Microbial Mediated

Micronutrient Transformation in
soil

Fe Mo

Zn Mn

Cu
 Micronutrient

• Plants require some elements in such minute or smaller

amounts that these element have been designated as
minor/trace element or Micro nutrient.

• Plants absorbed micronutrient in lower concentration ppm

level.

Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Boron, Molybdenum, Nickel, Chloride

 Iron (Fe)
• Source- Goethite, Haematite, Magnetite, Limonite,
Olivine

• Forms of Fe- Ferrous & Ferric (Two oxidation state)

• Two fraction- Organic & mineral

• Sufficient range of Fe in plants : 50 – 250 ppm.

• Below 50 ppm – Deficiency appears young leaves-

Interveinal chlorosis.

• Above 250 ppm- Leaf bronzing.

 Fe in soil
Mineral Fe
• 4th most abundant element in earth crust 5%

• Solubility is low.

Soil solution
• Well drained , oxidised soil has a more Fe3+

• Water logged soil – More Fe2+

 Transformation of iron in soil by
Micro organisms

Iron bacteria (micro organisms) play a major role

in transformation

 Bacteria & fungi oxidise ferrous state to ferric

state.

Heterotrophic microorganism attacks soluble

organic Fe in to inorganic Fe salts.

Bacteria & fungi produce specific enzyme.

Bacteria oxidise ferrous Fe to ferric Fe state which
precipitate as ferric hydroxide – Iron Bacteria

• Gallinonella
• Siderocapsa
• Siderosphaera
• Ferribacterium
• Naumanniela
• Sideromonas
• Ferro-bacillus
• Siderobacter
• Siderococus
 Classification

• Obligate Chemoautotrophs- Capable of utilizing

energy released in the process of ferric hydroxide
formation.

(E.g) Gallionella ferruginea

Thiobacillus ferroxidans

Ferrobacillus ferroxidans
• Facultative Chemoautotrophs-Utilizing energy
derived in the process of ferric hydroxide formation
or from organic matter.

• (E,g) Leptothrix ochraceae

• Heterotrophs- Do not energy derived in the process

of ferric hydroxide formation but depend on
organic matter for nutrition.

• (E.g) Naumanniela
 Algae
• Cyanophycea

• Volvocales

• Chlorococcales

• Eugleninaea

• Conjugales

Transform ferrous salts to ferric salt

 Zinc (Zn)

• Source: Limestone, Sandstone.

• Forms: Zn2+

• Sufficient range of Zn in plants : 25 – 150 ppm

• Mineral: Zn in lithosphere is 80 ppm

• Soil solution: Depends on the soil pH . If pH is more

Zn2+ availability is more.

 Two fraction

Organic- Small amount 0.01%- 0.05%

Inorganic- Source is Zinc sulphate- soluble in soil

Below and above the range cause Rosetting or clustering of

young leaves.

Young leaves become chlorotic spot.

 Transformation of Zinc in soil by
Micro organisms

• Omnipotent bacteria- Increase concentration of Zn

• Fungi also influence solubilize the mineral from of

Zn in soil by production of organic acids.

• Organic material increase the availability of micro

organisms in soil

• Increase the availability of Zn in soil

 Omnipotent bacteria

• Several zinc solubilizing bacteria (ZSB)- Tropical

and temperate soils to provide plant available Zn.
(Hafeez et al., 2013).

• Gluconacetobacter – sugarcane.

• Bacillus, Pseudomonas - Soybean, rice and wheat

capable of solubilizing Zn. (Saravanan et al., 2011).
 Zinc solubilizing bacteria
• Pseudomonas • Serratia

• Bacillus • Flavobacter

• Gluconacetobacter • Enterobacter

• Burkholderia

• Acinetobacter
 Comparison
• ZSB
• ZSB soil bacteria,
able to solubilize the
inorganic Zn
• These ZSB strains produce variety of low molecular
weight organic acids, particularly gluconic acid,
dissolute the insoluble Zn

• Reduce the pH of the soil solution - increase the plant

available zinc (Hafeez et al., 2013).

• Zn-fertilizers - 1-5% use efficiency for most of the crops

• ZSB soil bacteria, able to solubilize the inorganic Zn and

thereby increase the bioavailability for crop assimilation.
 Manganese

• Source: Pyrolusite, Hausmannite, Manganite.

• Forms: Mn2+

• Sufficient range of plant: 20 – 500 ppm.

• Fraction: Solution, Exchangeable, Organic, Mineral

Mineral Mn

• Mn is found in most Fe-Mg rocks- weathering of primary

mineral.

• Pyrolusite

• Manganite

Soil solution Mn:

• MnSO4 is the most common Mn sources in soil.

• Most common form Mn2+ - 90%.

• High pH- Solubility of Mn2+ is low

 Transformation of Manganese in soil
by Micro organisms

• Manganese transformation include bacteria, fungi and

yeasts.

• Bacteria – Leptothrix mobilis - aquatic environment-

oxidizing both iron, manganese. (Nelson et al. 1998)

• Oxidize manganous compounds to manganic oxides

(MnO.,) at pH values as low as 6 & some times below 6.
(Mulder 1964, Mulder and van Veen 1963).
• Manganese oxidation by a mixture of two bacteria
Corynebacterium sp. Chromobacterium sp. has been
recorded by Bromfield and Skerman (1950)

• Roots of living plants may promote the solubilization of

MnO, by excreting organic acids or other compounds
stimulating bacterial activity.
 Copper

• Source: Malachite, Cupric ferrite, Carbonates,

Silicates, Sulfates, Chlorides.

• Sufficient range in plants: 5 to 20 ppm.

• Forms: Cuprous (Cu+), Cupric (Cu2+)

 Transformation of Copper in soil by
Micro organisms

• Availability of copper in soil related with the presence of

black organic humus.

• H2S forming microorganisms may be involved in copper

precipitation.
 Copper precipitation by hydrogen-sulphide-
producing bacteria
• Clostridia, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli - producing
H2S from sulphur-containing amino acids (cystine,
methionine, glutathion, etc.)- precipitate the Cu

• Sulphate-reducing bacteria- precipitate the Cu- Insoluble

form- Assimilatory sulfate reduction

• Sulfate-reducing bacteria are responsible - hydrogen

sulfide will react with metal ions to produce metal
sulphides. These metal sulphides- insoluble