title: Role of microbial inoculation and industrial by-product phosphogypsum in growth and nutrient uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in calcareous soil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alkaline soils with high calcium carbonate and low organic matter are deficient in plant nutrient availability. Use of organic and bio-fertilizers has been suggested to improve their properties. Therefore, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the integrative role of phosphogypsum (PG; added at 0.0, 10, 30, and 50 g PG kg-1), cow manure (CM; added at 50 g kg-1) and mixed microbial inoculation (Incl.; Azotobacter chroococcum, and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria Bacillus megaterium var. phosphaticum and Pseudomonas fluorescens) on growth and nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) in calcareous soil. Treatment effects on soil chemical and biological properties and the Cd and Pb availability to maize plants were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Applying PG decreased soil pH. The soil available P increased when soil was inoculated and/or treated with CM, especially with PG. The total microbial count and dehydrogenase activity were enhanced with PG+CM+Incl.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inoculated soils treated with PG showed significant increases in NPK uptake and maize plant growth. However, the most investigated treatments showed significant decreases in shoot micronutrients. Cd and Pb were not detected in maize shoots.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying PG with microbial inoculation improved macronutrient uptake and plant growth. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Soil Science Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdul-Aziz R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Al-Enazy
authors.affiliation: Soil Science Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saud S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Al-Oud
authors.affiliation: Soil Science Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fahad N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Al-Barakah
authors.affiliation: Soil Science Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Adel Ra
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Usman
mesh_terms: D059827:Agricultural Inoculants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001395:Azotobacter / Q000378:metabolism; D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000378:metabolism; D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products; C077769:phosphogypsum; D010758:Phosphorus; D002133:Calcium Sulfate
keywords: alkaline soil; nutrient availability; organic manure; soil biological properties