Effect of Thiobacillus, Sulfur and Phosphorus on Population of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria in Soil

آب و خاک

Article 6, Volume 35, Issue 1 - Serial Number 75, March and April 2021, Pages 83-93   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jsw.2021.14974.0

Authors

A. Fallah Nosrat Abad^{* 1}; M. Habibi²

¹Soil and Water Research Institute

²Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University,

Abstract

Introduction: According to WHO and FAO studies, the diseases caused by contaminated foods are of the most widespread threats to human health in developing and developed countries. Therefore, in recent years, researchers have been trying to use soil microorganisms to solve this problem and maintain the health of plants and the environment. Phosphorus after nitrogen, is a major macronutrient in plants which controls the growth, seeding and fruit production and involves in basic biological functions such as cell division, nucleic acids synthesis, photosynthesis and respiration and energy transfer. However, high amount of soluble inorganic phosphate is annually applied to the soil as chemical fertilizer but a large portion of it is immobilized rapidly after application due to phosphate fixation by aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium and soil colloids and becomes unavailable to plants. The use of biological agents especially phosphate solubilizing microorganisms, can play an important role in supplying plant nutrients and improves crop health and productivity without causing any harm in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Bacteria and fungi are the two important groups of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria in soil include Rhizobium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium, Achromobacter, Enterobacter and Burkholderia, and the most important ones i.e., Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas flourescens.
Material and Methods: In order to evaluate the effect of Thiobacillus, sulfur and phosphorus applicationon population of phosphate solubilizing bacteria in soil, a field experiment was conducted at Zarghan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Iran in a factorial, based on complete randomized block design with 3 replications. Treatments consisted of three levels of sulfur fertilizer with biofertilizer containing Thiobacillus bacteria (without sulfur and biofertilizer containing Thiobacillus (S0), application of 500 kg S + 10 kg biofertilizer containing Thiobacillus (S1), 1000 kg S + 20 kg biofertilizer containing Thiobacillus (S2) and 2000 kg S + 40 kg biofertilizer containing Thiobacillus (S3) per hectare), three levels of triple super phosphate (without phosphorus (P0), 100% (P1) and 65% (P2) percent phosphorus recommended based on the soil test) in two corn planted and not planted states. After harvesting, 72 soil samples were collected from each plot and transferred to the biology laboratory of soil and water research institute of Karaj. Soil samples were stored in sterile conditions at 4^◦C. In order to isolate phosphate solubilizing bacteria, 10 gram of soil from each sample was suspended in 90 ml of sterilized water to make 1:10 dilution. Then, series of dilution were made (10¹ – 10⁷) and 0.1 ml of suspensions of the diluted soil sample were transferred to petri dishes containing pikovskaya medium and incubated at 28- 30˚C. To identify PSP from halos surrounding characterized colonies was used and counting was performed 1-14 days after cultivation. The colonies were isolated on the basis morphological characteristics such as shape, color and size and then purified by linear culture. Finally, 60 strains were purified that were used to compare phosphate solubilizing capability.
Results and Discussion: The results of this study showed that the main and interaction effects of sulfur fertilizer and biofertilizer treatments of Thiobacillus, phosphorus and plants on the population of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (cells per gram of dry soil) in Pikovskaya medium were significant at 0.01 level probability. The highest population of bacteria was obtained at the lowest level (S1).  Increasing the level of sulfur fertilizer and Thiobacillus biofertilizer decreased the population of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and the highest level of sulfur and Thiobacillus biofertilizer led to the lowest bacterial population. Also, the study of phosphorus application on the bacterial population showed that phosphorus fertilizer at both levels significantly increased the bacterial population compared to the control (no application phosphorus). The best fertilizer treatment for phosphorus application was P1 which had the greatest effect on bacterial population compared to P2 treatment in Pikovskaya environment. In this experiment, the population of bacteria in corn planted conditions was higher than in non-planted conditions and this population increase was observed in almost all different levels of sulfur and phosphorus fertilizers. The highest bacterial population was observed in combined treatment of S1P2 under corn planted conditions. The results of microscopic, physiological and biochemical tests of the strains showed that all 60 bacterial strains were capable to form clear zone in Pikovskaya medium. Among them, 15 strains (7, 3, 2 and 3 strains belonging to Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas fluorescent, respectively) had higher phosphate solubility than the others.

