Abstract:
Agriculture is the Foundation of Pakistan’s economy_ and that sector is struggling. Phosphate
is the most essential and limiting nutrient required for Plant growth. Fertilizer Sector invest
huge amount on Chemical phosphate fertilizer production (DAP, TCP, SSP etc.) utilizing local
phosphate rock deposits_ Phosphate rock is a source of heavy metal pollution of air, soil, water
and food chain etc. While Biotechnology offers a cost effective and sustainable solution to
mitigate these problems by utilizing low value Animal bone grist. Bone is a natural source
which contain high phosphate calcium content (>30%) P2O5 and other essential nutrients, 100%
pure and organic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of biochar produced
from cattle bones together with phosphate solubilizing bacteria as Bio-phosphate fertilizer. The
Cattle bone biochar was produced at 850 ◦C for 20min under Ar inert atmosphere in a tube
furnace. In the first phase of study Physiochemical- characterization of biochar was done ash
content, moisture content, volatile matter, proximate analysis and the chemical characterization
was achieved through SEM, EDX, XRD and FTIR analysis techniques. In the second phase of
the study bacterial screening was performed for phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on four
bacterial strains, two strains SPARC10 and HF43 showed clear phosphate solubilization zones
around colonies and further these two strains were used to prepare 1-Liter of PSB liquid
bioinoculant formulation and stored in refrigerator. In the third phase the efficacy of processed
biochar along with microbial dose was evaluated on growth of maize plant in greenhouse trial.
control group (T0), Biochar (T1), PSB Inoculation (T2), Biochar and PSB Inoculation (T3),
Rock phosphate (T4), Di-ammonium phosphate (T5). Inoculation of PSB together with CB BC increased the Plant growth in terms of plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, shoot
and root dry biomass, and total P uptake in maize plant compared to the other treatments. The
combined use of PSB inoculant and CB-BC was more economical due to minimal cost and
maximum returns. These results suggested that PSB inoculation along with CB-BC would be
an appropriate substitute for chemical phosphate fertilizer application in sustainable agriculture
systems
