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Khan A, Singh AV, Gautam SS, Agarwal A, Punetha A, Upadhayay VK, Kukreti B, Bundela V, Jugran AK, Goel R. Microbial bioformulation: a microbial assisted biostimulating fertilization technique for sustainable agriculture. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1270039. [PMID: 38148858 PMCID: PMC10749938 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1270039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Addressing the pressing issues of increased food demand, declining crop productivity under varying agroclimatic conditions, and the deteriorating soil health resulting from the overuse of agricultural chemicals, requires innovative and effective strategies for the present era. Microbial bioformulation technology is a revolutionary, and eco-friendly alternative to agrochemicals that paves the way for sustainable agriculture. This technology harnesses the power of potential microbial strains and their cell-free filtrate possessing specific properties, such as phosphorus, potassium, and zinc solubilization, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, and pathogen protection. The application of microbial bioformulations offers several remarkable advantages, including its sustainable nature, plant probiotic properties, and long-term viability, positioning it as a promising technology for the future of agriculture. To maintain the survival and viability of microbial strains, diverse carrier materials are employed to provide essential nourishment and support. Various carrier materials with their unique pros and cons are available, and choosing the most appropriate one is a key consideration, as it substantially extends the shelf life of microbial cells and maintains the overall quality of the bioinoculants. An exemplary modern bioformulation technology involves immobilizing microbial cells and utilizing cell-free filters to preserve the efficacy of bioinoculants, showcasing cutting-edge progress in this field. Moreover, the effective delivery of bioformulations in agricultural fields is another critical aspect to improve their overall efficiency. Proper and suitable application of microbial formulations is essential to boost soil fertility, preserve the soil's microbial ecology, enhance soil nutrition, and support crop physiological and biochemical processes, leading to increased yields in a sustainable manner while reducing reliance on expensive and toxic agrochemicals. This manuscript centers on exploring microbial bioformulations and their carrier materials, providing insights into the selection criteria, the development process of bioformulations, precautions, and best practices for various agricultural lands. The potential of bioformulations in promoting plant growth and defense against pathogens and diseases, while addressing biosafety concerns, is also a focal point of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Khan
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ajay Veer Singh
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Shiv Shanker Gautam
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Aparna Agarwal
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Arjita Punetha
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resource, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Viabhav Kumar Upadhayay
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University, Samastipur, India
| | - Bharti Kukreti
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Vindhya Bundela
- Biofortification Lab, Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Arun Kumar Jugran
- G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBPNIHE), Garhwal Regional Centre, Srinager, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Reeta Goel
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences and Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Chiaranunt P, White JF. Plant Beneficial Bacteria and Their Potential Applications in Vertical Farming Systems. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:400. [PMID: 36679113 PMCID: PMC9861093 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this literature review, we discuss the various functions of beneficial plant bacteria in improving plant nutrition, the defense against biotic and abiotic stress, and hormonal regulation. We also review the recent research on rhizophagy, a nutrient scavenging mechanism in which bacteria enter and exit root cells on a cyclical basis. These concepts are covered in the contexts of soil agriculture and controlled environment agriculture, and they are also used in vertical farming systems. Vertical farming-its advantages and disadvantages over soil agriculture, and the various climatic factors in controlled environment agriculture-is also discussed in relation to plant-bacterial relationships. The different factors under grower control, such as choice of substrate, oxygenation rates, temperature, light, and CO2 supplementation, may influence plant-bacterial interactions in unintended ways. Understanding the specific effects of these environmental factors may inform the best cultural practices and further elucidate the mechanisms by which beneficial bacteria promote plant growth.
