Phosphorus biofortification and uptake in maize enhanced with integrated phosphorus management

Abstract

A limited phosphorus (P) supply restricts crop growth, productivity and seed setting in various crops. Adequate P enhances early maturity and crop quality with a big yield. A consequential two-year (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of peach residues, compost and biochar, three P levels (50, 75 and 100 kg ha⁻¹) and two beneficial microbes (PSB and Trichoderma) on P biofortification in maize and P fertilizer use efficiency (FUE). Experiential findings revealed that among the organic sources, peach biochar was the most promising source for the highest P uptake and bio-fortification. Among the beneficial microbes, soil application of Trichoderma showed extremity for higher grain P content, grain P uptake (GPU) and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), while seed inoculation with PSB produced higher leaf P content, stalk P content, stover P content, stalk P uptake (SPU) and total P uptake (TPU) respectively. Inorganic P fertilization under 100 kg ha⁻¹ enhanced grain P content, leaf P content, stalk P content, stover P contents, GPU, SPU and TPU, although the highest FUE was recorded under the lowest P rate (50 kg ha⁻¹). Conclusively, it could be recommended that to get maize higher yield and enhance P uptake and bio-fortification, soil application of Trichoderma with peach biochar and 100 kg P ha⁻¹ should be treated under P deficient soil.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Maize (Zea mays L)
• organic sources
• biochar
• compost
• Trichoderma
• PSB
• phosphorus
• uptake
• efficiency
• biofortification
• phosphorus use efficiency

Additional information

Funding

This research was partially supported by the Swiss agency for international development and cooperation (SDC) under the capacity of Climate Change Scholarship Awardee for Climate Change related topic (Climate forecasting) under the umbrella of IC Pakistan and Climate Change Centre (CCC), The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan.