Effects of biological additive in mineral fertilizer and its relationship with soil biodiversity

• Grant number: 23/17001-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Dini Andreote
• Grantee: Paloma Barros Dias
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The population increase has triggered environmental, economic, and humanitarian challenges, demanding a reassessment of consumption and production patterns. In agriculture, soil microorganisms are essential for plant development, but the use of fertilizers, despite increasing productivity, can lead to a decrease in microbial biodiversity and changes in soil properties. To mitigate these impacts, technologies combining biological additives consisting of beneficial microorganisms and mineral fertilizers are being developed to maintain nutrient availability and increase fertilizer efficiency. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the biological additive in mineral fertilizer, exploring its interaction with microbial biodiversity in different types of soil. The study will be conducted in a Completely Randomized Design in a greenhouse using corn (Zea mays) as the standard crop, with three treatments: control, mineral fertilizer without biological additive, and mineral fertilizer with biological additive. Two experiments will be carried out: the first addressing the relationship with various types of land use (native forest, pasture, conventional, and managed); while the second explores the effects on the microbiota based on a biodiversity gradient generated by "dilution to extinction." Analyses of plant development, enzymatic activity, and characterization of the fungal and bacterial community will be performed. The expectation is to advance the understanding of the relationship between microbial diversity and soil activity under the influence of mineral fertilizer with a biological additive, which can contribute to more sustainable land management and use policies, thus addressing global demand.