Effective Microorganisms
Effective Microorganisms is also called "EM technology" by the proponents of this
concept. "EM technology" is a scientifically unconfirmed method to improve soil quality
and plant growth using a mixture of microorganisms consisting mainly of lactic acid
bacteria, purple bacteria, and yeasts which co-exist for the benefit of whichever
environment they are introduced. It is reported[1] to include:
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Lactic acid bacteria: Lactobacillus plantarum; L. Casei; Streptococcus Lactis.
Photosynthetic bacteria: Rhodopseudomonas Palustris; Rhodobacter Sphaeroides.
Yeast: Saccharomyces Cerevisiae; Candida Utilis (usually known as Toula, Pichia
Jadinii).
Actinomycetes: Streptomyces Albus; S. Griseus.
Fermenting fungi: Aspergillus oryzae; Mucor Hiemalis.
The concept of ‘effective microorganisms’ was developed by Japanese
agronomist Teruo Higa, from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa
who reported in the 1970s that a combination of approximately 80
different microorganisms is capable to positively influence decomposing
organic matter such that it reverts into a ‘life promoting’ process.
Higa invokes a ‘dominance principle’ to explain the effects of his
‘effective microorganisms’. He claims that there exist three groups of
microorganisms: ‘positive microorganims’ (regeneration), ‘negative
microorganisms’ (decomposition, degeneration), ‘opportunist
microorganisms’. In every medium (soil, water, air, the human
intestine), the ratio of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ microorganisms is
critical, since the opportunist microorganisms follow the trend to
regeneration or degeneration. Therefore, Higa believes that it is
possible to positively influence the given media by supplementing
positive microorganisms.
Applications
EM technology is used to maintain sustainable practices such as farming and sustainable
living, and to support human health and hygiene, animal husbandry, compost and waste
management, disaster clean-up, and generally used to promote functions in natural
communities. EM is employed in the following areas:
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Agriculture for conditioning soil, compost and plant wastes, for improving crop
yield. EM use is intended to produce an improved soil type, a zymogenic soil.
Agriculture: for feeding livestock, for waste treatment, for odor control and pest
management (e.g., flies); EM use is intended to manages odors, improve feed
utilization, improve component health and vitality.
Agriculture: for treating or controlling various fungal diseases or pests of plants.
Lawn maintenance: for treating soil and compost or organic fertilizers, for
preventing fusarium and molds.
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Buildings and architecture: to maintain healthy buildings and building materials
(lumber, concrete, plaster, etc.), to prevent "sick building syndrome" and extend
life of materials.
Deodorizer for barns, waste treatment areas, homes, agricultural and industrial
use.
Household: pets, odor control, treating pet wastes on floors, for shower stalls,
kitchen sinks, dishpans, garbage pails, toilets, drains, sinks, sink drains, and
compost buckets.
Human and animal use: ingestion of a wide range of antioxidative and
regenerative products made from EM, intended as a healthful probiotic and
antioxidant supplement.
Waste treatment
Wastewater treatment
Septic waste treatment
Remediation of polluted or unbalanced waterways
Toxic waste remediation
Preparation of waste biomass material for bio-conversion into fuels such as
biodiesel and others.
EM Technology is also used to make bokashi, EM ceramics, EM salt, fermented
antioxidant brews.
Functions of Beneficial Microorganisms
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Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen
Decomposition of organic wastes and residues
Suppression of soil-borne pathogens
Recycling and increased availability of plant nutrients
Degradation of toxicants including pesticides
Production of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds
Production of simple organic molecules for plant uptake
Complexation of heavy metals to limit plant uptake
Solubilization of insoluble nutrient sources
Production of polysaccharides to improve soil aggregation
Beneficial influences of EM in Agriculture
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Promotes germination, flowering, fruiting and ripening in plants.
Improves physical, chemical and biological environments of the soil and
suppresses soil borne pathogens and pests.
Enhances the photosynthetic capacity of crops.
Ensures better germination and plant establishment
Increases the efficacy of organic matter as fertilizers.
Develops resistance of plants to pests and diseases
Due to the above stated beneficial effects of EM, yields and quality of crops are
enhanced.
EM improves microflora in intestines of animals. It improves the quality of meat. Excreta
from animals treated with EM will have less odor and become a high quality organic
fertilizer. The urine also becomes a high quality liquid fertilizer. The overflow, which
comprises the clear parts of the effluent, will start cleaning the waters when led to the
river, as well as make it healthier for water creatures to grow better. Application of EM
through fermented feed (silaged), adding to drinking water, and spraying inside the
animal barn will reduce bad odor as well as pests such as flies, maggots and ticks. Thus,
the environment of the barns and animal hygiene are improved. Animal health improves,
the stress of animals is decreased. Improvements are seen in egg-laying rate and dairy
production. EM is useful for fish and prawn culture, because it improves water quality.
