Lotus pond soil yields bacteria that unlock plant nutrients
Soil Health
The soil in your garden may hold tons of phosphorus that your plants simply can't absorb, and this discovery points toward a living fertilizer that could unlock it naturally.
Researchers dug through soil from lotus ponds in Vietnam and found 40 types of bacteria that can convert locked-up phosphorus into a form plants can actually use. One strain, nicknamed OM1.1, turned out to be a close match to a known bacterium called Priestia flexa and was the best performer of the bunch, churning out high levels of usable phosphate within just three to six days. The team sees it as a strong candidate for a future biofertilizer that could help farmers and gardeners grow healthier plants while using fewer chemical fertilizers.
Key Findings
Of 40 bacterial strains isolated from lotus soil at 8 sites in Can Tho, 4 (OM1.1, OM2.2, CD3.1, PD2.1) showed the strongest phosphate-solubilizing ability.
Strain OM1.1 produced the most soluble phosphate, 1,061.0 to 1,293.0 mg/L, peaking on day 6; PD2.1 peaked at 1,002.5 mg/L on day 3.
Gene sequencing showed OM1.1 is 99.91% identical to Priestia flexa and was deposited in GenBank (accession PV696976.1) as a candidate for biofertilizer development.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found bacteria living in lotus pond soil that can unlock phosphorus from soil, a nutrient plants desperately need but often can't access. One standout strain could become the basis for a natural fertilizer that helps crops grow without relying on chemical phosphate fertilizers.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Isolation and selection of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaernt.) soil
This study aimed to isolate and select bacterial strains with phosphate-solubilizing ability from lotus soil. From lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) soil samples collected at eight sites in the city of Can ...
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