Effects Of Dung Beetle On Growth,and Metabolite Contents Of Bok Choy And Improvement In Soil Conditions

The role of dung beetles has been extensively reported in successful plant growth,soil quality improvement,as well as soil reclamation.Still,its effects on plant physiology and metabolism are seldom reported.This research evaluates the dung beetle's(Catharsius molossus L.)effects on the growth and the metabolite content of bok choy(Brassica chinensis)and subsequent improvement in soil physicochemical properties.A six months pot experiment was carried out on silty-clay type soil which contained three soil-applied amendment groups,i.e.dung + beetles,cow dung,and control(unamended).Various soil and plant-related parameters were measured with UV,SEM,EDS,etc.using standard methods.Results showed that the dung+beetles group improved soil nutrient status including:nitrogen,phosphorous,potassium,magnesium,and calcium and drastically decreased soil density,p H,and electrical conductivity compared with the cow dung and control groups.The results in general,D+B group increased enzyme activities in treated soils,in comparison with soils with CD and control group.The acid phosphatase,urease,cellulase,catalase,and?-glucosidase activities were significantly higher in D+B group as compared to CD and control group.Microbial biomass C and N significantly increase in D+B and CD group as compared to control.D+B also significantly higher than CD treated soil.C: N ratio showed significant difference between groups.D+B and CD results are more significant than control.PCo A was used to identify the amended soil bacterial community structure in all samples,which revealed significant differences in bacterial communities among the blank control(ck),and dung beetle(DB)and Cow dung(CD)treatments.Dung beetle showed higher variation with respect to other treatments.Microbial community structure in dung beetle showed an increase in abundance of family and class level when compared with CD and control.While CD also was significantly higher than control,but lower than DB group.Plants under dung+beetles and cow dung amended soil significantly increased total leaf sugar,vitamin C,polyphenols,total protein,and amino acids compared with control plants.A significant increase in IAA,GA3,and ZR,while a significant decrease in ABA was also noted in the dung+beetles and cow dung group,as compared to the control.Furthermore,dung+beetles applications significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,and chlorophyll content when compared to the cow dung and control group.It is concluded that dung+beetles have significantly enhanced the growth,physiological process,and metabolite contents of bok choy.Application of this amendment can be an effective and sustainable strategy to improve crop yields and nutrient status.