Enhancement of applicability of rock phosphate in alkaline soils by organic compost

•Applicability of Rock Phosphate as a fertilizer in direct application was enhanced.•Organic compost was used as medium to increase efficacy of Rock Phosphate.•Thermotolerant phosphate solubilizing bacteria were isolated from rock phosphate mines.•Phosphate solubilizing bacteria having the ability to solubilize Fe-P and Al-P along with RP were used.•Green house experiments were performed to test various ratios of organic compost with rock phosphate.

Rock phosphate is a natural phosphorus source but unfortunately we lack robust technologies to make it applicable in alkaline soils. In this study we tried to charge organic compost with rock phosphate in different concentrations along with thermotolerant phosphate solubilzing bacteria isolated from phosphate mines having Fe-P, Al-P solubilizing ability along with Tri Calcium Phosphate and Rock Phosphate. Concentration of RP and compost showing maximum soluble P was used in pot experiments to study its effect on growth of plants. We found that 75:25 ratio of compost and rock phosphate showed maximum soluble P and found higher plant growth as compared to plants fertilized with normal compost and rock phosphate.