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Ofoe R, Mousavi SMN, Thomas RH, Abbey L. Foliar application of pyroligneous acid acts synergistically with fertilizer to improve the productivity and phytochemical properties of greenhouse-grown tomato. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1934. [PMID: 38253671 PMCID: PMC10803764 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52026-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pyroligneous acid (PA) is rich in bioactive compounds and known to have the potential to improve crop productivity and phytochemical content. However, the synergistic effect of PA and fertilizer has not been thoroughly studied. In this study, we assessed the biostimulatory effect of different rates of foliar PA application (i.e., 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2% PA/ddH2O (v/v)) combined with full rate (i.e., 0.63, 0.28, 1.03 g) and half rate of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizer on the yield and nutritional quality of greenhouse-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Scotia'). Plants treated with 0.25% and 0.5% PA showed a significantly (p < 0.001) higher maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and increased potential photosynthetic capacity (Fv/Fo), especially when combined with the full NPK rate. Leaf chlorophyll was significantly (p < 0.001) increased by approximately 0.60 and 0.49 folds in plants treated with 2% PA and full NPK rate compared to no spray and water, respectively. Total number of fruits was significantly (p < 0.001) increased by approximately 0.56 folds with the 2% PA irrespective of the NPK rate. The combined 2% PA and full NPK rate enhanced total fruit weight and the number of marketable fruits. Similarly, fruit protein, sugar and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity were significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced by the combined 2% PA and full NPK rate. In contrast, the 0.5% PA combined with half NPK rate increased fruit carotenoid and phenolic contents while the 2% PA plus half NPK rate enhanced fruit flavonoid content. Generally, the synergistic effect of PA and NPK fertilizer increased fruit elemental composition. These showed that foliar application of 2% PA with full NPK rate is the best treatment combination that can be adopted as a novel strategy to increase the productivity and quality of tomato fruits. However, further study is required to investigate the molecular basis of PA biostimulatory effect on plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Ofoe
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, 50 Pictou Road, Bible Hill, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada.
| | - Seyed Mohammad Nasir Mousavi
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, 50 Pictou Road, Bible Hill, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - Raymond H Thomas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University 2025E Biological and Geological Sciences Building, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Lord Abbey
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, 50 Pictou Road, Bible Hill, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada.
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Celletti S, Fedeli R, Ghorbani M, Aseka JM, Loppi S. Exploring sustainable alternatives: Wood distillate alleviates the impact of bioplastic in basil plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:166484. [PMID: 37611709 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The growing interest in bioplastics and bio-based crop management products in agriculture is driven by the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. However, recent research has raised concerns about the sustainability of bioplastics due to their potential negative impact on crop growth and yield, with implications for the environment and human health. In this study, wood distillate (WD) was evaluated as a natural enhancer of plant growth and defence system to mitigate the negative impact of a starch-based bioplastic on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants. The study analyzed physiological and biochemical changes in basil plants subjected for 35 days to single or combined treatments of WD and bioplastic by measuring biomarkers of healthy growth, such as soluble proteins, sugars, vitamin C, and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results showed that WD promoted basil development, whereas the presence of bioplastic hindered it. Interestingly, WD did not affect sugars but increased vitamin C by 12 %, which is considered a positive effect as changes in sugar levels could indicate plant stress. In contrast, bioplastic resulted in reduced sugars (-41 %) and increased (+17 %) MDA level, while vitamin C content remained unchanged. However, when WD was added to plants grown with bioplastic, it elevated the levels of all examined parameters, except for sugars and vitamin C, which experienced reductions (-66 % and 33 %, respectively). Intriguingly, despite this reduction, the observed direct correlation between sugar and vitamin C contents was maintained, indicating that the decrease in sugar content may have reached a critical threshold. This study suggests that the use of WD has the potential to alleviate the adverse effects of bioplastic on basil growth and development and highlights the importance of adopting sustainable practices in agriculture, as well as the need for a critical assessment of the environmental impact of new technologies and products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Celletti
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Fedeli
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Majid Ghorbani
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Jonan Mbela Aseka
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; BAT Center - Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80138 Napoli, Italy.
