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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Soil Management and Sugarbeet Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #355310
Title: Phosphorus addition shifts the microbial community in the rhizosphere of Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)

Author
item PANTIGOSO, HUGO - Colorado State University
item Manter, Daniel
item VIVANCO, JORGE - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Rhizosphere
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Phosphorous fertilization is critical to enhance plant P uptake and proper growth. However, it is presently unknown if its application may have detrimental effects on the soil microbiology. Blueberries are very sensitive to fertilization hinting to close relationships with beneficial microbes related to soil nutrition. Our study explored the effect of P fertilization amendments on soil bacterial community composition in two varieties of commercial blueberry (Vaccinium sp. var. “Misty” and “Biloxi”). Blueberry is a suitable plant model to understand how crop management practices as continuous fertilization may have impacted root-beneficial microbe associations related to P uptake. In summary, our data indicates a shift in response of higher P applications in microbial composition and taxonomic analysis but no gain in biomass. Additionally, less activity for acid phosphatases in higher Phosphorus rates suggesting that the oversupply reduces the ability of the plant to sustain this beneficial relationships. Enhancing plant absorption of P is critical to increase availability in soils, reduce environmental pollution (P leaching) and preserve this essential and limited nutrient.

Technical Abstract: Phosphorous fertilization is critical to enhance plant P uptake and proper growth. However, it is presently unknown if its application may have detrimental effects on the soil microbiology. Blueberries are very sensitive to fertilization hinting to close relationships with beneficial microbes related to soil nutrition. Our study explored the effect of P fertilization amendments on soil bacterial community composition in two varieties of commercial blueberry (Vaccinium sp. var. “Misty” and “Biloxi”). Shifts in microbial community composition and diversity were found in response to P amendment. The microbiome was influenced by P level and differentiated based on low P (0 and 45 lb/acre) and high P (0 and 45 lb/acre) rates. Additionally, microbial acid phosphatase activity decreased with increasing levels of P solubilization. Thus, our results suggest that P fertilization decreases the ability of P–solubilizing microbes to naturally provide P to the plant.