Soil is an important living matrix and plays an extremely important role to plant life. Soil is the
bases of life because it provides the most important nutrients such as C, O and H from the
atmosphere and the 13 nutrients like (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B and Mo) from
soil. The potassium (K) is considered as a key nutrient and a major constituent within all living
cells. In order to increase productivity or to kill pathogens, pests and weeds the chemical
fertilizers are being used, which have negative impact on environment and ecosystem. Naturally
soils contain potassium in larger amount, but most of the potassium is unavailable for plant
uptake. It is being noted that potassium solubilizing Bacteria (KSB) can solubilize potassium
bearing minerals and changes the insoluble potassium to its soluble form so that potassium is
available for the plant uptake. There are various bacteria which have the capacity to solubilize
potassium minerals they are Acidothiobacillus ferrooxidans, Paenibacillus spp., Bacillus
mucilaginosus, B. edaphicus, and B circulans. KSB can break down silicate minerals and release
potassium by the production of organic and inorganic acids, acidolysis, polysaccharides,
complexolysis, Chelation and exchange reactions. So, the production and management of
biological fertilizers containing KSB can be an effective alternative to chemical fertilizers. Thus,
this article presents an overview of current trends and challenges on KSB, mechanisms and their role in plant growth promotion, and in return it gives some perspectives for research on
potassium in sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Plant growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPRs), Bio – fertilizer, Potassium Bearing
minerals, Bio-control, Potassium solubilization, plant and bacteria interactions, sustainable
agriculture
Publication date: 01/09/2020
https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2020/September/MS_IJBPAS_2020_5163.pdf
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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2020/9.9.5163