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Mohd Amnan MA, Teo WFA, Aizat WM, Khaidizar FD, Tan BC. Foliar Application of Oil Palm Wood Vinegar Enhances Pandanus amaryllifolius Tolerance under Drought Stress. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:785. [PMID: 36840132 PMCID: PMC9958832 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Drought stress severely threatens plant growth, yield and survivability. Wood vinegar, formed by the condensation of smoke produced during biochar production, has been shown to promote plant growth and enhance stress tolerance. They have now been recognized as a sustainable alternative and are frequently used exogenously to support plants coping with environmental stress. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oil palm wood vinegar (OPWV) in mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress on Pandanus amaryllifolius. The optimal concentrations and frequencies of OPWV application were determined before the drought treatment. The results showed that the imposed drought stress negatively affected the plant growth parameters but applying OPWV at 1:500 dilution at 3-day intervals for 12 days increased its tolerance. These include increased leaf relative water content, root-to-shoot ratio, relative stem circumference, chlorophyll pigments and antioxidant enzyme activities. In contrast, the drought-stressed plants treated with OPWV showed decreased relative electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, proline, malondialdehyde, and enhanced drought-responsive gene expressions, such as HSP70, GAPDH, and Thau, while ENO and β-Fruc were reduced. These biostimulatory effects of OPWV might be due to several antioxidant compounds, such as anthranilic acid, tetrasiloxane, syringol, guaiacol, and catechol. Altogether, our results showed the effectiveness of OPWV in alleviating the adverse effects of drought stress, and as such, OPWV could be potentially applied in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asyraf Mohd Amnan
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Wee Fei Aaron Teo
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Wan Mohd Aizat
- Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
| | - Fiqri Dizar Khaidizar
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Boon Chin Tan
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
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Vannini A, Fedeli R, Guarnieri M, Loppi S. Foliar Application of Wood Distillate Alleviates Ozone-Induced Damage in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10040178. [PMID: 35448439 PMCID: PMC9031150 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10040178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This study examined whether foliar applications of wood distillate (WD) have a protective effect on photosynthesis and the antioxidant power of lettuce when exposed to an ecologically relevant O3 concentration. Seedlings of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were fumigated daily with 60 ppb of O3 for 30 days, five hours per day. Once per week, 50% of the fumigated plants were treated with foliar applications of 0.2% WD, while control plants were treated with water. The results clearly showed the ability of WD to protect lettuce plants from ozone-induced damage. Specifically, WD-treated plants exhibited lower damage to the photosynthetic machinery, assessed through a series of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, a higher chlorophyll content, higher antioxidant power, as well as antioxidant molecules, i.e., caffeic acid and quercetin, and higher biomass. Counteracting the overproduction of ozone-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) is speculated to be the main mechanism by which WD protects the plant from ozone-induced damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vannini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Riccardo Fedeli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via PA Mattioli 4, I-53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (M.G.); (S.L.)
| | - Massimo Guarnieri
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via PA Mattioli 4, I-53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (M.G.); (S.L.)
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via PA Mattioli 4, I-53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (M.G.); (S.L.)
- BAT Center-Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, 80138 Napoli, Italy
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Fedeli R, Vannini A, Guarnieri M, Monaci F, Loppi S. Bio-Based Solutions for Agriculture: Foliar Application of Wood Distillate Alone and in Combination with Other Plant-Derived Corroborants Results in Different Effects on Lettuce ( Lactuca Sativa L.). BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11030404. [PMID: 35336778 PMCID: PMC8945027 DOI: 10.3390/biology11030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Bio-stimulants are showing growing success and are gradually replacing synthetic fertilizers in agriculture. Wood distillate (WD), also known as wood vinegar or pyroligneous acid, is a by-product of biomass pyrolysis and is increasingly used as a bio-stimulant for crop production. This study investigated whether weekly foliar applications of 0.25% and 0.50% WD have a differential effect on the chlorophyll and sugar content as well as biomass production in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Moreover, the additional beneficial effect from the addition of corroborants of plant origin such as 3% soy lecithin and 5% flavonoid-rich wood glycolic extract to WD (BF) was investigated. Moreover, the possible toxicological concern from some potentially toxic elements (PTEs), namely Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, which may be abundant in WD was verified. After four weeks, we found that 0.25% WD not only increases lettuce biomass, which has an economic value, but also has beneficial effects on other qualitative parameters such as sugars and total sweetness. On the other hand, the use of 0.5% WD decreased the content of soluble sugars, suggesting a hormetic-type effect. We did not find evidence of further beneficial effects from the addition to WD of plant-derived corroborants, nor of any enrichment in the content of the investigated PTEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Fedeli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (A.V.); (M.G.); (F.M.)
| | - Andrea Vannini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (A.V.); (M.G.); (F.M.)
| | - Massimo Guarnieri
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (A.V.); (M.G.); (F.M.)
| | - Fabrizio Monaci
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (A.V.); (M.G.); (F.M.)
- BAT Center—Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (R.F.); (A.V.); (M.G.); (F.M.)
- BAT Center—Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, 80138 Napoli, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Characterization of the Safety Profile of Sweet Chestnut Wood Distillate Employed in Agriculture. SAFETY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/safety7040079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In organic agriculture, synthetic pesticides and treatments are substituted by natural remedies with interesting success for product yield and environmental outcomes, but the safety of these bio-based products needs to be assessed in vertebrate and human models. Therefore, in this paper we assessed the safety profile of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) wood distillate (WD) on the different cellular components of tissues implied in transcutaneous absorption. We investigated the viability of different cell lines mimicking the skin (HaCaT keratinocytes), mucosa (A431), connective (normal human dermal fibroblasts, NHDF) and vascular (human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVEC) tissues after exposure to increasing concentrations (0.04–0.5%, v/v, corresponding to 1:2800–1:200 dilutions) of WD. A short exposure to increasing doses of WD was well tolerated up to the highest concentration. Instead, following a prolonged treatment, a concentration dependent cytotoxic effect was observed. Notably, a different behavior was found with the various cell lines, with higher sensitivity to cytotoxicity by the cells with higher proliferation rate and reduced doubling time (human keratinocytes). Moreover, to exclude an inflammatory effect at the not cytotoxic WD concentrations, the expression of the main inducible markers of inflammation, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), were assessed, and no improvement was found both after brief and prolonged exposure. In conclusion, our data exclude any inflammatory and cytotoxic effect at the lowest WD concentrations, namely 0.07% and 0.04%, mimicking some recommended dilutions of the product and the potential exposure doses for the operators in agriculture. Nevertheless, higher concentrations showed a safe profile for short time usage, but caution should be used by farmers following persistent product exposure.
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