelkezett: KA: 37,5; leiszapolható rész: 51%; pH(KCl): 5,5; pH(H2O): 6,6; Hu%: 2,8; AL-P2O5: 140 mg·kg-1; AL-K2O: 316,3 mg·kg-1. Az adatok alapján a kísérleti talaj gyengén savanyú, vályog kötöttségű, közepes nitrogén- és foszfor-, valamint jó kálium-ellátottsággal rendelkezett. A kísérletben kontroll-, műtrágya-, valamint szalmakezelést alkalmaztunk, melyeket bizonyos kombinációkban három különböző baktériumkészítménnyel (Bactofil A, EM-1, Microbion UNC) egészítettünk ki. A kísérletet három ismétlésben véletlenblokk elrendezésben állítottuk be. A tesztnövény angolperje (Lolium perenneL.) volt. A kísérlet kezdetétől számított 8. héten a talaj-, valamint a növényminták begyűjtésére került sor. Meghatároztuk a növényminták száraztömegét, a növény foszfor- és káliumtartalmát, valamint a talajminták nitrát-, valamint AL-oldható foszfor- és káliumtartalmát. Eredményeink alapján főbb megállapításaink a következők: – Az angolperje száraztömegét a műtrágyakezelés szignifikánsan növelte. A hatás a tápelem-ellátottság javulásával magyarázható. – A növény foszforkoncentrációja a műtrágyázás következtében csökkent, amelyet a hígulási effektussal magyarázhatunk. – A növény káliumkoncentrációját a műtrágya-, valamint a műtrágya+baktériumtrágya kezelések szignifikánsan serkentették. – A talaj nitráttartalma szignifikánsan növekedett a műtrágyakezelés kivételével minden kezelésben. – A talaj AL-P2O5-tartalma az NPK-műtrágyázás és az EM-1 kezelés következtében statisztikailag igazolható mértékben megnövekedett, míg az AL-K2O-tartalom kizárólag a szalmakezelés hatására nőtt. A baktériumkészítmények önmagukban alkalmazva általában nem eredményeztek jelentős változást a vizsgált paraméterekben, azonban a készítmények szerves/ásványi anyagokkal kombinált adagolása esetében különböző mértékben befolyásolták a vizsgált mutatókat.

In our pot experiment, the impact of a bacterial fertilizer, Bactofil® A10 and a mineral fertilizer Ca(NO3)2 applied in different rates was studied on some soil chemical and microbiological characteristics of a humic sandy soil (Pallag). Perennial rye-grass (Lolium perenne L.) was used as a test-plant. Samples were collected four and eight weeks after sowing in each year. The experiment was set up in 2007-2009 in the greenhouse ofthe UD CASE Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science. The available (AL-extractable) nutrient contents of soil, among the microbial parameters the total number of bacteria, the number of microscopic fungi, cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria, the sacharase and urease enzyme activity, as well as the soil respiration rate were measured.Statistical analyses were made by means of the measurements deviation, LSD values at the P=0.05 level and correlation coefficients were calculated. Results of our experiment were summarised as follows:− The readily available nutrient content of humic sandy soil increased as affected by the treatments, in case of the available (AL-extractable) phosphorus and potassium content the higher value was measured in high-dosage artificial fertilizer treatment.− The treatments had also positive effect on several soil microbial parameters studied. The higher-dosage mineral fertilizer treatments had a beneficial effect on the total number of bacteria, cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria. No significant differences were obtained between the effect of treatment in case of the total-number of bacteria, the number of microscopic fungi and nitrifying bacteria.− On the sacharase enzyme activity the artificial fertiliser treatments proved to be unambiguously stimulating, the urease activity significantly increased on the effect of the lower-dosage Ca(NO3)2 artificial fertilizer treatment. − The soil respiration increased in all treatments in related to the amounts applied, significantly increased in the highest rate of Ca(NO3)2 fertilizer addition. − Some medium and tight positive correlations were observed between the soil chemical and microbiological parameters studied in case of both nutrient sources. Summarizing our results, it was established that the organic and all the mineral fertilizer treatments had beneficial effects on the major soil characteristics from the aspect of nutrient supply. In majority of the examined soil parameters (AL-extractable phosphorus- and potassium, total number of bacteria, number of cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria, activity of sacharase enzyme) the high rate of Ca(NO3)2 mineral fertilizer treatment proved to be more stimulating, but at the same time the high rate bacterium fertilizer resulted in significant increases inthe nitrate-N content, the AL-potassium content of soil, the total number of bacteria, the number of cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria and the urease enyme activity. Our examinations showed that the mineral fertilizer treatments proved to be more stimulating on most of the soil parameters studied but according to our results, it was established that Bactofil is efficiently applicable in the maintenance of soil fertility and the combined application ofmineral fertilizer and bacterium fertilizer may be a favourable opportunity – also in aspect of the environmental protection – in maintaining soil fertility.

