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Horn manure (Preparation 500) is a product used in the practice of biodynamic agriculture. It is obtained by an underground fermentation of cow fecal material incubated in cow horns for several months. The product is used as spray treatment meant to increase soil fertility. In the present report, we analyzed the successional changes in bacterial and fungal communities throughout the process of horn manure maturation by high throughput sequencing of ribosomal 16S (bacterial) and ITS (fungal) gene markers. Marked shifts in the microbial community were seen involving a general decrease from a Firmicutes-dominated material to a product transiently enriched in Proteobacteria and later in Actinobacteria, mostly within the Nocardioidaceae family. In the fungal community evolution, the most abundant taxon in the starting fecal material resulted a member of the Onygenales order, known to specifically degrade keratin. Its abundance in the intestine is explained by the fact that keratin, which is also the structural component of hairs and horns, is found in all epithelial layers, including gut mucosae. This occurrence suggests a link of enzymatic/catabolic nature between manure and horn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Food quality of agricultural crops depends on environmental conditions, production system and cultivation method. A plant-based nutrition with food rich in vitamins, minerals and secondary plant compounds with antioxidative properties promotes human health. This investigation was inspired by an increasing global issue on how to improve product quality while using alternative preparations. The main aim of a 3-year study was to investigate the influence of fermented manure and silica products on yield and nutritive components in peel, fruit and seeds of three pumpkin cultivars. In four replicates as block design, the effects of individually as well as combined application of biodynamic horn manure and horn silica preparation were compared to a control variant. Results Horn manure application significantly increased total and marketable yield. Marketable yield, contents of macroelements, total carotenoids, single carotenoids (lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene, ß-carotene) and antioxidants (catechins, total phenols, leuco-anthocyanins) were significantly increased by horn silica use. The combination of both biodynamic preparations had a significantly increasing effect on total and marketable yield, net photosynthetic productivity, dry matter content and total and single carotenoid contents (lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene, ß-carotene). Conclusions The pumpkin trial results indicated a general growth-promoting effect by horn manure, a quality-enhancing effect by horn silica and a compensatory effect through both preparations on a high qualitative level. In accordance with other investigations, these effects did not occur in the same way in all plant species. Therefore, the effects of the biodynamic preparations should be tested in further trials on a plant species-specific basis. Graphic abstract

Background: Food quality of agricultural crops depends on environmental conditions, production system and cultivation method. A plant-based nutrition with food rich in vitamins, minerals and secondary plant compounds with antioxidative properties promotes human health. This investigation was inspired by an increasing global issue on how to improve product quality while using alternative preparations. The main aim of a 3-year study was to investigate the influence of fermented manure and silica products on yield and nutritive components in peel, fruit and seeds of three pumpkin cultivars. In four replicates as block design, the effects of individually as well as combined application of biodynamic horn manure and horn silica preparation were compared to a control variant. Results: Horn manure application significantly increased total and marketable yield. Marketable yield, contents of macroelements, total carotenoids, single carotenoids (lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene, ß-carotene) and antioxidants (catechins, total phenols, leuco-anthocyanins) were significantly increased by horn silica use. The combination of both biodynamic preparations had a significantly increasing effect on total and marketable yield, net photosynthetic productivity, dry matter content and total and single carotenoid contents (lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene, ß-carotene). Conclusions: The pumpkin trial results indicated a general growth-promoting effect by horn manure, a quality-enhancing effect by horn silica and a compensatory effect through both preparations on a high qualitative level. In accordance with other investigations, these effects did not occur in the same way in all plant species. Therefore, the effects of the biodynamic preparations should be tested in further trials on a plant species-specific basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An on-vineyard approach was used to investigate effects of the biodynamic preparations horn manure and horn silica (BD) on the soil structure in five vineyards on different bedrocks and that had been under organic management for different time periods. The underlying hypothesis was that the effects of the biodynamic preparations increase aggregate stability and improve soil structure. The results showed that soil aggregate stability during wet sieving was not different in the treatment with biodynamic preparations (BD+), compared with that without preparations (BD-). Based on visual evaluation (VESS), improvements in soil structure in the BD+ treatment, compared with BD-, were not significant for macropores/biopores, drop test topsoil or subsoil colour, but significant improvements were observed in drop test subsoil (p = 0.009), topsoil colour (p < 0.000), root penetration (p = 0. 017), structure of surface (stable aggregates, little encrustation, p = 0.006), structure of topsoil (p = 0.030), structure of subsoil (p < 0.000) and the colour change from topsoil to subsoil was at a greater depth (p = 0.049). Based on previously reported results showing significant changes in the microbial activity in soil from the BD+ treatment, using the same soil samples, it was thought possible that the observed differences in soil structure between BD+ and BD- were linked to the differences in the microbial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An on-vineyard approach was used to investigate the effects of biodynamic (BD) preparations on soil microbial biomass and microbial functional diversity in five vineyards on calcareous bedrocks under organic management. The vineyards formed two groups according to soil type; Cambic Leptosols (A1, A2, and B) and Calcaric Leptosols (C1, C2) as well as two groups according to duration of BD application; 16 years (A1 and A2) and 1–3 years (B, C1, and C2). The two Calcaric Leptosols contained on average 65% more microbial biomass C, 110% more microbial biomass N, 70% more ergosterol and exhibited a 45% higher basal respiration rate than the three Cambic Leptosols. The vineyards had, on average, 11% lower MB-C:N ratios in the treatments with the BD addition (BD+) than in those without (BD-). Most substrates induced the highest respiratory responses at vineyards A1 and A2 and the lowest at vineyard C2. Averaging the 17 substrates of the multi-substrate-induced respiration (MSIR) approach, the mean respiratory response was approximately 20% lower in the BD+ treatment at vineyard A1 in comparison with the BD- treatment, but 33% higher at vineyard C2. The differences between the BD treatments in the induced respiration rate for individual substrates were significant for 12 substrates at vineyard A1 and for 5 substrates at vineyard C2. The lower the respiratory response, the higher was the anabolic demand for a specific MSIR substrate. More vineyards should be analysed to differentiate between the effects of soil type and duration of BD application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]