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Adamczyk-Szabela D, Wolf WM. The Influence of Copper and Zinc on Photosynthesis and Phenolic Levels in Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.), Borage ( Borago officinalis L.), Common Nettle ( Urtica dioica L.) and Peppermint ( Mentha piperita L.). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3612. [PMID: 38612424 PMCID: PMC11011574 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073612] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This work is aimed at relationships which govern zinc and copper uptake by four popular medicinal herbs: basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), borage (Borago officinalis L.), common nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). They are often grown in soils with significant copper or zinc levels. Herbs were cultivated by a pot method in controlled conditions. Manganese, iron, copper and zinc concentrations were determined by High-Resolution Continuum Source Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The efficiency of photosynthesis was estimated by measuring the chlorophyll content, water use efficiency, net photosynthesis, intercellular CO2, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate. Phenolic compounds were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Analysis of variance showed that herbs grown in soil treated with copper exhibited a lower iron content in roots, while manganese behaved in the opposite way. The only exception was borage, where a decrease in the manganese content in roots was observed. Both copper and zinc supplementations increased the total content of phenolics, while the highest increases were observed for common nettle and basil. Peppermint and borage responded less to supplementation. In the majority of samples, zinc and copper did not significantly affect the photosynthesis. Herbal extracts from common nettle and basil had unique antioxidant properties and may be good free radical scavengers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Adamczyk-Szabela
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Technical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland;
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Alkharpotly AA, Abd-Elkader DY, Salem MZM, Hassan HS. Growth, productivity and phytochemicals of Coriander in responses to foliar application of Acacia saligna fruit extract as a biostimulant under field conditions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2921. [PMID: 38316894 PMCID: PMC10844193 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53378-5] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of natural extracts to vegetable plants can increase production, optimize nutrient and water uptake, and mitigate the effects of stress on vegetable plants by enhancing primary and secondary metabolism. In this study, Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. fruit aqueous extract (FAE) was applied as a foliar application to assess and demonstrate its effects on growth, productivity, and phytochemicals of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) plants. A. saligna FAE (2%, 4%, and 6%), each combined with 50% of the recommended dose of N fertilizer was applied to coriander plants over the course of two successive seasons in the field. These treatments were compared with the control treatment, which used a 100% recommended dose of N. The four tested treatments were set up in a randomized complete block design with three replicates for a total of 12 experimental plots. Each replicate (experimental plot) was 3 m2 (2 × 1.5 m2) in size and included 300 seeds/m2. The phytochemicals were examined using chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods, where the essential oils (EOs) extracted from leaves were analyzed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while the phenolic and flavonoid compounds were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). With the application of A. saligna FAE (4%) + 50% N fertilizer, the levels of total solid content, total carbohydrates, total protein, total phenols, and total antioxidant activity, as well as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll a + b, and carotenoids, were increased at harvest. The treatment A. saligna FAE at 6% + 50% N fertilizer did not observe significant improvement in the growth parameters of coriander plants because of the anticipated allelopathic effects. By GC-MS analysis, the major compounds in the EO from control treatment were 2-octyn-1-ol (23.93%), and 2-butyl-1-octanol (8.80%), in treated plants with 2% of A. saligna FAE + 50% N fertilizer were (E)-2-decen-1-ol (32.00%), and 1-methoxymethoxy-oct-2-yne (13.71%), in treated plants with 4% A. saligna FAE + 50% N fertilizer were E-2-undecen-1-ol (32.70%), and 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexene (8.91%), and in the treated plants with A. saligna FAE (6%) + 50% N fertilizer were phytol (80.44%), and (Z)6,(Z)9-pentadecadien-1-ol (13.75%). The flavonoid components 7-hydroxyflavone, naringin, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, apigenin, and catechin were presented with variable concentrations according to the treatments utilized as identified by HPLC analysis from the methanol extracts of the treated plants with the combination treatments of A. saligna FAE (2, 4, and 6%) and N fertilization (50% from the recommended dose) and control coriander plants (100% N recommended dose). The combination of 50% N fertilizer treatment and the biostimulant A. saligna FAE (4%) seems to improve coriander plant growth while simultaneously lowering N fertilizer consumption. Future research will be needed to further study the effectiveness of several concentrations of A. saligna FAE in various conditions and/or species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Alkharpotly
- Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt
- Horticulture Department, Faculty of Desert and Environmental Agriculture, Matrouh University, Marsa Matrouh, Egypt
| | - Doaa Y Abd-Elkader
- Department of Vegetable, Faculty of Agriculture (EL-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Z M Salem
- Forestry and Wood Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt.