Keywords

Corn; Phosphate solubilizing bacteria; Phosphorus; Sulfur; Thiobasillus

References

 

1- Batool S., and Iqbal A. 2018. Phosphate solubilizing rhizobacteria as alternative of chemical fertilizer for growth and yield of Triticum aestivum (Var. Galaxy 2013). Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 2018: 1-11.

2- Besharati H., Khosravi H., Khavazi K., Ziaeian A., Mirzashahi K., Ghaderi J., Zabihi H.R., Mostashari M., Sabah A., and Rashidi N. 2018. Effects of biological oxidation of sulfur on soil properties and nutrient availability in some soils of Iran. Journal of Soil Research 31(3): 393-404. (In Persian with English abstract)

3- Bouranis D.L., Venieraki A., Chorianopoulou S.N., and Katinakis P. 2019. Impact of elemental sulfur on the rhizospheric bacteria of durum Wheat crop cultivated on a calcareous Soil. Plants 8: 1-21.

4- Chen Y.P., Rekha P.D., Arunshen A.B., Lai W.A., and Young C.C. 2006. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria from subtropical soil and their tricalcium phosphate solubilizing abilities. Applied Soil Ecology 34: 33-41.

5- Dabaghian Z., Pirdashti H., Abasian A., and Bahari Saravi S.H. 2014. The effect of biofertilizers, Thiobacillus, Azotobacter, Azospirillum and organic sulfur on nodulation process and yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). Agronomy Journal 107: 17-25. (In Persian with English abstract)

6- Dawwam G.E., Elbeltagy A., Emara H.M., Abbas I.H., and Hassan M.M. 2013. Beneficial effect of plant growth promoting bacteria isolated from the roots of potato plant. Annals of Agricultural Science 58(2): 195-201.

7- Ekin Z. 2010. Performance of phosphate solubilizing bacteria for improving growth and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in the presence of phosphorus fertilizer. African Journal of Biotechnology 9(25): 3794-3800.

8- El-Komy H.M.A. 2005. Co-immobilization of Azospirillum lipoferum and Bacillus megaterium for successful phosphorus and nitrogen nutrition of wheat plants. Food Technol. Biotechnol 43(1): 19-27.

9- Fallah A. 2006. Abundance and distribution of phosphate solubilizing bacteria and fungi in some soil samples from north of Iran. 18^th World Congress of Soil Science, July 9-15, 2006, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

10- Ghodsalavi B., Soleimani M., Ahmadzade M., and Soleimani S. 2014. Phosphate dissolution potential and symbiotic efficiency of bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere Valerian medicinal plant. Science and Techniques of Greenhouse Culture 4(13): 61-71. (In Persian with English abstract)

11- Gull M., Hafeez F.Y., Saleem M., and Malik K.A. 2004. Phosphorus uptake and growth Promotion of chickpea by co-inoculation of mineral phosphate solubilizing bacteria and a mixed rhizobial culture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44: 623-628.

12- Karimian N. 2009. Consequences of excessive consumption of phosphate fertilizers. Journal of Soil and Water Sciences 12: 1-12. (In Persian with English abstract)

13- Khavazi K., Jahandideh Mahjen Abadi V.A., and Taghipoor F. 2018. Effect of Sulfur, Thiobacillus bacteria and phosphorus on the yield and nutrient elements uptake of wheat in calcareous soil.Journal of Soil Management and Sustainable 8(2): 23-41. (In Persian with English abstract)

14- Khan A.A., Jilani G., Akhtar M.S., Saqlan Naqvi S.M., and Rasheed M. 2009. Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria: occurrence, mechanisms and their role in crop production. Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science 1(1): 48-58.

15- Malakooti M.G., Keshavarz P., and Karimian N.A. 2005. Comprehensive method of diagnosis and optimal recommendation of fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. Tarbiat Modarres University Press, Tehran.

