Rock phosphate enriched compost: an approach to improve low-grade Indian rock phosphate

In this study, rock phosphate enriched composts (RP-compost) were prepared by mixing four low-grade Indian rock phosphates with rice straw with and without Aspergillus awamori. RP-compost had higher total P, citrate soluble P (CSP), organic P (Org.P), acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, and lower water soluble P (WSP) and microbial biomass C (MBC) than normal compost. Inoculation with A. awamori increased total P, WSP, CSP, Org.P, MBC and acid phosphatase activity. RP-compost recorded lower Olsen P at the initial period of incubation study than diammonium phosphate (DAP), but improved significantly with the progress of time. RP-compost prepared at 4% charged rate resulted in higher Olsen P throughout the incubation period compared to 2% charged rate. Similar trend were obtained with those RP-composts prepared with A. awamori. Data on pot experiment revealed higher yield and P uptake by mungbean (Vigna radiata) due to addition of RP-composts over control. The effectiveness of RP-compost ranged from 61.4% (MussoorieRP-compost) to 94.1% (PuruliaRP-compost) as that of DAP on dry matter yield and 48.8% (JhabuaRP-compost) to 83.7% (PuruliaRP-compost) on total P uptake. Enriched compost prepared at 4% charged rate recorded 15.8% and 10.6% extra yield and P uptake, respectively by mungbean over 2% charged compost. Also RP-compost inoculated with A. awamori resulted in 13.0 and 21.5% extra yield and P uptake than without A. awamori treated group. Thus, RP enriched compost could be an alternative and viable technology to utilize both low-grade RPs and rice straw efficiently.