| | - Hanaa S Hassan
- Department of Vegetable, Faculty of Agriculture (EL-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt
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Bhowmick S, Rai G, Mishra SK, Bisht N, Chauhan PS. Bio-stimulants from medicinally and nutritionally significant plant extracts mitigate drought adversities in Zea mays through enhanced physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant activities. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 207:108396. [PMID: 38310727 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Drought stress poses a substantial threat to global plant productivity amid increasing population and rising agricultural demand. To overcome this problem, the utilization of organic plant growth ingredients aligns with the emphasis on eco-friendly farming practices. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the influence of 30 botanical extracts on seed germination, seedling vigor, and subsequent maize plant growth under normal and water deficit conditions. Specifically, eight extracts showed significant enhancement in agronomical parameters (ranging from ∼2 % to ∼ 183 %) and photosynthetic pigments (ranging from ∼21 % to ∼ 195 %) of seedlings under drought conditions. Extended tests on maize in a greenhouse setting confirmed that the application of six extracts viz Moringa oleifera leaf (MLE), bark (MBE), Terminalia arjuna leaf (ALE), bark (ABE), Aegel marmelos leaf (BLE), and Phyllanthus niruri leaf (AmLE) improved plant growth and drought tolerance, as evident in improved physio-biochemical parameters. GC-MS analysis of the selected extracts unveiled a total of 51 bioactive compounds, including sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids, and amino acids, and might be playing pivotal roles in plant acclimatization to drought stress. In conclusion, MLE, MBE, BLE, and ABE extracts exhibit significant potential for enhancing seedling establishment and growth in maize under both normal and water deficit conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiuly Bhowmick
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, India
| | - Gauri Rai
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, India
| | - Shashank Kumar Mishra
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, India
| | - Nikita Bisht
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, India
| | - Puneet Singh Chauhan
- CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
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Tamburino R, Docimo T, Sannino L, Gualtieri L, Palomba F, Valletta A, Ruocco M, Scotti N. Enzyme-Based Biostimulants Influence Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Lactuca sativa L. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1765. [PMID: 38136636 PMCID: PMC10742310 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121765] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Biostimulants (BSs) are natural materials (i.e., organic or inorganic compounds, and/or microorganisms) having beneficial effects on plant growth and productivity, and able to improve resilience/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, they represent an innovative alternative to the phyto- and agrochemicals, being environmentally friendly and a valuable tool to cope with extreme climate conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of several biomolecules (i.e., Xylanase, β-Glucosidase, Chitinase, and Tramesan), alone or in combinations, on lettuce plant growth and quality. With this aim, the influence of these biomolecules on biomass, pigment content, and antioxidant properties in treated plants were investigated. Our results showed that Xylanase and, to a lesser extent, β-Glucosidase, have potentially biostimulant activity for lettuce cultivation, positively influencing carotenoids, total polyphenols, and ascorbic acid contents; similar effects were found with respect to antioxidative properties. Furthermore, the effect of the more promising molecules (Xylanase and β-Glucosidase) was also evaluated in kiwifruit cultured cells to test their putative role as sustainable input for plant cell biofactories. The absence of phytotoxic effects of both molecules at low doses (0.1 and 0.01 µM), and the significantly enhanced cell biomass growth, indicates a positive impact on kiwifruit cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Tamburino
- Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse (CNR-IBBR), 80055 Portici, Italy; (R.T.); (T.D.); (L.S.)
