Soil and soil microbiota response to residual phosphorus in a tropical cropping system

• Grant number: 19/03694-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Ciro Antonio Rosolem
• Grantee: Anita Beltrame
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of the main limiting factors for agricultural production in tropical, weathered soils is phosphorus adsorption. In this way, the phosphate fertilizer is applied in quantities greater than the requirement of the crops, favoring the accumulation of phosphorus in the soil which is unavailable, called phosphorus legacy. One tool that can be used to recover this less labile P would be the introduction of efficient cover crops into the cropping system. Thus, the P taken up by the cover crops can be recycled, becoming available for crops. It has been shown brachialis have a large root system, and can acquire P bound to Fe and Al oxides through modifications in the rhizosphere by accumulating acid phosphatases and exudation organic acids. However, these modifications alter the environment next to roots, probably affecting the microbiota in this region, which can favor or impair the use of P.