Plant and soil characteristics affected by biofertilizers from rocks and organic matter inoculated with diazotrophic bacteria and fungi that produce chitosan

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mixed biofertilizer with phosphate and potash rocks (PK biofertilizer) combined with an earthworm compound inoculated with free living diazotrophic bacteria and Cunninghamella elegans, fungi that produces chitosan, on cowpea nodulation, biomass yield and nutrient uptake. The effects of some chemical attributes from an acidic soil of the Brazilian Northeast were also studied. The treatments were as follows: a) biofertilizer enriched in N by free living diazotrophic bacteria(NPKB), applying crustaceous chitosan (ChCru) at a rate 2 mg mL -1 ; b) NPKB and ChCru at a rate 4 mg mL -1 ; c) NPKB and ChCru at a rate 6 mg mL -1 ; d) NPKB and fungi chitosan (ChFu, 2 mg mL -1); e) NPKB+C. elegans (NPKP); f) NPKB without chitosan; g) mineral fertilizers (NPKF); and h) control without NPK fertilizer and chitosan. Biofertilizer treatments increased cowpea nodules biomass, shoot biomass, and total N, P, and K in the shoots. The largest increase was obtained with ChCru, and the highest rate was obtained with NPKP. Furthermore, biofertilizers reduced soil pH and increased the total N and available P and K. These results reveal the potential of rock biofertilizer mixed with earthworm compound inoculated with free living diazotrophic bacteria and C. elegans (fungi chitosan) for plant production and nutrient uptake. The biofertilizer may be an alternative for NPK fertilization that slows the release of nutrients, favoring longterm soil fertility.

Effect of Organic Inputs on Strength and Stability of Soil Aggregates Associated Organic Carbon Concentration under Rice-Wheat Rotation in Indo-Gangetic Plain Zone of India

“…The microbial activity was found more on residue retained plots (Mandal et al, 2004) so that soil organic carbon level increased with the residue retention (Duiker and Lal, 1999). Berger et al, (2013) enumerated the effectiveness of a mixed biofertilizer (phosphate and potash rocks + earthworm compound + free living diazotrophic bacteria and Cunninghamella elegans) on increased nodulation and yield in cowpea.…”

Functional Diversity of Soil Bacteria from Organic Agro Ecosystem

“…Thus organic farming offers promise of achieving ecological, economic and social stability in food production system. Singh et al, 2015), favoring long term soil fertility (Berger et al, 2013;Bhardwaj et al, 2014), plant tolerance and crop productivity (Bhardwaj et al, 2014), supports and strengthens productive and sustainable soil biological processes (Mader et al, 2002) and emphasizes on soil-building programmes (Abraham, 2011). Applications of biofertilizers and manure compost in organic farming system influences structure and function of soil microbial community (Marschner et al, 2003;Chu et al, 2007;Gu et al, 2009;Zhen et al, 2014;Singh et al, 2015) and the importance of microorganisms in the maintenance of quality and productivity of agricultural soils is unquestionable.…”

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

“…Hayward (1994) reported that several factors influence the success of infection promoted by R. solanacearum bacteria, and the most important is cultural practice, especially fertilization. Berger et al (2013) observed the A2 A1 A effects of fungi chitosan in the activity of some enzymes and on growth of cowpea plants, in a table land soil from the Brazilian Northeast, rainforest region with low content in P and K nutrients, applying fungi chitosan and biofertilizer (NPKP), although, in the study, symptoms of disease (Fusarium oxysporum) were not observed in cowpea plants supplied with soluble fertilizer (NPKF).…”

“…Chitosan from crustaceous has been frequently used in assays to increase resistance against plant pathogens (Berger et al, 2013), while at the same time, it has greater chelating properties as compared to other natural biopolymers, and can release nutrients to the environment (Boonlertnirun et al, 2008;Goy et al, 2009). On the other hand, chitosan from fungi biomass, as compared to that from crustaceous sources, is independent of seasonal factors, and allows simultaneous extraction of chitin and chitosan (Franco et al, 2004).…”