The microorganisms of the garden produce mineral fertilizer

2001/03/09 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Botanika
• Mikrobiologia

Plants need phosphorus because it participates in the energy metabolism of the cell. However, the terrestrial phosphorus, together with iron, aluminium and calcium, is in the form of insoluble salt, so the plants cannot assimilate it. Because plants only acquire soluble phosphorus compounds, producers must use phosphoric fertilizers, even in areas where the earth is very rich in phosphorus.

Scientists from the Tallinn Technical University in Estonia and the Institute of General and Applied Chemistry have found a new solution. The organic acids secreted by different microorganisms convert the insoluble phosphorus of the soil into phosphoric compounds useful for the plants. Each type of microorganism investigated performs its transformation at a speed and have seen that fungi are the most effective. It was also important to know what was happening at low temperatures, since at the beginning of the growing season it can become many times cold. But also at 5 °C the fungi do not lose activity.

According to the researchers, these studies represent a great advance, since microorganisms only transform the phosphorus that contains the earth, being ecological fertilizers. Consequently, it is not necessary to add phosphorus to the soil and, in passing, the productive system is reduced.