Specially noted is the high quality of eggs and milk.
EM-X can be used together with EM, eliminating the use of antibiotics and other
medicines altogether. The results of two experiments conducted in Pakistan in which EM
was given to broiler chicks in drinking water with different dilutions showed that EM
increased the weight of the chicks i.e. 25% (Trial A) and 16.2% (Trail B) over control.
Experiments with EM have shown positive results for gardens, bamboo. forestry, fish,
and diary animals as well. EM can convert all kinds of crop residues, farmyard manure,
poultry manure, and sugarcane filter cake or press mud and solid municipal waste into
high quality biofertilizer within 10 days.
EM technology has been widely adopted. Brazil has been focusing on EM as a way of
breaking free from the destructive slash-and-burn farming methods which have grown up
there, and of simultaneously protecting the natural environment of the Amazon Basin. As
a result Brazil is currently the world’s largest consumer of EM. Brazil, its monthly
production capacity being over 700 tons. USA, Canada, China France, Russia, Germany,
Holland, Japan, Australia, Spain, Argentina, Malaysia, Kenya, Syria, Egypt, Pakistan,
India, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines, Denmark, Poland,
South Africa, Sudan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Peru are producing
and using EM in various fields.
Environment and Tourism: The island of Bali in Indonesia is a place of natural beauty
with 1 million foreign and 3 million local tourists visiting each year. To provide for their
food demands, conserve the environment and tackle garbage, the islanders have taken to
EM. Farmers use EM in grape, citrus, vegetable, rice, vanilla and coffee plantations. It is
used in raising poultry, and cattle. Hotels use it in waste water management. Agro-tourist
activities are being considered, to spread the awareness of tourism and establish Bali as
the model island of EM technology.
Automotive Health: EM and EM ceramics not only improve the efficiency of combustion
engines including automobiles, boats, and farm machines, resulting in better fuel mileage
and cleaner emission, but also protect them from aging, such as rusting, resulting in a
longer life. This helps us to reduce the consumption of energy, the pollution from exhaust
gases, and reduce the waste of raw materials.
EM in Specific Crops
Banana: Effective microorganisms are microbial inoculants used in the production of
bokashi, a Japanese term for compost, which when applied in banana plantations could
significantly improve the growth and performance of bananas. EM technology could
considerably control disease-causing nematodes and eliminate malodors in packing and
postharvest facilities. EM has been proven effective in controlling the dreaded black
sigatoka disease in bananas.
Sugarcane: An agriculture farm in Pakistan has achieved higher yield of sugarcane by
using EM technology, sugarcane recovery percentage of EM-treated sugarcane variety
(PR-1000) was 11.5% whereas, the recovery percentage of untreated sugarcane was
8.1%. The yield of sugarcane of em-treated sugarcane were 1900 maunds/acre from 47
acres whereas, the yield of sugarcane of untreated were 1500 maunds/acre from 50 acres.
Oranges: A field experiment was conducted in Brazil in 1993 to evaluate EM interactions
with soil (chemical and physical properties), citrus plants (nutrient content in leaves and
yield) and with mite populations. Results indicate EM treated-plot to be significantly
higher in soil organic matter content, in levels of major nutrients (Ca, Mg, K) and in
C.E.C.. Soil resistance to impact penetrometer tended to be less pronounced in these plots
than in the control. Mite populations were higher in plots with EM sprayed to the foliage.
Yield of oranges was raised by 17% in plots where EM solutions was sprayed both to the
soil and to the foliage. EM treatment if citrus fruit plants in Pakistan showed increased
total soluble sugars, juice contents and average weight of the fruit.
Rice: Research was conducted in Malaysia on the management of several organic sources
including EM, to enhance productivity and as mitigation strategy for methane emission.
The various organic sources complemented with EM not only increased yield by about
10% but also decreased methane emission except with rice straw. In an experiment in
Pakistan, EM caused 18% increase in paddy. In Japan the average yield of rice has been
increased from 540 kg to 840-9000 kg / 1000 m2.
Vegetables: The cucumber plant grown with EM produces 4 – 5 cucumber per node
instead of one. A series of weed and fertility management trials associated with the
commercial production of process peas, onions, beans and sweet corn were established on
organic farms in Canterbury during 1994-1995. The results demonstrate a consistent
positive response with the use of EM in crop production and indicates the potential of this
technology to reduce fertiliser use and increase the yield and quality of crops.
