Sugarcane nutrition under organomineral fertilizer, phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria, and reduced phosphate doses

Abstract Sugarcane is a key crop in the global energy transition. However, phosphorus (P) is highly retained in tropical soils, which restricts its availability for sugarcane growth. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as microbial inoculants and organomineral fertilizers (OFs), offer promising alternatives to improve P management, a nutrient essential for plant development. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of Bacillus velezensis UFV 3918 ( Bv ) and OF, applied with different doses of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), on root morphology, soil fertility, and sugarcane nutrition. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with eight treatments: control (100% of the recommended MAP dose), OF alone, OF combined with 1/3, 2/3, or 3/3 MAP, and Bv + OF combined with 1/3, 2/3, or 3/3 MAP. Applying Bv + OF with conventional P fertilization increased soil P content by 41% and P uptake by 15% compared with the control. It also enhanced N and K concentrations in the shoot by 14% and 5%, respectively, due to 28% and 15% greater uptake of these nutrients. Moreover, Bv + OF + 1/3 MAP achieved soil and shoot P content, phosphorus use efficiency, and phosphorus accumulation similar to commercial fertilization (100% MAP). These findings highlight Bv + OF as an efficient strategy to reduce phosphate fertilizer input in sugarcane cultivation by up to 66%, lowering economic costs and environmental impacts while maintaining adequate plant nutrition.