Nutrient use efficiency and nutrient uptake promoting of rice by potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB)

The current study was carried out in both pot and field conditions to investigate the effects of three KSB strains of Pantoea agglomerans, Rahnella aquatilis and Pseudomonas orientalis on nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) uptake, nutrient use efficiency parameters and nutrients remobilization in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Pajohesh). The experiments included 15 treatments of KSB inoculations, commercial K biofertilizer and K chemical fertilizer. The results showed that the inoculums of all three KSB strains increased the K, N and P uptake by grain and straw, especially when applied in combination with ½ K chemical fertilizer (47.5 Kg/ha) as compared to the control treatment. The highest value of available K in the soil obtained from NPK chemical fertilizer equal to 140.1 and 134.6 mg K per kg of soil in the pot and field experiments, respectively, which were significantly higher than KSB inoculations treatments. Bacterial inoculums coupled with ½ K chemical fertilizer also enhanced the nutrient use efficiency (including agronomic efficiency (AE), apparent recovery efficiency (ARE), physiological efficiency (PE), agro-physiological efficiency (APE), internal utilization efficiency (UE), partial factor productivity (PFP), partial nutrient balance (PNB)) and nutrient remobilization. The results indicated that the bioinoculation with these KSB strains isolated from soil paddy could be considered as an effective way to increase potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by rice plant and enhance their use efficiency and remobilization to grains in the flooding irrigation conditions