| | - Teresa Docimo
- Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse (CNR-IBBR), 80055 Portici, Italy; (R.T.); (T.D.); (L.S.)
| | - Lorenza Sannino
- Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse (CNR-IBBR), 80055 Portici, Italy; (R.T.); (T.D.); (L.S.)
| | - Liberata Gualtieri
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR-IPSP), 80055 Portici, Italy; (L.G.); (F.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Francesca Palomba
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR-IPSP), 80055 Portici, Italy; (L.G.); (F.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Alessio Valletta
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Michelina Ruocco
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (CNR-IPSP), 80055 Portici, Italy; (L.G.); (F.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Nunzia Scotti
- Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse (CNR-IBBR), 80055 Portici, Italy; (R.T.); (T.D.); (L.S.)
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Muthuramalingam P, Muthamil S, Shilpha J, Venkatramanan V, Priya A, Kim J, Shin Y, Chen JT, Baskar V, Park K, Shin H. Molecular Insights into Abiotic Stresses in Mango. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1939. [PMID: 37653856 PMCID: PMC10224100 DOI: 10.3390/plants12101939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most economically important fruit crops across the world, mainly in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Abiotic stresses are the prominent hindrance that can adversely affect the growth, development, and significant yield loss of mango trees. Understanding the molecular physiological mechanisms underlying abiotic stress responses in mango is highly intricate. Therefore, to gain insights into the molecular basis and to alleviate the abiotic stress responses to enhance the yield in the mere future, the use of high-throughput frontier approaches should be tied along with the baseline investigations. Taking these gaps into account, this comprehensive review mainly speculates to provide detailed mechanisms and impacts on physiological and biochemical alterations in mango under abiotic stress responses. In addition, the review emphasizes the promising omics approaches in unraveling the candidate genes and transcription factors (TFs) responsible for abiotic stresses. Furthermore, this review also summarizes the role of different types of biostimulants in improving the abiotic stress responses in mango. These studies can be undertaken to recognize the roadblocks and avenues for enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in mango cultivars. Potential investigations pointed out the implementation of powerful and essential tools to uncover novel insights and approaches to integrate the existing literature and advancements to decipher the abiotic stress mechanisms in mango. Furthermore, this review serves as a notable pioneer for researchers working on mango stress physiology using integrative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pandiyan Muthuramalingam
- Division of Horticultural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (P.M.); (J.S.)
- Department of GreenBio Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (J.K.); (Y.S.)
| | - Subramanian Muthamil
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jayabalan Shilpha
- Division of Horticultural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (P.M.); (J.S.)
| | | | - Arumugam Priya
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA;
| | - Jinwook Kim
- Department of GreenBio Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (J.K.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yunji Shin
- Department of GreenBio Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (J.K.); (Y.S.)
| | - Jen-Tsung Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan
| | - Venkidasamy Baskar
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India;
| | - Kyoungmi Park
- Department of Horticulture Research, Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Jinju 52733, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyunsuk Shin
- Division of Horticultural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (P.M.); (J.S.)
- Department of GreenBio Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (J.K.); (Y.S.)
