The study was carried out in Urupema, state of Santa Catarina, to evaluate the effects of conventional and organic apple production systems on soil microbial biomass, soil microbial activity and the relationship between soil microbial biomass attributes and C and N soil contents. The soil under the canopy of 24 plants (0-10 cm) was sampled in a 45 x 54 m grid, in both orchards (conventional and organic), in December 2002 and June 2003, and analyzed for: microbial biomass carbon (MBC), total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), total nitrogen (TN), basal respiration (C-CO2), MBC:TOC and MBN:TN ratios, and metabolic quotient (qCO2). The values of MBC, TOC, and MBC:TOC ratio were higher in the organic than in the conventional orchard on both sampling dates. The attributes of MBN, TN, and MBN:TN ratio were the least sensitive to management systems and sampling dates. Unlike sampling dates, C-CO2 did not differ significantly in the treatments. Highest qCO2 values were found in the conventional orchard.
microbial biomass activity; microbial biomass carbon; microbial biomass nitrogen; organic orchard
