<b>Cowpea nodulation, biomass yield and nutrient uptake, as affected by biofertilizers and rhizobia, in a sodic soil amended with <i>Acidithiobacillus</i></b> - doi: 10.4025/actasciagron.v35i4.16994

• Main Authors: Newton Pereira Stamford, Sebastião da Silva Junior, Carolina Etienne de Rosália e Silva Santos, Ana Dolores Santiago de Freitas, Mário de Andrade Lira junior, Maria de Fátima Cavalcanti Barros
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Eduem (Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá) 2013-05-01
• Series: Acta Scientiarum: Agronomy
• Subjects: Vigna unguiculata; soil amendment; sulfur-gypsum interaction; sulfur oxidation; sulfur oxidizing bacteria
• Online Access: http://186.233.154.254/ojs/index.php/ActaSciAgron/article/view/16994
• ISSN: 1679-9275; 1807-8621

Sodic soils require application of amendments as gypsum and organic matter. Many types of compost have been tested in sodic soils reclamation; however, these materials often do not provide satisfactory pH reduction. A recent study reported effective effects applying mixture of gypsum and sulfur inoculated with Acidithiobacillus in sodic soils with high pH and exchangeable sodium, though the effects on plant parameters were not evaluated. The present study was conducted to verify the effects of BPK rock biofertilizers on nodulation, biomass yield and nutrient uptake in cowpea compared with mineral fertilizer after sodic soil amendment. The BPK biofertilizers and PK mineral fertilizer were applied at different rates, and plants were inoculated with effective rhizobia strains. A control that did not receive PK fertilization was included. The results indicated that gypsum and sulfur with Acidithiobacillus reduced the soil’s pH and the amount of soil exchangeable sodium. BPK rock biofertilizer increased cowpea nodulation, biomass yield and nutrient uptake. The native rhizobia in the soil exhibited effectiveness in cowpea growth; displaying similar results compared with the rhizobia inoculated plants. BPK biofertilizers may be used as alternative to mineral PK fertilizers in sodic soils after the application of gypsum and sulfur inoculated with Acidithiobacillus.