Efecto de la actividad microbiana en la biotransformación de hojas de aguacate (Persea americana) en el sector Tunga del Cantón Patate

Abstract

The decomposition of avocado leaves is a natural process that can significantly influence the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Microbial activity plays a fundamental role in this process, as various microorganisms present in agricultural biological products, such as decomposing bacteria and fungi, can accelerate the degradation of organic matter and facilitate the mineralization of these nutrients. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of microbial activity on avocado (Persea americana) leaves in the Tunga sector of the Patate Canton. The experiment was carried out on 16-year-old avocado trees planted in the Tunga sector of the Patate Canton, with rows spaced eight meters apart. The biological decomposers Actimax Compost and Digestor SC were applied to the organic material (avocado leaf litter). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, and Tukey's test at the 5% significance level was conducted for the sources of variation that were found to be significant. Field data were processed using Statistic 10 software. The results show that the treatments used significantly enhanced the decomposition process of Persea americana leaves, especially when applied every 15 days, compared to the control, which exhibited lower microbiological activity and less efficient avocado leaf degradation. The applied products stood out as efficient, achieving the highest temperatures and lowest C/N ratio during the process, indicating optimal conditions for microbial activity and greater intensity in the degradation of organic matter