Dassanayake, D.L.K.L.M.Wijesekara, K.B.2021-02-112021-02-1120122235-9877http://www.erepo.lib.uwu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/5972/473-Identification%20and%20Characterization%20of%20Potassium%20Solubilizing%20Bacteria%20Grown%20on%20Old%20Mica%20Heaps.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yPlants basically supplement nutrient requirements from soil. However, when cultivated in agricultural setup soil nutrient availability could be a limiting factor. In such situations it may be necessary to supplement nutrients additionally with agro fertilizers which incur large expenses to the farmer. Use of agro fertilizers in large amounts could results in environmental problems. Potassium is a key element that affects plant growth and potassium containing fertilizers are relatively expensive when compared to other forms of agro fertilizer. Mica is a rich natural source of potassium and mica processing, mainly for overseas market, produces large amount of decayed mica which is of no economic value. Mica could naturally release potassium to soil upon long term microbial degradation yet the process is low. Release of mica by microbial degradation could be expedited by the use of specific microbes that favor the release of potassium (Sugumaran, and Janarathanam, 2007; Archana, 2007). These microbes are naturally present associated with old and discarded Mica heaps from which some virulent strains can be isolated (Basak and Biswas, 2008). These strains have the potential to be used as inoculants with decayed mica which could serve as a bio fertilizer. This study aims at isolation and characterization of potassium leaching bacteria associated with old and discarded mica heaps and to investigate their potassium leaching potential on Biotite and Phlogopite Mica.enScience and technologyAgricultureMineral SciencesGeographyOther