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Microbial Inorganic Polyphosphates: Factors Influencing Their Accumulation in Soil¹

ABSTRACT

Infrared spectra of microbially synthesized, acid labile, inorganic P compounds extracted from soils provided additional evidence that they are inorganic polyphosphates (poly P). Incubation studies with glucose amended soils demonstrated the transient nature of naturally occurring poly P. Experiments are reported on the conditions which optimize poly P synthesis in soil. A 2-week incubation period (preincubation) with a source of carbon (2% glucose or 4% straw) and a further 2-day incubation period (postincubation) after adding a source of ortho P resulted in the maximum accumulation of poly P. The quantity of poly P also increased with increasing rates of orthophosphate from none to 1,000 µg soil/g. Longer periods of postincubation reduced poly P accumulation. Poly P synthesis was greater when relatively insoluble sources of P were added to soils and accumulation followed the order; FePO₄ · 2H₂O > rock phosphate > Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ · H₂O > KH₂PO₄. These results suggest that poly P synthesis may accompany P solubilization in soils and be an integral part of the soil P cycle.

¹ Published with permission of the Director of the Ohio Agric. Res. and Develop Ctr. as J. Article no. 139-75. A portion of the results were presented before Div. S-3, Soil Sci. Soc. of Am., Las Vegas, Nev., 13 Nov. 1973.

² The first and third authors are former Research Associates, and the second author is presently a Professor, The Ohio Agric. Res. and Develop Ctr., and the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210. The third author's present address is the Dep. of Soil Science and Agric. Chem., Marathwada Agric. Univ., Parbhani, Maharashtra, India.

Received for publication December 8, 1975. Accepted for publication July 12, 1976.