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Maričić B, Brkljača M, Ban D, Palčić I, Franin K, Marcelić Š, Goreta Ban S. Non-Aerated Common Nettle ( Urtica dioica L.) Extract Enhances Green Beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Growth and Soil Enzyme Activity. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12122145. [PMID: 36556510 PMCID: PMC9787812 DOI: 10.3390/life12122145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
One of the limiting factors in organic farming is the scarcity of allowed fertilizers and chemicals for plant protection. Plant and compost extracts are a promising solution for fertilization because of their positive effect on plant growth and soil microbial activity. Nettle extract was already successfully applied to some vegetables. Not-aerated nettle extract, obtained from dry nettle leaves, was applied in experiments with green beans in a quantity of 1 L per pot at two-day intervals was studied. A three-factorial experimental design was applied with two soil types (brown-Calcic Gleysol and red-Eutric Cambisol), soil disinfection with dazomet or not, and irrigated with nettle extract or water. Nettle extract application increased all above-ground traits; plant height, leaf area, flower buds, shoot dry weight at flowering, pod length, pod diameter, and shoot dry weight at harvest by 49%, 66%, 43%, 36%, 11%, 9%, and 37%, respectively, the root length at harvest by 59%, total yield by 48%, soil respiration by 91% and 74% in two soil types, and alkaline phosphatase by 30%. Dehydrogenase activity was enhanced by nettle extract application on red soil, while nettle extract application had no effect on root nodulation. The nettle extract application benefits in green bean organic production were attributed to the nutrients and other components present in the extract and not to nitrogen fixation. The optimization of the dose of the extract and experiments in real conditions of green bean production would be the next step toward the implementation of nettle extract as an organic fertilizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branka Maričić
- Department of Ecology, Agronomy and Aquaculture, University of Zadar, Trg kneza Višeslava 9, 23000 Zadar, Croatia
| | | | - Dean Ban
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
| | - Igor Palčić
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
- Correspondence: (I.P.); (S.G.B.); Tel.: +385-408-312 (I.P.)
| | - Kristijan Franin
- Department of Ecology, Agronomy and Aquaculture, University of Zadar, Trg kneza Višeslava 9, 23000 Zadar, Croatia
| | - Šime Marcelić
- Department of Ecology, Agronomy and Aquaculture, University of Zadar, Trg kneza Višeslava 9, 23000 Zadar, Croatia
| | - Smiljana Goreta Ban
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
- Correspondence: (I.P.); (S.G.B.); Tel.: +385-408-312 (I.P.)
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Miras-Moreno B, Senizza B, Regni L, Tolisano C, Proietti P, Trevisan M, Lucini L, Rouphael Y, Del Buono D. Biochemical Insights into the Ability of Lemna minor L. Extract to Counteract Copper Toxicity in Maize. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2613. [PMID: 36235490 PMCID: PMC9571813 DOI: 10.3390/plants11192613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Metal trace elements (MTE) can damage crops if present in excessive amounts in the environment. This research investigated the effect of a plant extract of an aquatic species, Lemna minor L. (duckweed) (LE), on the ability of maize to cope with copper (Cu) toxicity. LE reversed the effects of Cu2+ on photosynthetic activity (Pn), evapotranspiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), sub-stomatal CO2 concentration (Ci) and biomass which did not differ from the untreated controls. LE did not regulate the amount of copper in maize leaves, but compared to Cu-treated samples, the extract decreased the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2; -26% on average) and malondialdehyde (MDA; -47% on average) content, regardless of the dosage applied. Furthermore, the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) was significantly increased by LE compared to samples treated with Cu alone. Untargeted metabolomic profiling revealed that LE activated maize secondary metabolism, eliciting the content of non-enzymatic antioxidants (flavonoids, glutathione and glutathione-related compounds, tocopherols and tocotrienols) and modulating plant stress-related hormones (brassinosteroids and ABA derivatives). The results of this study are promising and pave the way for using duckweed as a biostimulant to trigger beneficial effects in maize and increase its resistance to MTEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Miras-Moreno
- Department for Sustainable Food Process, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Biancamaria Senizza
- Department for Sustainable Food Process, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Luca Regni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
| | - Ciro Tolisano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
| | - Primo Proietti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marco Trevisan
- Department for Sustainable Food Process, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Luigi Lucini
- Department for Sustainable Food Process, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy
| | - Youssef Rouphael
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Daniele Del Buono
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