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Alfonzetti M, Doleac S, Mills CH, Gallagher RV, Tetu S. Characterizing Effects of Microbial Biostimulants and Whole-Soil Inoculums for Native Plant Revegetation. Microorganisms 2022; 11:microorganisms11010055. [PMID: 36677347 PMCID: PMC9867050 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil microbes play important roles in plant health and ecosystem functioning, however, they can often be disturbed or depleted in degraded lands. During seed-based revegetation of such sites there is often very low germination and seedling establishment success, with recruitment of beneficial microbes to the rhizosphere one potential contributor to this problem. Here we investigated whether Australian native plant species may benefit from planting seed encapsulated within extruded seed pellets amended with one of two microbe-rich products: a commercial vermicast extract biostimulant or a whole-soil inoculum from a healthy reference site of native vegetation. Two manipulative glasshouse trials assessing the performance of two Australian native plant species (Acacia parramattensis and Indigofera australis) were carried out in both unmodified field-collected soil (trial 1) and in the same soil reduced in nutrients and microbes (trial 2). Seedling emergence and growth were compared between pelleted and bare-seeded controls and analyzed alongside soil nutrient concentrations and culturable microbial community assessments. The addition of microbial amendments maintained, but did not improve upon, high levels of emergence in both plant species relative to unamended pellets. In trial 1, mean time to emergence of Acacia parramattensis seedlings was slightly shorter in both amended pellet types relative to the standard pellets, and in trial 2, whole-soil inoculum pellets showed significantly improved growth metrics. This work shows that there is potential for microbial amendments to positively affect native plant emergence and growth, however exact effects are dependent on the type of amendment, the plant species, and the characteristics of the planting site soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Alfonzetti
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Sebastien Doleac
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | | | - Rachael V. Gallagher
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
- Correspondence: (R.V.G.); (S.T.)
| | - Sasha Tetu
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Correspondence: (R.V.G.); (S.T.)
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Romano I, Ventorino V, Ambrosino P, Testa A, Chouyia FE, Pepe O. Development and Application of Low-Cost and Eco-Sustainable Bio-Stimulant Containing a New Plant Growth-Promoting Strain Kosakonia pseudosacchari TL13. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2044. [PMID: 33013749 PMCID: PMC7461993 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of beneficial microbes as inoculants able to improve fitness, growth and health of plants also in stress conditions is an attractive low-cost and eco-friendly alternative strategy to harmful chemical inputs. Thirteen potential plant growth-promoting bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat plants cultivated under drought stress and nitrogen deficiency. Among these, the two isolates TL8 and TL13 showed multiple plant growth promotion activities as production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, ammonia, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase production, the ability to solubilize phosphate as well as exerted antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens as Botrytis spp. and Phytophthora spp. The two selected strains were identified as Kosakonia pseudosacchari by sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. They resulted also tolerant to abiotic stress and were able to efficiently colonize plant roots as observed in vitro assay under fluorescence microscope. Based on the best PGP properties, the strain K. pseudosacchari TL13 was selected to develop a new microbial based formulate. A sustainable and environmentally friendly process for inoculant production was developed using agro-industrial by-products for microbial growth. Moreover, the application of K. pseudosacchari TL13- based formulates in pot experiment improved growth performance of maize plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Romano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Ventorino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Patrizia Ambrosino
- Agriges S.r.l. - Nutrizione Speciale per L'Agricoltura Biologica e Integrata, San Salvatore Telesino, Italy
| | - Antonino Testa
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fatima Ezzahra Chouyia
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Olimpia Pepe
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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New frontiers in agriculture productivity: Optimised microbial inoculants and in situ microbiome engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107371. [PMID: 30890361 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing agricultural productivity is critical to feed the ever-growing human population. Being linked intimately to plant health, growth and productivity, harnessing the plant microbiome is considered a potentially viable approach for the next green revolution, in an environmentally sustainable way. In recent years, our understanding of drivers, roles, mechanisms, along with knowledge to manipulate the plant microbiome, have significantly advanced. Yet, translating this knowledge to expand farm productivity and sustainability requires the development of solutions for a number of technological and logistic challenges. In this article, we propose new and emerging strategies to improve the survival and activity of microbial inoculants, including using selected indigenous microbes and optimising microbial delivery methods, as well as modern gene editing tools to engineer microbial inoculants. In addition, we identify multiple biochemical and molecular mechanisms and/approaches which can be exploited for microbiome engineering in situ to optimise plant-microbiome interactions for improved farm yields. These novel biotechnological approaches can provide effective tools to attract and maintain activities of crop beneficial microbiota that increase crop performance in terms of nutrient acquisition, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, resulting in an increased agricultural productivity and sustainability.
