Effect of Fertilization and Bacterial Inoculation on Nutrient Status in Coal Mine Soil under Alder (Alnus sibirica) Plantation

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the effect of fertilization and nitrogen fixing (N-fixing) bacterial inoculation on the available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), present in the coal mine soil, by growing N-fixing plant species, alder (Alnus sibirica). The study was conducted in a greenhouse of the Forest Science Department, Chungbuk National University, South Korea, during the period of May 2019 to July 2019. A completely randomized design (CRD) comprising of four treatments, including T0—non-fertilized non-inoculation (control), T1—fertilization, T2—bacterial inoculation and T3—fertilization along with bacterial inoculation with three replications were used in the study. The results of the study showed that available N (NH4+-N and NO3−-N) in the coal soil were increased by the applied treatments for alder, as compared to control. Apart from control, difference was also found for increasing ammonium (NH4+-N) between treatments T1 and T3 and for increasing nitrate (NO3−-N) between treatments T1 and T2 and treatments T2 and T3. Available P and K in the soil also increased when NPK fertilizer was applied solely, and together with inoculation to the plants but reduced at other treatments. Therefore, it can be concluded that fertilization and biological N fixation in alder plant can improve the fertility of coal mine soil, and hence, this plant species could be a good option for the reclamation of degraded coal mine soil.

Effect of Fertilization and Bacterial Inoculation on the Growth of Alder (Alnus sibirica) in Coal Mine Soil

“…From the collected strain, a single colony of Frankia was further subcultured and subsequently maintained in liquid defined propionate medium (DPM) until the inoculation of bacterial strain. After 15 days of germination, alder plants were inoculated with 5 mL of a homogenized mycelium suspension of Frankia strain containing 3 μg/ml of total protein in 1/8 strength NH 4 Cl-free Hoagland solution as described previously [14,3].…”

“…The disturbances in coal mine soil properties due to mining activities reduces the land productivity. Reduced productivity of the coal mine spoil causes nutrient scarcity in the soil which can restrict the growth of plants [2,3]. Coal mining also has adverse effects on the nutrient cycle that is crucial for maintaining the sustainability of plant community and healthy ecosystem [4].…”

“…So, bacterial inoculation can be an alternate for reducing chemical fertilizer use during plant growth. However, it is also necessary to apply decent amount of N fertilizer to enhance N fixation and to get maximum growth of plant because plant cannot achieve all its demand for N only through biological nitrogen fixation even under favorable situations [11,3].…”