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. 2025 Aug 6;15(1):28678.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-13230-w.

Inoculation of Bacillus subtilis in acidic soil amended with biochar and liming materials in maize cultivation

Henry Diaz-Chuquizuta  1 , Sergio Axel Coral-Cardenas  1 , Yuri Gandhi Arévalo-Aranda  2 , Martín Sánchez-Ojanasta  1 , Percy Diaz-Chuquizuta  3 , Jimmy A Ocaña-Reyes  3 , Richard Andi Solórzano Acosta  4 , Juan Pablo Cuevas Giménez  5
Affiliations

Inoculation of Bacillus subtilis in acidic soil amended with biochar and liming materials in maize cultivation

Henry Diaz-Chuquizuta et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The use of amendments in combination with Bacillus subtilis has been understudied as a strategy for rehabilitating acid soils and improving cropping systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of amendments and B. subtilis on the development, yield, and nutritional quality of the hard yellow maize Marginal 28 T variety. A randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement was employed, considering five amendments, including biochar, alongside the application of B. subtilis. The combination of biochar and B. subtilis significantly increased plant and ear height (p < 0.01), achieved a grain yield of 4.11 t ha-1, and reduced flowering time by seven days. Strong correlations were observed between male and female flowering (r = 0.99) and between stem diameter and leaf area (r = 0.95), indicating improved vegetative development. Soil pH and nutrient availability, such as phosphorus, were also enhanced. The combined use of amendments and B. subtilis optimizes yield and improves soil chemical properties. Thus, applying biochar and B. subtilis improves growth, yield, and soil quality, consolidating a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture in acid soils.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Climate behavior during this research development. S: Sowing; BMF: Beginning of male flowering; EMF: End of male flowering; BFF: Beginning of female flowering; EFF: End of female flowering; HGF: Harvesting of green forage.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect of the interactions of amendment use with (WB) and without (WOB) B. subtilis application on the variables (A) days to male flowering (MF) and female flowering (FF), and (B) plant height (PH) and ear height (EH). WOA means without amendments. Means with different lowercase letters indicate significant statistical differences, as determined by Tukey’s test at a 0.05 significance level.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Effect of the interactions of amendment use with (WB) and without (WOB) B. subtilis application on the variables (A) stem diameter (mm) and leaf area (cm2); (B) leaf chlorophyll content (LCC); (C) green forage yield (GFY) and grain yield (GY); and (D) dry matter yield (DMY). WOA means without amendments. Means with different lowercase letters indicate significant statistical differences, as determined by Tukey’s test at a 0.05 significance level.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Pearson Correlation Matrix between morphological characteristics, yield, and crude protein content in yellow maize Marginal 28 T variety, under amendments and B. subtilis application. ns: not significant; *statistically significant; **highly statistically significant.
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References

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