Abstract

CUBILLOS-HINOJOSA, Juan Guillermo; VALERO, Nelson  and  PERALTA CASTILLA, Arnaldo de Jesús. Effect of a low rank coal inoculated with coal solubilizing bacteria for the rehabilitation of a saline-sodic soil in field conditions. Rev. Fac. Nac. Agron. Medellín [online]. 2017, vol.70, n.3, pp.8271-8283. ISSN 0304-2847.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rfna.v70n3.62478.

The aim of this research was to evaluate changes to several chemical, biological and physical properties of a Salidic Calciustolls, in response to enhancement by treatment with low rank coal (LRC) and coal solubilizing bacteria (CSB) -Bacillus mycoides, Microbacterium sp and Acinetobacter baumannii- that release humified organic matter (HOM) through biotransformation of the coal. Under field conditions, 5 m2 plots were treated with the addition of LRC at a dose of 5 kg m2 and an inoculum of CSB in a suspension of 1x108 bacteria mL-1 at a dose of 100 mL m-2. Soil respiration, microbiological activity, lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase (Lac) enzyme activities were quantified. The variables associated with saline-sodic soils - pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), cation exchange capacity (CEC) were measured every two months bulk density (BD) was determined sixth months after the start of the experiment. The LRC application contributed to the decrease of EC, SAR and ESP, but pH levels did not change significantly. Additionally, no significant changes were found in the BD, however the treatment increased the respiration and microbiological activity of soil, stimulated LiP, MnP and Lac enzyme activity, and increased soil CEC. These results suggest the possibility of using the LRC as an HOM source for the rehabilitation of degraded saline soils - a common problem in soils of the Cesar River Valley (Colombia) and in the dry lands of the Colombian Caribbean influenced by open-pit coal mining.

Keywords : Lignite; Humic substances; Biotransformation of coal; Soil salinity.

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