THE USE OF MICROBE PLUS TO IMPROVE PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY FROM ROCK PHOSPHATE UNDER OIL PALM (Elaesis guineensis, Jacq.) NURSERY A Thesis submitted to the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN SOIL SCIENCE BY EMMANUEL OPPONG B.Ed. (Agriculture) - UEW NOVEMBER, 2015 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this submission is the result of my own original research except for the references from other people‟s work which have been duly cited and acknowledged accordingly, and that no part has been published by another person or has been presented for another award of a degree in this university or elsewhere. Emmanuel Oppong ………………………. …………………………........ Student Name Signature Date Certified by: Dr. Andrews Opoku ………………………. …………………………........ Supervisor Signature Date Dr. N. Ewusi-Mensah ………………………. …………………………........ Supervisor Signature Date Mr. Frederick Danso ………………………. …………………………........ Co-Supervisor Signature Date Certified by: Dr. Enock A. Osekre ………………………. …………………………........ Head of Department Signature Date ii DEDICATION This thesis is completely dedicated to my wife, Mrs. Mavis Oppong and our son, Kwaku Gyedu Okumanyin Karikari Oppong. God bless you. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT “Trust in the Lord always, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths”. Prov. 35-6. Glory be to God. My sincerest appreciation goes to Dr. Andrews Opoku, Dr. N. Ewusi-Mensah (KNUST), and Mr. Frederick Danso (OPRI) for their immense contribution, valuable assistance, constructive criticisms, corrections and suggestions, in spite of their tight schedules, in supervising this thesis. To the Director and Staff of Oil Palm Research Institute (OPRI) for accommodating me throughout the research period, especially Mr. Samuel Anim Okyere, Mr. Isaac Danso, Sylvester Anumu, Adu Gyamfi and others of the Agronomy Department for their tireless contributions towards this work. My heartfelt gratitude also goes to Charles Asante of Soil Research Institute, Kwadaso for his laboratory assistance, friends and colleagues of KNUST; Awudu Abubakar, Mavis Badu, Alex A. Abegshie and Isreal Boateng Yeboah for their support in diverse ways towards this work. I duly acknowledge by reference to all whose names could not be mentioned, you are equally wonderful for the catalytic role you have played directly or indirectly in my life. Grace be to you all. Amen. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION .................................................................................................................ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................xii CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................ 4 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Role of mineral nutrients in the growth and development of oil palm ........................... 4 2.2 The use of fertilizers in oil palm production ................................................................... 5 2.3 Role of phosphorus in plant nutrition.............................................................................. 6 2.4 Phosphate Fertilizers ....................................................................................................... 7 2.4.1 The use of triple superphosphate (TSP) in oil palm production .................................. 7 2.4.2 Rock Phosphates (RPs) ................................................................................................ 8 2.4.2.1 Reactivity RP‟s ......................................................................................................... 9 2.4.2.2 Factors affecting rock phosphate dissolution ............................................................ 9 2.4.2.2.1 Rock phosphate properties affecting its dissolution .............................................. 9 2.4.2.2.2 Soil physico-chemical properties ......................................................................... 10 2.4.2.2.3 Influence of plant species ..................................................................................... 11 2.4.2.2.4 Organic manures .................................................................................................. 11 v 2.4.2.2.5 Green manuring .................................................................................................... 13 2.4.2.2.6 Partial acidulating of RP ...................................................................................... 13 2.4.2.2.8 Ion exchange ........................................................................................................ 14 2.4.2.2.9 Mechanical activation .......................................................................................... 15 2.5 Chemical dissolution of RP ........................................................................................... 15 2.6 Phosphorus solubilizing bio-fertilizers ......................................................................... 16 2.6.1 Phosphorus solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) ....................................................... 17 2.6.2 Mechanisms of phosphorus solubilization ................................................................. 18 2.6.3 Interaction of Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) with other microorganism .. 19 2.6.4 Effect of PSB on crop production .............................................................................. 19 2.7 Effects of rock phosphate (RP) application on the soil ................................................. 20 2.8 The response of oil palm to rock phosphate (RP) application ...................................... 21 CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................... 23 MATERIALS AND METHODS ..................................................................................... 23 3.1 Study area description .................................................................................................. 23 3.1.1 Study location ............................................................................................................ 23 3.1.2 Climate of the study area............................................................................................ 23 3.1.3 Soil type and properties .............................................................................................. 23 3.1.4 Soil sampling and preparation .................................................................................... 23 3.2 Experimental design and treatments ............................................................................. 25 3.3 Nursery practices ........................................................................................................... 26 3.3.1 Pre-nursery ................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.2 Main nursery .............................................................................................................. 26 3.3.3 Cultural practices ....................................................................................................... 26 3.5.3.1 Watering .................................................................................................................. 26 3.3.3.2 Application of fertilizer treatments ......................................................................... 26 vi 3.3.3.3 Weed control ........................................................................................................... 26 3.3.3.4 Pest and disease control .......................................................................................... 27 3.4 Data collection .............................................................................................................. 27 3.4.1 Growth parameters ..................................................................................................... 27 3.4.1.1 Plant height ............................................................................................................. 27 3.4.1.2 Number of fronds .................................................................................................... 27 3.4.1.3 Butt of seedlings ...................................................................................................... 27 3.4.1.4 Leaf area .................................................................................................................