Seaweed based fertilizer increases abundance of Candidatus nitrosotalea in paddy field soil.

The potential of seaweed, especially Sargassum sp. as raw material for organic fertilizer is promising to overcome several problems in agriculture. In previous research that organic seaweed fertilizer has an effect on increasing the biodiversity of microorganisms in the soil. The same work was also carried out in this study, but the previous study was carried out on a pot scale, while the current study was carried out on a wider rice field scale. The results of this study indicate an increase in the abundance of soil microorganisms as a result of the application of seaweed fertilizer, especially from the Archae group, namely Candidatus nitrosotalea in soils that are given organic seaweed fertilizer, especially in the CFSF2 treatment. These Archae play a role in oxidizing ammonia where ammonia oxidation is an important process in the nitrogen cycle to maintain good soil quality. This is also in line with the grain yields obtained. The area of land used in each treatment was 700 m2 and the total grain weight obtained from each treatment was CF (275.8 kg), CFSF1 (329 kg), and CFSF2 (343.7 kg). Therefore, it is hoped that future agricultural activities will apply green agricultural practices to support the creation of sustainable agriculture and a blue economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]