| dc.description.abstract | Latosol that is found widespread in Indonesia, has characteristics such as it contains much aluminium and Iron oxides, deficient in plant nutrients due to excessive leaching, reddish in color, horizons in the soil profile are not distinct and deep solumn (over 150 cm). Soil conditioner has an important role in improving soil phyical properties such as stimulating granulation, soil aeration and water holding capacity. Soil conditioner from rice straw compost could also enhance beneficial microbial population and their activity, such as nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilzers and cellullose decomposers. Organic matter accumulation, nutrient cycles and the formation of stable soil structure are strongly influenced by soil organism activities. Thus, the use of soil conditioner on Latosols is expected to improved the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. This research aims 1) to evaluate the microbial (bacteria and fungi) population in soils incubated by soil conditioner made from rice straw compost, 2) to study the relationship between microbial population and some soil physical properties (aggregate stability and soil moisture). The experiment was arranged using completely randomized designed with two factors i.e. 1) the treatment of soil conditioners (with and without soil conditioner) and 2) incubation time (2 and 6 months). The treatment was replicated three times, thus resulted in 12 experimental units. The result showed that soil conditioner significantly increased soil moisture content, compared to the control. After six months incubation, soil conditioner had no effect yet on the soil aggregate stability and soil microbial population, compared to the control | en |
