Recycled Phosphorus Bioamendments from Wastewater Impact Rhizomicrobiome and Benefit Crop Growth: Sustainability Implications at Water-Food Nexus

Phosphorus recovery through enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) processes from agricultural wastes holds promise in mitigating the impending global P shortage. However, the complex nutrient forms and the microbial augments, expected to exert a profound impact on crop rhizomicrobiome and thus crop health, remained unexplored. In this study, we investigated the impacts of EBPR biosolids on crops growth and rhizomicrobiome in comparison to chemical fertilizer and Vermont manure compost. Our findings revealed that EBPR biosolid augmentation promoted the best maize shoot growth traits with the least nutrient deficiency, evidencing its agricultural benefits. Biosolid augmentation significantly impacted the rhizomicrobiome with decreased biodiversity but higher activities with enriched taxa capable of utilizing various carbon sources. The novel single-cell Raman spectroscopy phenotyping technique uncovered the surprisingly high abundance (up to 30%) of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) in the rhizosphere and their distinctive variations in different biosolid amendments. Furthermore, the interactions between EBPR-derived PAOs such as Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis and soil native plant growth promoting rhizobacteria highlighted the previously overlooked status and yet-to-be-characterized functions of PAOs in P cycling. This study provides a novel perspective leveraging EBPR biosolids to facilitate plant growth with agronomic benefits, thereby contributing to more sustainable and ecologically responsible agricultural practices.