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Design and Construction of an Experimental Setup to Enhance Mineral Weathering through the Activity of Soil Organisms
Published on: November 10, 2023
Addition of microbially-treated sugar beet residue and a native bacterium increases structural stability in heavy
L Carrasco1, F Caravaca, R Azcón
1CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, P.O. Box 164, Campus de Espinardo 30100-Murcia, Spain.
Abstract:
A mesocosm experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of the addition of Aspergillus niger-treated sugar beet waste, in the presence of rock phosphate, and inoculation with a native, metal-tolerant bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, on the stabilisation of soil aggregates of two mine tailings, with differing pH values, from a semiarid Mediterranean area and on the stimulation of growth of Piptatherum miliaceum. Bacterium combined with organic amendment enhanced structural stability (38% in acidic soil and 106% in neutral soil compared with their corresponding controls). Only the organic amendment increased pH, electrical conductivity, water-soluble C, water-soluble carbohydrates and plant growth, in both soils. While in neutral soil both organic amendment and bacterium increased dehydrogenase activity, only organic amendment had a significant effect in acidic soil. This study demonstrates that the use of P. miliaceum in combination with organic amendment and bacterium is a suitable tool for the stabilisation of the soil structure of degraded mine tailings, although its effectiveness is dependent on soil pH.
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