Using urease-producing bacteria Enterobacter cloacae and Corynebacterium glutamicum for stabilizing sandy soil and reducing wind erosion

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 PhD student, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Department of Soil Sciecne, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Soil is a reservoir of millions of microorganisms, most of which have beneficial effects on agriculture, soil health, and soil protection against erosive forces. Some soil bacteria have the ability to produce the enzyme urease, which, by altering the concentration of hydrogen ions and producing bicarbonate ions in the presence of calcium, leads to the precipitation of calcium carbonate. It is possible to increase soil resistance against wind forces using biotechnological methods. In this study, the ability of two bacteria, Enterobacter cloacae and Corynebacterium glutamicum, to produce urease and their efficiency in increasing soil resistance and reducing wind erosion was investigated.

Materials and Methods: Sandy soil was collected from a critical wind erosion area in southeast Ahvaz and placed in trays with dimensions of 50×30×3 cm. Fresh cultures of each of bacteria, E. cloacae and C. glutamicum, were separately centrifuged, and the microbial cells were formed into pellets. The supernatant was discarded, and the microbial cells were re-suspended in physiological serum. The bacterial suspension was sprayed onto the trays containing the treated soil to achieve a bacterial population of 5 ×106 CFU/g. The different molar ratios of the chemical solution (urea: calcium chloride, including 1:1, 1:2, and 1:2) were sprayed to the soil surface. The experiment was conducted in a factorial design within a completely randomized design. The factors included different levels of urea: calcium chloride (no urea and calcium chloride, 1:1 ratio, 1:2 ratio, and 1:3 ratio of urea and calcium chloride) and bacterial inoculation (no bacteria, a mixture of the two bacteria, E. cloacae, and C. glutamicum). The samples were maintained under environmental conditions with moisture content 70-75% of field capacity for 60 days. Before measurements, the soil samples were dried at room temperature; then, some soil properties, including soil loss in a wind tunnel, erodible fraction, mean weight diameter of soil aggregates, penetration resistance, and shear strength of the soil, were measured.

Results: The two bacteria used had the ability to produce urease. The results showed that the interaction effect of bacteria and the ratio of urea:calcium chloride on the measured characteristics was significant. The lowest soil loss in the wind tunnel was related to the treatment with a mixture of the two bacteria, followed by E. cloacae with the application of a urea to calcium chloride ratio of 1:2. The highest amount was measured in the treatment without bacterial inoculation and without adding urea and calcium chloride. The mean weight diameter of soil aggregates in the treatment without bacteria, with C. glutamicum, E. cloacae, and a mixture of the two bacteria at a 2:1 urea to calcium chloride ratio was 1.04, 3.79, 3.34, and 3.90 mm, respectively. The lowest amount of the erosion-sensitive fraction in the treatment without bacteria, with C. glutamicum, E. cloacae, and a mixture of the two bacteria at a 2:1 urea to calcium chloride ratio was measured at 98.7%, 82.68%, 86.92%, and 81.47%, respectively.
Conclusion: The results showed that using a mixture of the two bacteria or using E. cloacae and a 1:2 ratio of urea: calcium chloride cement solution helped increase soil resistance against wind erosion forces. The increase in soil penetration resistance and shear strength with the treatments is likely due to the lower amount of the erosion-sensitive fraction and the larger MWD in the soil.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Soil Management and Sustainable Production
Volume 14, Issue 4
March 2025
Pages 75-95

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