In a small-pot experiment a bacterium preparation, Bactofil® A10 and an artificial fertilizer containing Ca(NO3)2 in different dosages were studied on calcareous chernozem soil, concerning the readily available nutrient content of soil (nitrate-nitrogen, AL-phosphorus, ALpotassium content of soil, some soil microbial characteristics (total number of bacteria and fungi, cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria, CO2-production of soil), and the amount of the plant biomass.The readily available nutrient content of the calcareous chernozem soil increased due to the treatments, except for the change in the soil nitrate-nitrogen content, which did not measure up to the control due to the effect of high-dosage Bactofil.The treatments also influenced the examined microbial characteristics of the soil positively. The artificial treatments significantly increased the total number of bacteria and the number of cellulose-decomposing and nitrifying bacteria. The low-dosage Bactofil significantly increased the number of cellulose-decomposing bacteria and both Bactofil dosage significantly increased the number of nitrifying bacteria. The measure of the soil respiration grew in all treatments, but significantly only in Ca(NO3)2 fertiliser treatments.The quantity of the plant biomass was grew in a low-dosage Bactofil and significantly in the artificial fertiliser treatments. The highest plant biomass quantity was measured in the high-dosage artificial fertiliser treatment.In the correlation analyses we found some medium positive correlation between the soil chemical, microbiological parameters examined, and the plant biomass in the case of both treatment-forms. Based on our results Ca(NO3)2 artificial fertiliser treatments on calcareous chernozem soil proved to be more stimulating regarding theexamined soil characteristics and the amount of the plant biomass, but the low-dosage Bactofil also positively influenced the majority of thesoil characteristics examined in terms of nutrient supply.

In a pot experiment, we have studied the effect of bentonite and zeolite in different dosages [control; 5; 10; 15; 20 g kg-1] on acidic (pHH2O=5.65) humus sandy soil. The experiment was set up in 2007 and 2008 in the greenhouse of the UD CASE Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science. As a test plant, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was used. In laboratory examinations, pH(H2O), pH(KCl), hidrolytic acidity, nitrate-N content, readily available phosphorus and potassium content were determined. Among soil microbial parameters, the total number of bacteria, the cellulose-decomposing bacteria, the carbon-dioxide production, the microbial biomass-C content of soil, and the saccharase enzyme activity were measured. In the experiment the biomass of the test plant was determined.The effect of bentonite and zeolite in different dosages can be summarized as follows:− The pH increased under the effect of low dosages. With the increasing of the pH the hydrolytic acidity - at the bentonite treatments significantly – decreased. − Regarding the readily available nutrient content of the soil, low and medium dosages proved to be effective. High dosages of bentonite treatments reduced the nitrate-N content, the readily available phosphorus, and potassium content of soil, by zeolite treatments the high dosages reduced the nitrate-N content of soil. − Regarding the measured soil microbial parameters in both treatments low and medium dosages proved to be also effective, but the high dosages didn’t cause decreasing at the total number of bacteria, and by zeolite treatments the biomass-C content of soil.− Also the bentonite and zeolite treatments enlarged the biomass of the test plant. We experienced significant increasing by bentonite treatments by the effect of medium and high dosages, while in zeolite treatments only the high dosage caused significantly increasing in plant biomass. The largest dosages decrease the plant biomass. − Under the statistical analysis we found many medium and tight correlation between the studied parameters.

