Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganism Bacillus sp. MVY-004 and Its Significance for Biomineral Fertilizers’ Development in Agrobiotechnology

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Agriculture is one of the most significant and important sectors globally. Soil fertility and agricultural production are highly dependent on which plant protection and growth promotion substance is used. Although applying mineral fertilizers can promote rapid crop growth, extensive mineral fertilizer use has reduced soil quality worldwide. Such environmental aspects have led to the search for more sustainable methods to provide plants with nutrients, especially phosphorus. Phosphorus is one of the macronutrients that is indispensable for plant development and growth. Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms are widely applied in agronomic practices to increase the productivity of crops while maintaining the health of soils. Nowadays, special attention is focused globally on ecological farming. One of the new technologies in agriculture is the mixing of agricultural bio-stimulants with mineral fertilizers. Agricultural bio-stimulants are bioproducts that contain substances of natural origin along with beneficial microorganisms. They can be used to activate seeds, plants, and soil. Bio-stimulants are used in plants to improve nutritional efficiency, cause changes in vital and structural processes to affect plant growth, enhance abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and increase the yield and quality of products. ABSTRACT: In this study, a phosphate solubilizing microorganism was isolated from the soil of an agricultural field in Lithuania. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain was identified as Bacillus sp. and submitted to the NCBI database, Sector of Applied Bio-catalysis, University Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius, Lithuania and allocated the accession number KY882273. The Bacillus sp. was assigned with the number MVY-004. The culture nutrient medium and growth conditions were optimized: molasses was used as a carbon source; yeast extract powder was used as an organic source; NH(4)H(2)PO(4) was used as a nitrogen source; the culture growth temperature was 30 ± 0.5 °C; the initial value of pH was 7.0 ± 0.5; the partial pressure of oxygen (pO(2)) was 60 ± 2.0; the mixer revolutions per minute (RPM) were 25–850, and the incubation and the fermentation time was 48–50 h. Analysis using Liquid Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS) results showed that Bacillus sp. MVY-004 produced organic acids such as citric, succinic, 2-ketogluconic, gluconic, malic, lactic, and oxalic acids. Furthermore, the experiment showed that Bacillus sp. MVY-004 can also produce the following phytohormones: indole-3-acetic (IAA), jasmonic (JA), and gibberellic (GA3) acids. In the climate chamber, the experiment was performed using mineral fertilizer (NPS-12:40:10 80 Kg ha(−1)) and mineral fertilizers in combination with Bacillus sp. MVY-004 cells (NPS-12:40:10 80 Kg ha(−1) + Bacillus sp. MVY-004) in loamy soil. Analysis was performed in three climate conditions: normal (T = 20 °C; relative humidity 60%); hot and dry (T = 30 °C; relative humidity 30%); hot and humid (T = 30 °C; relative humidity 80%).