Role of fungi on the solubilization of rockphosphate and on growth of corn (Zea mays )‎

Abstract EN

A pot experiment was conducted to study the role of different genera of fungi on the solubilization of rock phosphate using a loamy clay calcareous soil, classified as typic claciorthid.

A pure culture of each of three genera [Aspergillus (2 species ), Penicillium, (2 species ), and Cephalosporiumsp].

and their mixture were used, in the presence and absence of organic fertilizer (chicken manure ) .

Rock phosphate was added at a fixed rate (88 kg p ha -1).

Vegetative growth of corn was used as an indicator.

The duration of the experiment was 60 days , during which, phosphorus availability solubilized from the added rock phosphate by the action of the specific fungus was measured at a 2-week intervals.

Dry weight of shoots and roots and the amount of p absorbed by the corn plant for each treatment was also measured and a P balance was obtained .

Results indicated that the total amount of P solubilzed, expressed as percentages of the added rock phosphate in the presence of organic fertilizer was 41.5 in the soil inoculated with the mixture of fungi, followed by Penicillium (37.3), then followed by Aspergillus and Cephalosporium(36.6) for each , with an increase of 31.8 % , 22.5 % and 20 % over the control, respectively.

Less than that was obtained for the treatments without organic fertilize.