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Lalarukh I, Al-Dhumri SA, Al-Ani LKT, Hussain R, Al Mutairi KA, Mansoora N, Amjad SF, Abbas MHH, Abdelhafez AA, Poczai P, Meena KR, Galal TM. A Combined Use of Rhizobacteria and Moringa Leaf Extract Mitigates the Adverse Effects of Drought Stress in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:813415. [PMID: 35801109 PMCID: PMC9253557 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.813415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Less nutrient availability and drought stress are some serious concerns of agriculture. Both biotic and abiotic stress factors have the potential to limit crop productivity. However, several organic extracts obtained from moringa leaves may induce immunity in plants under nutritional and drought stress for increasing their survival. Additionally, some rhizobacterial strains have the ability to enhance root growth for better nutrient and water uptake in stress conditions. To cover the knowledge gap on the interactive effects of beneficial rhizobacteria and moringa leaf extracts (MLEs), this study was conducted. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effectiveness of sole and combined use of rhizobacteria and MLEs against nutritional and drought stress in wheat. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) (108 CFU ml-1) was inoculated to wheat plants with and without foliar-applied MLEs at two different concentrations (MLE 1 = 1:15 v/v and MLE 2 = 1:30 v/v) twice at 25 and 35 days after seed sowing (50 ml per plant) after the establishment of drought stress. Results revealed that Pa + MLE 2 significantly increased fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), lengths of roots and shoot and photosynthetic contents of wheat. A significant enhancement in total soluble sugars, total soluble proteins, calcium, potassium, phosphate, and nitrate contents validated the efficacious effect of Pa + MLE 2 over control-treated plants. Significant decrease in sodium, proline, glycine betaine, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxide (POD) concentrations in wheat cultivated under drought stress conditions also represents the imperative role of Pa + MLE 2 over control. In conclusion, Pa + MLE 2 can alleviate nutritional stress and drought effects in wheat. More research in this field is required to proclaim Pa + MLE 2 as the most effective amendment against drought stress in distinct agroecological zones, different soil types, and contrasting wheat cultivars worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfana Lalarukh
- Department of Botany, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sami A. Al-Dhumri
- Department of Biology, Al Khumra University College, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laith Khalil Tawfeeq Al-Ani
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture Engineering Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
- School of Biology Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town, Malaysia
| | - Rashid Hussain
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | | | - Nida Mansoora
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Fasiha Amjad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed H. H. Abbas
- Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A. Abdelhafez
- Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, New Valley University, Kharga, Egypt
- National Committee of Soils Science, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Peter Poczai
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Khem Raj Meena
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, India
| | - Tarek M. Galal
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Ogunsanya HY, Motti P, Li J, Trinh HK, Xu L, Bernaert N, Van Droogenbroeck B, Murvanidze N, Werbrouck SPO, Mangelinckx S, Ramirez A, Geelen D. Belgian endive-derived biostimulants promote shoot and root growth in vitro. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8792. [PMID: 35614331 PMCID: PMC9132888 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12815-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recovering biostimulant compounds from by-products of crops is a promising strategy to add value, enhance sustainability, and increase the environmental safety of the agricultural production chain. Here, we report consistent root and shoot growth-stimulating bioactivity present in water-based extracts from Belgian endive forced roots (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) over two consecutive harvest years. The shoot and the primary root of in vitro cultivated Arabidopsis thaliana treated with Belgian endive extract were about 30% increased in size compared to plants grown under control conditions. The ornamental species Plectranthus esculentus also showed enhanced in vitro shoot and root growth, suggesting bioactivity on a broad range of species. Fractionation of the Belgian endive extracts into aqueous and organic subfractions coupled with bioactivity measurements showed that the principal root and shoot growth-promoting ingredients are primarily water-soluble. NMR-based characterization of the bioactive aqueous fractions revealed the presence of predominantly sugars and organic acids. Malate and sugars were abundant and common to all water fractions, suggesting these molecules contributed to the growth stimulation phenotype. The findings indicate that Belgian endive roots are a source for the development of organic waste-derived biostimulants with potential for application in tissue culture and putatively for soil-grown crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halimat Yewande Ogunsanya
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pierfrancesco Motti
