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Towards the Soil Sustainability and Potassium-Solubilizing Microorganisms

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Potassium Solubilizing Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Potassium (K) is needed in adequate quantities for a crop to achieve its maximum yield. The function of potassium in plant growth has not been clearly defined but it is associated with movement of water, nutrients and carbohydrates in plant tissue. When potassium is not adequate, the plants will have poor root development and will grow slowly, and their seeds will become small and have lower yields. About 5 million tonnes of potassic fertilizer requirement would be fulfilled through imports because India does not have commercial-grade sources of potash reserve. India is totally dependent on the import of potassic fertilizers. On the other hand, India has the largest reserve for low potassium-containing minerals. The depletion of potassium in soil has been started, and in future this will aggravate. In most of the soils, about 90–98 % of total K exists in relatively unavailable minerals such as feldspar, orthoclase and the micas (muscovite, biotite, phlogopite, etc.). These minerals are very resistant to decomposition and probably supply relatively smaller quantity of potassium to growing crops. Potassium in soil is present in four forms: water-soluble (solution K), exchangeable, non-exchangeable and structural or mineral forms. The fixed form of K minerals is solubilized by K solubilizers, and then acquisition or accumulation of potassium by crop plants certainly will be enhanced. For evergreen agriculture, production can only be fulfilled when the environment, its caretakers and surrounding communities are healthy, for this application of KSMs holds a key approach for K availability in soils. KSB increased K availability in soils and increased mineral nutrient specially K uptake by plant.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the head of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh-05, India, for providing the critical suggestion, encouragement and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Indra Bahadur, Bihari Ram Maurya & Vijay Singh Meena

  2. Department of Botany, MMV, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ashok Kumar & Richa Raghuwanshi

  3. Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Vivekananda Institute of Hill Agriculture, Almora, 263601, Uttarakhand, India

    Vijay Singh Meena

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  1. Indra Bahadur
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  2. Bihari Ram Maurya
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  4. Vijay Singh Meena
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  5. Richa Raghuwanshi
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Correspondence to Indra Bahadur .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Crop Production Division, ICAR – Vivekananda Instit of Hill Agri, Almora, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Vijay Singh Meena

  2. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Bihari Ram Maurya

  3. Instit of Envir and Sustainable Develop, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Jay Prakash Verma

  4. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ram Swaroop Meena

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Bahadur, I., Maurya, B.R., Kumar, A., Meena, V.S., Raghuwanshi, R. (2016). Towards the Soil Sustainability and Potassium-Solubilizing Microorganisms. In: Meena, V., Maurya, B., Verma, J., Meena, R. (eds) Potassium Solubilizing Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2776-2_18

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