In our experiment, we studied the impact of an organic fertilizer, Bactofil® A10 (half- and full dosage applied in field practice) and an artificial fertilizer of Ca(NO3)2 content in different dosages (20-40 mg kg-1) – in addition to control treatments – on two different soils (calcareous chernozem, humus sandy soil) in 2005-2006, the experiment was complemented with treatments applying 250% dosage (100 mg kg-1 N, Bactofil® A10 2.5 times the field dosage) and a compost from urban sewage (25 g kg-1 compost) was also tested on these two soil types. In theexperiment, several soil microbial parameters were studied. The experiment was set up at the Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science using 1-kg pots.Our laboratory experiments were performed at the soil microbiology laboratory of UD CAS Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science, the total number of bacteria, microscopic fungi, nitrifying and aerob cellulose-decomposing bacteria were determined together with the CO2-production of soil, N content of the biomass and urease enzyme activity.Statistical analysis of the data was done using the program SPSS 13.0, means of the measurements, deviation and significance values were calculated. In 2005-2006, the effect of the different dosages of Bactofil® A10, and the Ca(NO3)2 fertilizer on the examined microbial parameters of calcareous chernozem and humus sandy soils can be summarized as follows:• Concerning the total number of bacteria, both treatments were effective on calcareous chernozem soil, the higher (significant) increment in bacteria number was observed in the artificial fertilizer treatments, while in the humus sandy soil Bactofil treatments had a beneficial effect. The number of microscopic fungi also increased in both treatments, higher numbers were observed in the average of two years in the Bactofil treatments.• The number of nitrifying bacteria was 2.5 times higher in both high-dosage treatments on calcareous chernozem soil, while on humus sandy soil a slight (not significant) increment was observed only int he high-dosage Bactofil treatment. The amount of aerob cellulose-decomposing bacteria significantly increased on calcareous chernozem soil in both the highdosage artificial fertilizer and the small-dosage Bactofil treatment, however, on humus sandy soil no significant increase was observed in either treatment.• The CO2-production increased in both soil types, although it was not significant in either treatment. A higher (though not significant) soil respiration was observed in the Bactofil treatments in both soil types.• The microbial biomass N values were significantly higher in the high-dosage Bactofil treatments, however, the high-dosage artificial fertilizer treatment also increased these values significantly on calcareous chernozem soil.• On calcareous chernozem soil, urease activity was significantly increased and reduced by high-dosage artificial fertilizer treatments and Bactofil treatments, respectively. On humus sandy soil, urease activity was also reduced except for the high-dosage artificial fertilizer treatment. In 2007, the pot experiment with 250% dosages was complemented with the application of compost rich in organic matter, the results of these treatments are sumnmarized as follows:• In the case of the total number of bacteria, all three treatments resulted in a significant increase on calcareous chernozem soil with the highest values in the Bactofil treatment. The Bactofil treatment was the most effective on the humus sandy soil, but the artificial fertilizer treatment alsoresulted in a significant increment. In the case of the total number of fungi, Bactofil treatments resulted in the highest values on both soils, but the compost treatment also increased the number of fungi in calcareous chernozem significantly. • The number of nitrifying bacteria was increased most (significantly) by the Bactofil and compost treatments on both soil types. The amount of cellulose-decomposing bacteria was significantly increased by he compost treatment on calcareous chernozem soil, while its effect was not significant on humus sandy soil. The number of these bacteria was increased significantly by the Bactofil treatment on humus sandy soil.• On calcareous chernozem soil, all three treatments significantly increased CO2-production, while the compost treatments had the resulted in the largest increment in soil respiration on both soil types.• The soil biomass N content was significantly increased in both soils by the compost treatment, while in the case of the humus sandy soil, the Bactofil treatment also resulted in a significant increment.• Urease enzyme activity was significantly increased by the artificial fertilizer treatment on both soils. In calcareous chernozem soil, the Bactofil treatment resulted in a slight (not significant) reduction in enzyme activity. In humus sandy soil, the Bactoful treatment also resulted in a slight reduction, while the compost treatment increased (though not significantly) the urease activity.Based on our results, it can be stated that all three treatments were effective with respect to the studied soil microbial parameters. For both the calcareous chernozem and the humus sandy soil, the organic fertilizer Bactofil and the compost with high organic matter content had a stronger effect on some soil microbial parameters than the artificial fertilizer.

Nitrogen is a key element for the living organisms and influence not only for the quantity but for the quality of the yield, considerable. Availability of nitrogen from the soil is influenced by several microbiological processes of the Nitrogen-cycle. Among the intensive agricultural production the herbicide application cannot be omitted more information needs therefore about the inhibitor effect of herbicides on the different microorganisms.An experiment was set up on calcareous chernozem soil under maize culture. Effect of four different herbicides (Acenit, Frontier, Merlin, and Wing) was investigated. The effect of herbicides was measured to four microbiological parameters of the Nitrogencycle (abundance of nitrifying bacteria, nitrate solubilisation, biomass nitrogen and urease enzyme activity). There were singledouble- and five times of recommended doses of herbicides applied for two onsecutive vegetation periods.From the results of the different doses of herbicides, the following can be stated:– The Acenit has a stimulating effect on nitrifying bacteria in general. The Frontier and Merlin also influenced the quantity of nitrifyers, however in certain cases decreased in another cases increased the number of bacteria.– The double doses and five times doses of herbicides was found to be increasing the nitrate content of soil, -especially in 2006.– The quantity of microbial biomass nitrogen increased in the 60% of treatments and decreased in the 40% of the treatments.– Except of the result of Wing in 2006 and Merlin in 2005, the effect of simple dose herbicides was the smallest on the urease enzyme activity. According to the results the effect of Merlin was positive; the effect of Wing was negative on the soil enzyme’s activity.Regarding the application of four different herbicides in three different doses on the microbiological parameters of soil (at two consecutive years-) in 39% of the treatments has resulted a significant inhibitory effect, 28% of the treatments, however have significant stimulating effect on the parameters measured. More than 50% of the inhibitory effect was measured in case of the Wing, at more than 50% of the Frontier the microbiological parameters have not changed.

We examined the impact of bentonite – the perspective improving material of sandy soils – and treatments of livestock manure composted with bentonite on sandy soils, within the framework of a small-plot experiment.The adjustment of the experiment was made on the Experiment Site of the Nyíregyháza Research Centre of the University of Debrecen, Centre of Agricultural Sciences (UD CAS). We collected soil samples from parcels treated with increasing bentonite doses (5, 10, 15, 20 t/ha) on the one hand, and from the parcels treated with livestock manure composted with increasing doses of bentonite, on the other.We performed laboratory research in the soil microbiology laboratory of the Soil Science Faculty of UD CAS DAS, during which we determined the total number of bacteria, the quantity of microscopic fungi, the number of cellulose-decomposing bacteria, the CO2-production of the soil and the activity of saccharase enzyme.During the evaluation of the examinations, we made a statistical analysis using SPSS 9.0. We determined the average of measurements, the standard deviation of controls, the standard deviation, the significance value and we also performed a correlation analysis.Concerning the impacts of bentonite treatment and the treatment of livestock manure composted with bentonite on the examined microbiological features of sandy soil, we can summarize the following:• Our results prove that the microbiologic activity of the soil has increased owing to the impact of bentonite treatments regarding total number of bacteria and the quantity of microscopic fungi. ”Pure bentonite” treatments – although not significantly in every case – increased these values, but larger doses decreased them. The treatments of livestock manure composted with bentonite resulted in a larger increase regarding both parameters.• The number of cellulose-decomposing bacteria was increased by the low doses of both series, and was decreased by the higher doses. Higher bentonite doses decreased it in a higher – significant – degree than those of treatments of livestock manure composted with bentonite, whose low dose caused salient number of bacteria.• Regarding the carbon-dioxide formation, we have experienced an increase even in the case of low dose treatments (nevertheless, the increase did not prove to be significant), but – similarly to the quantitative changes in the number of cellulose-decomposing bacteria – the large doses of both series of treatment decreased the CO2-production of the soil.• Bentonite also increased the activity of saccharase enzyme significantly. We learned that”pure bentonite” treatments increased the activity of the enzyme to a higher degree than composted treatments. Moreover, it can be stated that the treatments of larger doses of both bentonite and livestock manure composted with bentonite have decreased the enzyme activity – not significantly, though.• Based on the correlation analysis, it can be stated that as an impact of the treatments, the microbiological activity of the soil has also increased with the increase of the number of soil microbes, as in both treatment series we have experienced a tight positive correlation (r=0.81-0.82) between the change of total number of bacteria and the CO2-production of soil. In both treatments, there was a medium correlation between the total number of fungi and soil respiration (r=0.63-0.63). Furthermore, it can be stated that the usage of organic manure had a positive effect on the activity of cellulose-decomposing bacteria, as in this treatment series there was a positive correlation (r=0.65) between this physiological group and CO2-production. Both treatments prosperously impacted the activity of saccharase enzyme, because there was a medium correlation (r=0.62-0.64) between the activity of the enzyme and soil respiration.

In a pot experiment the effect of bentonite and zeolite doses [0; 5; 10; 15 and 20 g·kg soil -1 ] was studied on some chemical properties and ten soil microbiological and enzymological properties of an acidic [pH(H 2 O) = 5.65] humic sandy soil [WRB: Lamellic Arenosol (Dystric)], as well as on the biomass of perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.), as test plant. The pot experiment was set up in 2007 and 2008 at the Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science of the Debrecen University in three replications. The average results of the two year experiment can be summarized as follows: The pH increased due to the effect of small and medium amendment doses. The bentonite treatments proved to be more effective than the zeolite doses. As the pH increased, the hydrolytic acidity – in case of the bentonite treatments significantly – decreased. Concerning the easily available nutrient content of soil, the small and medium amendment doses turned out to be effective. The large bentonite doses reduced the nitrate-N content, the easily available phosphorus and potassium contents of soil. Large dose zeolite treatments decreased the nitrate-N content, but increased both the phosphorus and potassium content of soil, in most cases significantly. Regarding the measured soil microbial parameters, the small and medium amendment doses were the most effective. The bentonite and zeolite treatments increased the biomass of perennial ryegrass, especially the small and medium doses of bentonite and the large dose of zeolite brought about significant increases. According to the statistical analyses moderate and close correlations were found between the parameters studied. In the bentonite treatments a close correlation was established between the aerobic cellulose decomposing bacteria and saccharase enzyme activity (r = 0.864) of soil. In the case of zeolite treatments, a close correlation was found between the number of nitrifying bacteria and microbial biomass C (r = 0.911) of soil.