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2026 Vol.59, Issue 1 Preview Page

Short communication

Changes in soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass carbon by fertilization method during open-field ginger cultivation
Eun-Su Song1
,
Seung-Beom Lee1
,
Jeong-Woo Son2
,
Kyung-Hwa Han3
,
Jin-Hyeob Kwak4*
1Master’s Student, Department of Rural Construction Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
2Researcher, Division of Soil and Water Environment, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Wanju 55635, Korea
3Head, Soil water Biolab, Wanju 55365, Korea
4Associate professor, Department of Rural Construction Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2026. pp. 121-129
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Abstract

While fertilizer application is known to affect soil biota, comparative studies on the effects of different fertilization methods, such as conventional chemical fertilizer (CF) and surface drip fertigation (SDF), are not well studied. Therefore, this study evaluated changes in soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and the activities of three soil enzymes (β-1,4-glucosidase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase) under control, MF, and SDF treatments in an open-field ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) cultivation. Soil samples were collected 61 days (early growth) and 179 days (harvest) after ginger transplanting (DAT). Results showed no statistically significant differences in MBC and the three enzyme activities at either the early growth (61 DAT) or harvest (179 DAT) stages between the CF and SDF methods. However, at harvest (179 DAT), all three enzyme activities were significantly higher in the unfertilized control than in the MF and SDF treatments. This suggests that the distinct effects of fertilization methods on MBC and enzyme activities may be offset by the time elapsed between application and sampling. Furthermore, the low nutrient availability in the control plot appears to have stimulated microbial nutrient acquisition, thereby promoting enzyme production.

While the fertilization method (conventional vs. fertigation) did not significantly affect soil microbial biomass or enzyme activity, the unfertilized control plot showed significantly higher enzyme activity at harvest (179 DAT).
Keywords
Chemical fertilizer
Enzyme activity
Fertigation
Ginger
Microbial biomass
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
  • Volume : 59
  • No :1
  • Pages :121-129
  • Received Date : 2025-11-01
  • Revised Date : 2025-11-25
  • Accepted Date : 2025-11-25
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2026.59.1.121
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