Long-term use of AMALGEROL improved soil bacteria and soil conditions in carrot field

The Inn valley in Tyrol is among the most important regions for vegetable production in Austria. Two adjacent vegetable fields, frequently used for carrot production, were compared in this trial concerning their soil conditions. One field has been treated with AMALGEROL for several years, the farmer is a convinced AMALGEROL-user. The neighbouring field has never been treated with AMALGEROL.

In 2015, we assessed the soil conditions of both fields with a penetrologger. With this tool it is possible to measure the resistance of the soil, or in other words how easy it is to penetrate. It became very clear, that the AMALGEROL-treated soil was loose, much easier to enter than the untreated soil (Fig. 3). The soil was also easier to penetrate for the carrots, they grew much longer without the resistance (Fig. 2).

In addition, we took soil samples from both fields and had them analysed with a metagenomics method. With this method we got a species profile of the soil bacteria including the abundance (quantity) of each species. In fact, there were 150 % more soil bacteria in the AMALGEROL-treated soil (Fig. 4).  

+ better soil, longer carrots in the AMALGEROL soil

+ 150 % more soil bacteria in the AMALGEROL soil

Fig 1. Carrot fields in Kematen, Tyrol. Left: carrot field without AMALGEROL treatment, Right: with long-term AMALGEROL use.

Fig 2. The carrots on the left grew on the untreated field and show a somewhat compressed tip. The carrots on the right grew in the long-term AMALGEROL-treated soil and are well developed and significantly longer.

Fig 3. Soil profiles of the penetrologger of the untreated field (gray) and the long-term AMALGEROL-treated field (green). This tool measures the soil resistance, i.e. how easy the soil is to penetrate. The AMALGEROL soil is much easier to penetrate, particularly in the upper 20 cm where the carrots grow.

Fig 4. Abundance (quantity) of soil bacteria in the untreated soil (gray) and the long-term AMALGEROL-treated soil (green). Many soil bacteria are more abundant in the AMALGEROL-soil. The overall abundance is 150 % higher in the AMALGEROL-treated soil.