Phosphorus biofertilizer for sustainable crop production

The proposed project pertains to the development of a novel phosphorus biofertilizercomprising special seeds and seed treatments to reduce the need for P fertilizers in cropproduction by up to 50%. Our biofertilizer is therefore an environmentally sustainable, and costeffectiveamendment to synthetic and organic phosphorus fertilizers. Sustainable production offood and energy crops is critical because US dominates production of major food and energycrops. No current US patents are directly related to the proposed research and productdevelopment and do not infringe or compromise the resulting intellectual property. The proposedresearch is unique in a number of ways. It targets both accumulated and residual insolublemineral- phosphorus and organic-phosphorus and also added synthetic fertilizers and proposes asustainable way to provide for plant's phosphorus needs while enhancing soil quality.Furthermore, it develops a phosphorus biofertilizer product based on a detailed mechanisticcharacterization of phosphorus availability thus helping reduce the need for synthetic phosphorusfertilizers while still reliably obtaining optimal crop growth. It is expected to perform better thanMonsantoBioAg biofertilizers currently on the market.The proposed research addresses the key societal challenge of Global Food Security and Hungerand the need for sustainable food production by development of methods/ technologies to reduceor eliminate the usage of synthetic fertilizers. It also enables biofuel industry to become animportant and commercially viable source of renewable energy. It will enhance internationalcompetitiveness of US Agricultural Industry by reducing input costs and enhancing sustainabilityof rural farm economies. It will support increased opportunities and improve quality of life bymaking smaller size land holdings profitable. If the project is successful, the proposed phosphorus biofertilizer willrevolutionize corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum production and set a precedent for thesustainable production of other crops in the U.S. It will also revolutionize and diversify thesynthetic phosphorus fertilizer industry. By helping with sustainable phosphorus management, itshould also dramatically reduce costs for remediation of surface water quality and treatment ofadverse human health effects.