Study: The solubilization of phosphate as a new biological alternative
The soil is a natural body that covers most of the earth's surface and has the right conditions so that there is a great microbial diversity capable of carrying out processes that help sustain it. It is made up of rocks and layers of other elements such as humus, clay and sand, where most of the microbial life cycles develop. Among the functions of the soil are acting as a regulator of the water cycle, with the ability to retain substances and promote perspiration through the surface. These conditions in the soil make possible the presence of different microorganisms that, due to the metabolic functions they fulfill, increase the amount of nutrients assimilable to the plant, strengthen the symbiotic relationship with the root of the plant and thus facilitate plant growth.
Lucía Constanza Corrales Ramírez, Research Professor at the Universidad Mayor de Cundinamarca, Colombia, investigated phosphate solubilization as an important microbial function in plant development.
The solubilization of phosphates is one of the functions that has become a subject of research due to its importance for agriculture. Among the bacterial genera that have this quality stand out Bacillus sp, Stenotrophomonas sp, Burkholderia sp, among others. The presence of these bacteria in the soil increases the amount of different ions, one of these is phosphorus which, when hydrolyzed with enzymes, facilitates the mobility of this element in the soil and transforms it into an accessible compound for the plant.
Phosphorus is one of the vital elements for plant development and one of the essential requirements for the growth and functioning of the plant because it is involved in the development of the root and grain, and fulfills functions in cellular energy metabolism and in Photosynthesis processes, however, are found in low availability in the earth's crust because mobility in the soil is restricted, in such a way that the plant absorbs the element from its specific environment in minimal quantities.
The cycle
Inorganic phosphorus is represented by the phosphorus present in primary minerals such as apatite, hydroxyapatite and oxyapatite, this is not assimilable by plants because it is insoluble, so it performs exchange processes at a very slow speed. The main forms of organic phosphorus are inositol phosphate, nucleic acids and phospholipids. It is found mainly in plant and animal remains, is degraded by microorganisms present in the soil, these hydrolyse organic phosphorus by enzymes, releasing phosphate, which is assimilable by plants.
The cycle begins with the dissolved phosphate ions, the plants absorb it through their roots and distribute it in all the cells. The animals acquire it by ingesting the vegetables. When the plants and animals die through their excreta they release insoluble phosphorus and the bacteria that solubilize phosphate transform the phosphorus into dissolved inorganic phosphates. A part of them are dragged into the sea, those that descend to the bottom and form rocks, the other part of these phosphates are taken by seaweed, seabirds and fish. Finally they are ingested by human beings with what the cycle is completed.
The Colombian researcher's study suggests that the oxidation pathway system for the metabolism of glucose dehydrogenase can be genetically manipulated by transferring the coding genes to other microorganisms so that they can act as potential phosphate solubilizers, and be applied in agriculture. .
Biofertilizers based on beneficial microorganisms have been the subject of research, since their applicability in soils is more effective and the plant can have higher soluble phosphorus. This alternative significantly minimizes the environmental impact produced by chemical fertilizers, improving crop yields and limiting the use of these toxic products for the soil. It is known that the increasing degradation of soils diminishes the yield of production, obtaining agricultural products of low quality and low productivity from the economic point of view.
The use of molecular biology techniques allows genetically manipulate microorganisms, offers a field of alternatives to opt for measures that can have a positive impact on the environment and further narrow the symbiotic relationship between bacteria and the plant. However, it is necessary to obtain a greater knowledge about the specific characteristics of the bacteria promoting plant growth, in order to define the adequate conditions for the optimal development of the phosphate solubilization process.
In that order of ideas, the clean agriculture, with the use of biofertilizers in the long term, will allow to recover the soils that have been exploited with bad agricultural practices, managing to minimize damages to the environment, recovering the properties and fertility of the soils and therefore, the quality of the crops.
Source: Martín Carrillo O. - Blueberries Consulting
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