Impact of bio-organic amendment supplemented with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on sugarcane cultivation

Abstract

Abstract The enhancement of soil fertility and promotion of microbial activity are critical for improving sugarcane production. Bio-organic amendments supplemented with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) have the potential to sustainably increase cane yield, but limited information exists on their combined action. This study aimed to evaluate their effects on sugarcane cultivation under field conditions. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with six treatments: T1 (control), T2 (PSB inoculation), T3 (AMF inoculation), T4 (filter cake compost), T5 (mineral fertilizer), and T6 (filter cake compost supplemented with AMF and PSB). Across the sampling periods, mycorrhizal colonization (T3) and microbial activity (T2) averaged 2.1 − and 1.4 − fold above the control, respectively, while the organic amendment (T4) increased cane yield to 36.3 t ha −1 with improved soil–microbial–agronomic attributes. However, the effects of single inoculations or compost remained lower than those of mineral fertilization. T6 achieved the highest yield (48.8 t ha −1 ), 2.5 − fold above the control and comparable to mineral fertilization (48.3 t ha −1 ), while also enhancing AMF colonization, FDA hydrolysis, and rhizosphere soluble P. This approach provides sugarcane field-based evidence supporting bio-organic amendments as a sustainable alternative that enhances soil fertility, microbial activity, and productivity.