Chemical attributes of an Argisoil of the Vale do São Francisco after melon growth with phosphate and potash rocks biofertilizers

Abstract

Fertilizer application may promote significant changes in soil reaction and on the availability of important nutrients for plants. The utilization of rock biofertilizers is a practical process that reduces energy consumption and increases nutrient availability in soils. In a field experiment, the effect of biofertilizers produced with phosphate and potash rocks plus Acidithiobacillus inoculation were evaluated on the chemical attributes of an Argisoil from the São Francisco Valley, Pernambuco State, Brazil, after melon cultivation. The experiment was arranged in a factorial 3 2 +2 scheme in randomized block design, with four replicates. Two sources of P biofertilizer (PB) and K biofertilizer (KB) were applied in the same doses recommended for simple superphosphate (SS) and potassium chloride (KCl), and in doses which corresponded to two and three times the recommended ones. Additional treatments were carried out (soluble fertilizers (SS) and potassium chloride KCl), applied in the recommended dose, and control treatment with no addition of P and K (P 0 +K 0 )). Biofertilizers reduced soil pH and higher available P and K values were obtained when higher doses of biofertilizers (PB and KB) were applied. Mg content increased when KB biofertilizers were applied in higher rates, probably due to the solubilization of Mg present in the biotite. The rock biofertilizers with Acidithiobacillus may be recommended as an alternative to soluble fertilizers by the residual effect in nutrient availability, especially in sodic soils or in limed acid soils.Keywords: Cucumis melo, Acidithiobacillus, apatite, biotite, available P and K, sulfur oxidation. RESUMO Atributos químicos de um Argissolo do Vale do São Francisco após cultivo de melão com biofertilizantes de rochas fosfatada e potássicaA aplicação de fertilizantes pode promover mudanças na reação do solo e na disponibilidade de nutrientes importantes para as plantas. A produção de biofertilizantes a partir de rochas é um processo prático que reduz o consumo de energia e aumenta a disponibilidade de nutrientes no solo. Em experimento de campo foram avaliados os efeitos de biofertilizantes produzidos com rochas, além do enxofre elementar inoculado com Acidithiobacillus, em atributos químicos de um Argissolo do Vale do São Francisco após cultivo do melão, em comparação com fertilizantes minerais solúveis. Usou-se o fatorial 3 2 +2, em blocos casualizados, com biofertilizante fosfatado (PB) e potássico (KB), em quantidades correspondentes à adição de superfosfato simples (SS) e cloreto de potássio (KCl), o dobro e o triplo da recomendação. Foram usados tratamentos adicionais com SS+KCl na quantidade recomendada e o controle sem adição de P e K (P 0 K 0 ). Os biofertilizantes reduziram o pH do solo, e os teores mais elevados de P e K disponíveis foram obtidos com aplicação de PB e KB nas doses mais elevadas. Os maiores teores de Mg foram obtidos com o biofertilizante KB na dose 240 kg ha -1 , em função da liberação de Mg da biotita. Os biofertilizantes de rochas com P e K...

Nutrient uptake by grape in a Brazilian soil affected by rock biofertilizer

“…Rock biofertilizers from P and K rocks plus sulphur inoculated with Acidithiobacillus have been applied with excellent results in different crops and soils of the rain forest zone and in the semiarid region of the Brazilian Northeast, as reported by Stamford et al, (2006Stamford et al, ( , 2007Stamford et al, ( , 2009), but no literature was found on biofertilizer usage on grapes, or on long-term field cultures.…”

“…These rocks and minerals need to be processed by physical, chemical or biological means to enhance nutrient availability (van Straaten, 2007). Acidithiobacillus is a soil bacterium which is not very abundant in agricultural soils, but is highly efficient in elemental sulphur oxidation to sulfuric acid which can increase nutrient availability from both phosphate and potassium bearing rocks (Stamford et al, 2009). …”

Biological control of the bacterial wilt Ralstonia solanacearum by bioprotector with fungi chitosan from Cunninghamella elegans on tomatoes

“…The results of nutrients in soil especially Mg and P are in accordance with the literature of biofertilizer produced with phosphate and potash rocks. The addition of sulfur inoculated with Acidithiobacillus may be taken to confirm the production of sufficient sulfuric acid by the bacteria to increase P and Mg solubility as previously proposed by Stamford et al (2008Stamford et al ( , 2009. A secondary possibility for causal mechanism is a direct effect of the chitosan as proposed by Kowalski et al (2006) and Goy et al (2009).…”

Optimization of Biofertilizers Enriched in N by Diazotrophic Bacteria

“…The advances in sustainable agriculture introduce new technologies into the systems with the aim to increase available nutrients availability (Stamford et al, 2017). Fertilization is one of the most important factors that affect yield and quality of plant products and furthermore, the increase of available nutrients in soil is necessary for sustainability and to the maximization of the agricultural crop system, especially in tropical soils (Stamford et al 2017(Stamford et al , 2009(Stamford et al , 2008(Stamford et al , 2006. Several studies, carried out with Brazilian soils from different regions showed that the application of the phosphate rock biofertilizer, in comparison with the conventional fertilizers, promotes plant growth with higher shoot dry matter and supply available P and K in the soil, after consecutive plant harvest (Stamford et al 2006(Stamford et al , 2008(Stamford et al and 2016.…”