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology - SynBioC research group, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hoang Khai Trinh
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Biotechnology Research and Development Institute, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, 900000, Vietnam
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Gr.Karel de Goedelaan 34, Geb.G, 8500, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Bernaert
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 9090, Melle, Belgium
| | | | - Nino Murvanidze
- Department of Plants and Crops - Laboratory for Applied In Vitro Plant Biotechnology, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan P O Werbrouck
- Department of Plants and Crops - Laboratory for Applied In Vitro Plant Biotechnology, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sven Mangelinckx
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology - SynBioC research group, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aldana Ramirez
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Danny Geelen
- Department of Plants and Crops - Unit HortiCell, Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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10
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Ahmad A, Blasco B, Martos V. Combating Salinity Through Natural Plant Extracts Based Biostimulants: A Review. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:862034. [PMID: 35668803 PMCID: PMC9164010 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.862034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Enhanced crop growth and yield are the recurring concerns in agricultural field, considering the soaring world population and climate change. Abiotic stresses are one of the major limiting factors for constraining crop production, for several economically important horticultural crops, and contribute to almost 70% of yield gap. Salt stress is one of these unsought abiotic stresses that has become a consistent problem in agriculture over the past few years. Salinity further induces ionic, osmotic, and oxidative stress that result in various metabolic perturbations (including the generation of reactive oxygen, carbonyl, and nitrogen species), reduction in water potential (ψw), distorted membrane potential, membrane injury, altered rates of photosynthesis, leaf senescence, and reduced nitrogen assimilation, among others); thereby provoking a drastic reduction in crop growth and yield. One of the strategies to mitigate salt stress is the use of natural plant extracts (PEs) instead of chemical fertilizers, thus limiting water, soil, and environmental pollution. PEs mainly consist of seeds, roots, shoots, fruits, flowers, and leaves concentrates employed either individually or in mixtures. Since PEs are usually rich in bioactive compounds (e.g., carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, etc.), therefore they are effective in regulating redox metabolism, thereby promoting plant growth and yield. However, various factors like plant growth stage, doses applied, application method, soil, and environmental conditions may greatly influence their impact on plants. PEs have been reported to enhance salt tolerance in plants primarily through modulation of signaling signatures and pathways (e.g., Na+, ANNA4, GIPC, SOS3, and SCaBP8 Ca2+ sensors, etc.), and regulation of redox machinery [e.g., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), non-specific peroxidase (POX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), peroxiredoxin (Prx), ascorbic acid (AsA), glutathione (GSH), α-tocopherol, etc.]. The current study highlights the role of PEs in terms of their sources, methods of preparation, and mode of action with subsequent physiological changes induced in plants against salinity. However, an explicit mode of action of PEs remains nebulous, which might be explicated utilizing transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics approaches. Being ecological and economical, PEs might pave the way for ensuring the food security in this challenging era of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ahmad
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Begoña Blasco
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Vanessa Martos
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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11
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Abstract
Biostimulants are agronomic tools that have been gaining importance in the reduction of fertilizer applications. They can improve the yield of cropping systems or preventing crop yield losses under abiotic stresses. Biostimulants can be composed of organic and inorganic materials and most of the components are still unknown. The characterization of the molecular mechanism of action of biostimulants can be obtained using the omics approach, which includes the determination of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in treated plants. This review reports an overview of the biostimulants, taking stock on the recent molecular studies that are contributing to clarify their action mechanisms. The omics studies can provide an overall evaluation of a crop’s response, connecting the molecular changes with the physiological pathways activated and the performance with or without stress conditions. The multiple responses of plants treated with biostimulants must be correlated with the phenotype changes. In this context, it is also crucial to design an adequate experimental plan and statistical data analysis, in order to find robust correlations between biostimulant treatments and crop performance.