16- Mashayekhi P., and Solhi M. 2010. Perspective of fertilizer consumption in Iran and the world. P. 26- 33. 1^th congress of fertilizer challenges in Iran: Half century of fertilizer consumption. 10-12 March. 2010 Tehran, Iran.

17- Nelson R.E. 1982. Carbonate and Gypsum. In: A.L. Page (Eds.), Methods of Soil Analysis. Part2. American Society of Agronomy, Inc. Madison, Wisconsin. USA, 45-75.

18- Pérez E., Sulbarán M., Ball M.M., and Yarzabál L.A. 2007. Isolation and characterization of mineral phosphate-solubilizing bacteria naturally colonizing a limonitic crust in the southeastern Venezuelan region. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 39(11): 2905-2914.

19- Pereira S.I.A., and Castro P.M.L. 2014. Phosphate-solubilizing rhizobacteria enhance Zea mays growth in agricultural P-deficient soils. Ecological Engineering 73: 526-535.

20- Pikovskaya R.I. 1948. Mobilization of phosphorus in soil in connection with the vital activity of some microbial species. Mikrobiologiya17: 362-370

21- Puente M., and Bashan Y. 2004. Microbial populations and activities in the rhizoplane of rock- weathering desert plants. Growth promotion of cactus seedlings. Plant Biology 6: 643-650

22- Rodrıguez H., and Fraga R. 1999. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria and their role in plant growth promotion. Biotechnology Advances 17: 319–339.

23- Sadeghipour Marvi M., Pourbabaee A.A., Alikhani H.A., Haidari A., and Manafi Z. 2017. Isolation and identification of sulfur oxidizing bacteria in agricultural soil and evaluating sulfur oxidation yield. Biological Journal of Microorganism 6(22): 113-125. (In Persian with English abstract)

24- Salimpour S., Khavazi K., Nadian H., Besharati H., and Miransari M. 2010. Enhancing phosphorous availability to canola (Brassica napus L.) using P solubilizing and sulfur oxidizing bacteria. Australian Journal Crop Science 4(5): 330-334.

25- Sarikhani M.R., Malboobi M.A., and Ebrahimi M. 2015. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria: Isolation of bacteria and phosphate solubilizing genes, mechanism and genetics of phosphate solubilization. Journal of Agriculture Biotechnology 6(1): 75-110. (In Persian with English abstract)

26- Saha N., and Biswas S. 2009. Mineral phosphate solubilizing bacterial community in agro-ecosystem. African Journal of Biotechnology 8(24): 6863-6870.

27- Sundra B., Natarajan V., and Hari K. 2002. Influence of Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria of chenges in soil available phosphorus and sugarcane and suger yield. Field Crops Research 43-49.

28- Tashakori Fard E., Pirdashti H., and Taghavi Ghasemkhili F. 2010. The importance and position of fertilizers in traditional and sustainable agriculture in Iran and the world. P. 39-47. 1^th congress of fertilizer challenges in Iran: Half century of fertilizer consumption. 10-12 March. 2010 Tehran, Iran.

29- Vazquez P., Holguin G., Puente M.E., Lopez-Cortes A., and Bashan Y. 2000. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms associated with the rhizosphere of mangroves in a semiarid coastal lagoon. Biology and Fertility of Soils 30: 460-468.

30- Walkly A., and Black I.A. 1934. An examination of the degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37: 29-38.

31- Westerman R.E.L. 1990. Soil testing and plant analysis. Soil Science Society of America.

32- Whitelaw M.A., Harden T.J., and Bender G.L. 1997. Plant growth promotin of wheat inoculated with Penicillium radicum sp. Australian Journal of Soil Research 35: 291-300.

33- Yazdani M., Pirdashti H., Esmaili M.A., and Bahmanyar M.A. 2011. Effect of inoculation phosphate solubilization microorganisms (PSM) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on nutrient use efficiency in corn (Zea mays L.) cultivation. 3(2): 65-80. (In Persian with English abstract)