Reducing carbon: phosphorus ratio can enhance microbial phytin mineralization and lessen competition with maize for phosphorus
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: We tested the hypothesis that reducing the carbon (C):Phosphorus (P) ratio in rhizosphere soil would reduce bacterial competition with the plant for P from phytin, which would then increase phytin use efficiency for the plant. A three-factor pot experiment was carried out to study the effect of inoculation with a phytin-mineralizing bacterium, Pseudomonas alcaligenes (PA), on maize P uptake from phytin. Two levels of organic P, two levels of inorganic P, and three different PA inoculation treatments were used. When maize plants were grown in low available P soil with phytin, PA transformed soil P into microbial biomass P, which caused competition for available P with plant and inhibited plant uptake. When 5 mg P kg−1 as KH2PO4 was added, inoculation with PA increased soil acid phosphatase activity which enhanced the mineralization rate of phytin. PA mobilized more P than it immobilized in microbial pool and enhanced plant P uptake. We conclude that the decreased C:P ratio by adding small amount of inorganic P in the rhizosphere could drive phytin mineralization by the bacteria and improve plant P nutrition.
Source: Journal of Plant Interactions
Language: English
Topic: Phytase and its Applications
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,306
OpenAlex ID: W2008367883