Effect of Thiobacillus, sulfur, and vermicompost on the water-soluble phosphorus of hard rock phosphate

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2010, Vol.101 (2), p.551-554
• Main Authors: Aria, Marzieh Mohammady, Lakzian, Amir, Haghnia, Gholam Hosain, Berenji, Ali Reza, Besharati, Hosein, Fotovat, Amir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; fertilizer application; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; nutrient availability; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; phosphorus; Phosphorus - chemistry; phosphorus fertilizers; Rock phosphate; Soil; soil amendments; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Solubility; Sulfate; sulfates; Sulfur; Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria; Thiobacillus; Thiobacillus - metabolism; Thiobacillus thiooxidans; vermicomposts; Water - chemistry; Water-soluble phosphorus
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.07.093

Sulfur, organic matter, and inoculation with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are considered as amendments to increase the availability of phosphorus from rock phosphate. The present study was conducted to evaluate the best combination of sulfur, vermicompost, and Thiobacillus thiooxidans inoculation with rock phosphate from Yazd province for direct application to agricultural lands in Iran. For such study, an experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement: Elemental sulfur originated from Sarakhs mine at three rates, 0% (S1), 10% (S2), 20% (S3), vermicompost at two rates, 0% (V1), 15% (V2), and inoculation without (B1) and with (B2) T. thiooxidans, in three replications. The results showed that water-soluble phosphorus (WSP) content was significantly higher in inoculated treatments compared to non-inoculated treatments. Sulfur had a significant effect on WSP. The highest solubility rate of rock phosphate was obtained in 20% of sulfur (S3) treatments and it was 2.4 times more than S1 treatments. Vermicompost also had a significant and positive effect on WSP of rock phosphate dissolution. The results also revealed that the highest concentration of WSP, sulfate and the lowest pH were obtained in treatments with 20% sulfur, 15% vermicompost inoculated with T. thiooxidans (B2S3V2).