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12
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Sani MNH, Yong JWH. Harnessing Synergistic Biostimulatory Processes: A Plausible Approach for Enhanced Crop Growth and Resilience in Organic Farming. BIOLOGY 2021; 11:biology11010041. [PMID: 35053039 PMCID: PMC8773105 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Demand for organically grown crops has risen globally due to its healthier and safer food products. From a sustainability perspective, organic farming offers an eco-friendly cultivation system that minimizes agrochemicals and producing food with little or no environmental footprint. However, organic agriculture’s biggest drawback is the generally lower and variable yield in contrast to conventional farming. Compatible with organic farming, the selective use of biostimulants can close the apparent yield gap between organic and conventional cultivation systems. A biostimulant is defined as natural microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) or biologically active substances that are able to improve plant growth and yield through several processes. Biostimulants are derived from a range of natural resources including organic materials (composts, seaweeds), manures (earthworms, fish, insects) and extracts derived from microbes, plant, insect or animal origin. The current trend is indicative that a mixture of biostimulants is generally delivering better growth, yield and quality rather than applying biostimulant individually. When used correctly, biostimulants are known to help plants cope with stressful situations like drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and even certain diseases. More research is needed to understand the different biostimulants, key components, and also to adjust the formulations to improve their reliability in the field. Abstract Demand for organically grown food crops is rising substantially annually owing to their contributions to human health. However, organic farm production is still generally lower compared to conventional farming. Nutrient availability, content consistency, uptake, assimilation, and crop responses to various stresses were reported as critical yield-limiting factors in many organic farming systems. In recent years, plant biostimulants (BSs) have gained much interest from researchers and growers, and with the objective of integrating these products to enhance nutrient use efficiency (NUE), crop performance, and delivering better stress resilience in organic-related farming. This review gave an overview of direct and indirect mechanisms of microbial and non-microbial BSs in enhancing plant nutrient uptake, physiological status, productivity, resilience to various stressors, and soil-microbe-plant interactions. BSs offer a promising, innovative and sustainable strategy to supplement and replace agrochemicals in the near future. With greater mechanistic clarity, designing purposeful combinations of microbial and non-microbial BSs that would interact synergistically and deliver desired outcomes in terms of acceptable yield and high-quality products sustainably will be pivotal. Understanding these mechanisms will improve the next generation of novel and well-characterized BSs, combining microbial and non-microbial BSs strategically with specific desired synergistic bio-stimulatory action, to deliver enhanced plant growth, yield, quality, and resilience consistently in organic-related cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Nasir Hossain Sani
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, UK
- Correspondence: (M.N.H.S.); (J.W.H.Y.)
| | - Jean W. H. Yong
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 234 56 Alnarp, Sweden
- Correspondence: (M.N.H.S.); (J.W.H.Y.)
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13
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Sorrentino M, De Diego N, Ugena L, Spíchal L, Lucini L, Miras-Moreno B, Zhang L, Rouphael Y, Colla G, Panzarová K. Seed Priming With Protein Hydrolysates Improves Arabidopsis Growth and Stress Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:626301. [PMID: 34168660 PMCID: PMC8218911 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.626301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The use of plant biostimulants contributes to more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming techniques and offers a sustainable alternative to mitigate the adverse effects of stress. Protein hydrolysate-based biostimulants have been described to promote plant growth and reduce the negative effect of abiotic stresses in different crops. However, limited information is available about their mechanism of action, how plants perceive their application, and which metabolic pathways are activating. Here we used a multi-trait high-throughput screening approach based on simple RGB imaging and combined with untargeted metabolomics to screen and unravel the mode of action/mechanism of protein hydrolysates in Arabidopsis plants grown in optimal and in salt-stress conditions (0, 75, or 150 mM NaCl). Eleven protein hydrolysates from different protein sources were used as priming agents in Arabidopsis seeds in three different concentrations (0.001, 0.01, or 0.1 μl ml-1). Growth and development-related traits as early seedling establishment, growth response under stress and photosynthetic performance of the plants were dynamically scored throughout and at the end of the growth period. To effectively classify the functional properties of the 11 products a Plant Biostimulant Characterization (PBC) index was used, which helped to characterize the activity of a protein hydrolysate based on its ability to promote plant growth and mitigate stress, and to categorize the products as plant growth promoters, growth inhibitors and/or stress alleviator. Out of 11 products, two were identified as highly effective growth regulators and stress alleviators because they showed a PBC index always above 0.51. Using the untargeted metabolomics approach, we showed that plants primed with these best performing biostimulants had reduced contents of stress-related molecules (such as flavonoids and terpenoids, and some degradation/conjugation compounds of phytohormones such as cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, etc.), which alleviated the salt stress response-related growth inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Sorrentino