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Rocha I, Ma Y, Souza-Alonso P, Vosátka M, Freitas H, Oliveira RS. Seed Coating: A Tool for Delivering Beneficial Microbes to Agricultural Crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1357. [PMID: 31781135 PMCID: PMC6852281 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plant beneficial microbes (PBMs), such as plant growth-promoting bacteria, rhizobia, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and Trichoderma, can reduce the use of agrochemicals and increase plant yield, nutrition, and tolerance to biotic-abiotic stresses. Yet, large-scale applications of PBM have been hampered by the high amounts of inoculum per plant or per cultivation area needed for successful colonization and consequently the economic feasibility. Seed coating, a process that consists in covering seeds with low amounts of exogenous materials, is gaining attention as an efficient delivery system for PBM. Microbial seed coating comprises the use of a binder, in some cases a filler, mixed with inocula, and can be done using simple mixing equipment (e.g., cement mixer) or more specialized/sophisticated apparatus (e.g., fluidized bed). Binders/fillers can be used to extend microbial survival. The most reported types of seed coating are seed dressing, film coating, and pelleting. Tested in more than 50 plant species with seeds of different dimensions, forms, textures, and germination types (e.g., cereals, vegetables, fruits, pulses, and other legumes), seed coating has been studied using various species of plant growth-promoting bacteria, rhizobia, Trichoderma, and to a lesser extent mycorrhizal fungi. Most of the studies regarding PBM applied via seed coating are aimed at promoting crop growth, yield, and crop protection against pathogens. Studies have shown that coating seeds with PBM can assist crops in improving seedling establishment and germination or achieving high yields and food quality, under reduced chemical fertilization. The right combination of biological control agents applied via seed coating can be a powerful tool against a wide number of diseases and pathogens. Less frequently, studies report seed coating being used for adaptation and protection of crops under abiotic stresses. Notwithstanding the promising results, there are still challenges mainly related with the scaling up from the laboratory to the field and proper formulation, including efficient microbial combinations and coating materials that can result in extended shelf-life of both seeds and coated PBM. These limitations need to be addressed and overcome in order to allow a wider use of seed coating as a cost-effective delivery method for PBM in sustainable agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Rocha
- Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Inês Rocha,
| | - Ying Ma
- Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Pablo Souza-Alonso
- Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miroslav Vosátka
- Department of Mycorrhizal Symbioses, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Pru˚honice, Czechia
| | - Helena Freitas
- Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui S. Oliveira
- Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Pedrini S, Merritt DJ, Stevens J, Dixon K. Seed Coating: Science or Marketing Spin? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 22:106-116. [PMID: 27979716 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Seed coating is the practice of covering seeds with external materials to improve handling, protection, and, to a lesser extent, germination enhancement and plant establishment. With an annual value exceeding US$1 billion dollars, this technology is mostly the preserve of the private research sector, with few links to the scientific community. Here, we analyse the science and industry of seed coating and its contribution to seed establishment and plant performance. We posit that a closer collaboration between academia and industry is critical to realising the potential of seed coating both as a tool for enhancing plant establishment in the face of the challenges posed to agricultural systems and to propel the multibillion-dollar global push for ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pedrini
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia.
| | - David J Merritt
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia; School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Jason Stevens
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia; School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Kingsley Dixon
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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John RP, Tyagi R, Brar S, Surampalli R, Prévost D. Bio-encapsulation of microbial cells for targeted agricultural delivery. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2010; 31:211-26. [DOI: 10.3109/07388551.2010.513327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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