Wheat is a cereal crop that is mainly used by humans as a source of starch and energy and is also used for livestock around the world. Wheat straw is rich in cellulose fibers, hemicellulose, protein and ash. Wheat is the most cultivated crop in the world and especially in Pakistan. As the population grows rapidly, wheat production needs to be increased to bridge the gap between growth and consumption. The amount of phosphorus required for wheat is much higher than for other crops. It is the most important nutrient needed by the wheat plant and it is important for the development of wheat from seedling to adulthood. Farmers add phosphorus to obtain high yields of wheat on phosphorus-deficient soils. Most of these soils are calcareous and its availability in wheat is due to its reaction with various heavy metals present in the soil. Low molecular weight organic acid oxalic acid in combination with phosphoric acid plays an important role in the mobilization of phosphorus in the soil. Oxalic acid secreted from the roots plays an important role in preventing phosphorus deficiency as it plays an important role in phosphorus mobilization. Agricultural soils of Pakistan are generally calcareous soils with high pH and low organic matter content usually less than one percent and more phosphorus fixation capacity and it has been reported that phosphorus is not sufficient to support prosperous agriculture. These calcareous soils contain more calcium carbonate, so when phosphate is applied, it binds to the soil and is not available to plants.
Phosphate solubilizing microbes: sustainable approach for managing phosphorus deficiency in agricultural soils