Pepper: The control of pepper fruit antracnose under greenhouse conditions was
evaluated in plants sprayed with Effective Microorganisms (EM) and without EM, but
sprayed with Mancozeb and Benomyl. The fungus Colletotrichum gloesporioides was
inoculated during the flowering period and evaluation was done in the number of fungus
colony recovered from senecescent flowers and number of young and commercial
diseased fruits. After harvest, the shelf life of fruits with and wihout EM was measured.
The results indicated that EM reduced the number of fungus colony recovered from
senescent flowers and the number of young commercial diseased fruits. The shelf life of
harvested fruits was longer with EM treatment.
EM in Specific Farms
An international township in South India took up EM in its agricultural systems. The
following are the findings observed in 2 years:
Compost:
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Compost can be prepared in as fast as 3 weeks, compared to a minimum of 3
months using conventional methods.
The compost is of very good quality. It has a good texture and a pleasant odour.
All waste organic materials in the farm can be used.
Because compost is easy to make with EM there is no more need to buy garbage,
always infested with pathogens, from the city municipality.
Field crops:
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In peanut crops, the biomass increased by 34%
In peanut crops, the density (plant number/square metre) increased by 25%.
In peanut crops, the yield increased by 43%.
In soybeans crops, the biomass increased by 40%.
In soybeans crops, the density increased by 69%.
In groundnut, black gram and green gram crops, the biomass increased 72%.
In groundnut, black gram and green gram crops the density increased 18%.
Rice yields increases in the first year of application.
Maize and sugar cane grew taller by 33%.
Fruits:
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For papayas the income increased by 150%.
Cashew yields increased by 47.5%.
Mango yields increased by 15%
Guava yields doubled.
Fruit orchards were much healthier.
Others:
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Generally, all flower gardens, trees, vegetables, grew faster and were healthier.
Bigger sizes were recorded in sweet potatoes and tapioca.
In seedlings, increment in growth doubled, producing very healthy plants.
Farm production increased.
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Products of higher quality are generally associated with more labour, but with EM
Technology the labor involved is low when it has been standardized.
Farmers increased their incomes, by running their farms with lower expenses.
There was less consumption of water in irrigation systems.
The farm workers attitudes towards EM have been very positive, as they have
realised it can be 100% organic.
Pest Management with EM5 and FPE:
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Black sigatoka in bananas is controlled.
Eriophyd mite in coconuts is controlled.
Rhinoceros beetle in coconuts is controlled.
Tea mosquito bugs, nut borers, leaf miners, webber, leaf folders and flower thrips
in cashews are controlled.
Caterpillars and bugs in vegetables are controlled.
With cow urine included the fungus attack in guavas is eliminated.
With a preparation of fish meal and EM, fungus in mangoes is controlled
In tomatoes and brinjal, bacteria wilt is controlled.
In orchids, virus-bacteria and fungus are controlled.
The most dramatic results were in citrus species affected by Gummosis (Diplodia
natalensis);used together with copper sulfate, all of them recovered from very bad
damage.
Fruit trees affected by Phytophthora nicotianae and Anthracnose (Colletotrichum
gloeosporioides), (two of the most virulent pathogens) are controlled.
During monsoon, fungus attack on human feet is eradicated.
Terminology notes
"Effective Microorganisms" is actually a trademark name for a general type of product
available from a variety of sources. "EM" is commonly used as a generic term for the
concept. Since the mid-1980s, microbial inoculants have also been produced and
distributed internationally by Dr. Higa's students and by SKK (Sekai Kyusei Kyo), and
also by organizations affiliated with SKK, such as INFRC (International Nature Farming
Research) and APNAN (Asia Pacific Natural Agriculture Network).
Because Teruo Higa (and his company EMRO) spread the technology he developed with
the term Effective Microorganisms™, this term is also used by many people to refer to
the general concept (see genericized trademark). Only the trademark is the property of the
company, not the organisms that compose the product. Examples of similar commercial
products are Biosa™ and Efficient Microbes™.
It sometimes becomes problematic and difficult to refer to the concept because of the
trademarks and very often when a new company creates a similar product they give the
concept a new name and trademark it also. Other companies also market similar products,
though because their marketing is not focused as much on the microorganisms, people
often don't associate them with the technology. And companies that also market products
for human use seem to get much more widespread publicity.
Other terms which are sometimes used to refer to the same concept include: "microbial
inoculants", "microbial soil conditioner", "biofertilizer", "compost activator", "soil-based
organisms", "indigenous microorganisms", "beneficial microorganisms", "friendly
microorganisms", "growth-promoting microorganisms" and many others.
The mixture of organisms found in the liquid cultures known as "EM" are often found as
naturally-occurring consortia. The patents on the naturally-occurring consortia appear to
have only been applied for by Dr Higa after 1994, after the technology and methods had
been disseminated to the public via several media and venues.