Increasing the nutrient availability of organic phosphorus through management of the soil microbiome:: a study of local microorganism inoculant

Crops are unable to use organic phosphorus as a nutrient source, as phosphorus must be in an ionic form for plant uptake. The conversion of organic to inorganic phosphorus is mediated by microbially-produced phosphatase enzymes. A treatment inoculated with locally harvested microbial communities (Local Effective Microorganisms) was applied to organic P-rich broiler litter, which was composted, and applied to test plots of Butterbean edamame in summer and Turkey hard red wheat in winter. Soil samples were taken pre-application of compost and again four weeks after application. Post-application samples showed significant differences of acid phosphatase activity and total phosphorus between plots amended with treated compost and plots with no amendments. Significant differences were also found for post-harvest levels of inorganic phosphorus and total phosphorus between LEM test plots and control plots.