Abstract
Rock phosphate (RP) is a valuable source of plant available phosphorus (P) however its solubility in alkaline soils is negligible when applied directly. We studied the possibility of solubilizing RP by composting it with municipal solid waste (MSW) and P solubilizing bacteria (PSB). The MSW was composted with 5 and 10% charge rates of RP and/or two PSB strains, viz., Klebsiella pneumonia and Burkholderia cenocepacia for 120 days. These composts treatments were analyzed for total and soluble P contents with fifteen days interval. The compost enriched with 10% of RP and both strains of PSB resulting in the highest total P (2%) and soluble P contents (120 mg kg-1 ) was selected for raising maize in greenhouse conditions. The treatments included 50 and 100% of the recommended dose of P fertilizer (100 kg P2O5 ha-1 ), enriched compost equivalent to 50, 100, 150 and 200% of recommended P rate and a mixture of compost and P-fertilizer (75:25) to supply recommended P rate in soil (25% from P fertilizer and 75% of recommended P from enriched compost). Enriched compost at 200% of recommended P resulted in the highest concentrations of N, P and K (18.2, 7.8 and 162 mg kg–1 , respectively) in soil. Uptake of N, P and K by maize plants was also the highest (2.9, 0.47, 1.72%, respectively) with this treatment. However, the plant height of maize was maximum (61.4 cm) with recommended dose of P fertilizer but statistically at par with higher rates of enriched compost (58.9 cm). The highest fresh weight (123.6 g) and dry weight (32.3 g) of maize plants per pot were obtained from enriched compost at 200% of recommended P followed by full dose of recommended P fertilizer. Combined use of enriched compost (75: 25) gave maize yield (114.8 g) comparable to sole application of P-fertilizer (121.1 g) and enriched compost (123.6 g). Combined application of enriched compost and P-fertilizer in 75:25 ratio proved equally effective by giving yield comparable to higher application rates of both enriched compost and P fertilizer.
Tanveer Iqbal, Ghulam Jilani, M. Rasheed, M. Tariq Siddique, Asim Hayat. (2015) Enrichment of municipal solid waste compost through rock phosphate and phosphorus solublizing bacteria and effect of its application on soil and maize growth, The Journal Soil & Environment , Volume 34, Issue 2.
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