Biological soil disinfestation compatible with renewable energy production for sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Biological soil disinfestation (BSD) is biotechnology to control soil-borne plant pathogens based on the anaerobic-reducing environment in soil and the functions of indigenous microbes. A new sustainable agricultural technology, the GET system, which produces and recovers methane as renewable energy from paddy fields, has a structure and principles similar to those of BSD technology. To confirm the potential of the GET system as BSD technology, the microbial community structures in the GET system were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Thirty-four phyla were detected: 31 bacterial and 3 archaeal. Firmicutes dominated during the experimental period, which plays an important role in BSD functions such as organic decomposition, nitrate removal, and soil-borne pathogen elimination. The ability of the GET system to control soil-borne pathogens as well as produce renewable energy was demonstrated.