- PSI (Photon Systems Instruments), spol. s r.o., Drásov, Czechia
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nuria De Diego
- Centre of Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Lydia Ugena
- Department of Chemical Biology and Genetics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Lukáš Spíchal
- Centre of Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Luigi Lucini
- Department for Sustainable Food Process - DiSTAS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Begoña Miras-Moreno
- Department for Sustainable Food Process - DiSTAS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Leilei Zhang
- Department for Sustainable Food Process - DiSTAS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Youssef Rouphael
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Colla
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Klára Panzarová
- PSI (Photon Systems Instruments), spol. s r.o., Drásov, Czechia
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Godlewska K, Pacyga P, Michalak I, Biesiada A, Szumny A, Pachura N, Piszcz U. Effect of Botanical Extracts on the Growth and Nutritional Quality of Field-Grown White Head Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var. capitata). Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26071992. [PMID: 33915910 PMCID: PMC8037025 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26071992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutraceuticals and functional foods are gaining more attention amongst consumers interested in nutritious food. The consumption of foodstuffs with a high content of phytochemicals has been proven to provide various health benefits. The application of biostimulants is a potential strategy to fortify cultivated plants with beneficial bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, it has not yet been established whether the proposed higher plants (St. John’s wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nettle, and valerian) are appropriate for the production of potential bio-products enhancing the nutritional value of white cabbage. Therefore, this research examines the impact of botanical extracts on the growth and nutritional quality of cabbage grown under field conditions. Two extraction methods were used for the production of water-based bio-products, namely: ultrasound-assisted extraction and mechanical homogenisation. Bio-products were applied as foliar sprays to evaluate their impact on total yield, dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, vitamin C, nitrates, micro- and macroelements, volatile compounds, fatty acids, sterols, and sugars. Botanical extracts showed different effects on the examined parameters. The best results in terms of physiological and biochemical properties of cabbage were obtained for extracts from common dandelion, valerian, nettle, and giant goldenrod. When enriched with nutrients, vegetables can constitute a valuable component of functional food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Godlewska
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Paweł Pacyga
- Department of Energy Technologies, Turbines, and Modeling of Heat-Flow Processes, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Izabela Michalak
- Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-372 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Anita Biesiada
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Antoni Szumny
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Natalia Pachura
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Urszula Piszcz
- Department of Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland;
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15
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Godlewska K, Pacyga P, Michalak I, Biesiada A, Szumny A, Pachura N, Piszcz U. Field-Scale Evaluation of Botanical Extracts Effect on the Yield, Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Celeriac ( Apium graveolens L. Var. rapaceum). Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25184212. [PMID: 32937923 PMCID: PMC7571039 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of higher plants for the production of plant growth biostimulants is receiving increased attention among scientists, farmers, investors, consumers and regulators. The aim of the present study was to examine the possibility of converting plants commonly occurring in Europe (St. John's wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nettle, valerian) into valuable and easy to use bio-products. The biostimulating activity of botanical extracts and their effect on the chemical composition of celeriac were identified. Plant-based extracts, obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction and mechanical homogenisation, were tested in field trials. It was found that the obtained formulations increased the total yield of leaves rosettes and roots, the dry weight of leaves rosettes and roots, the content of chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids, the greenness index of leaves, the content of vitamin C in leaves and roots. They mostly decreased the content of polyphenols and antioxidant activities in leaves but increased them in roots and conversely affected the nitrates content. Extracts showed a varied impact on the content of micro and macroelements, as well as the composition of volatile compounds and fatty acids in the celeriac biomass. Due to the modulatory properties of the tested products, they may be used successfully in sustainable horticulture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Godlewska
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Paweł Pacyga
- Department of Mechanics, Machines and Energy Processes, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Izabela Michalak
- Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-372 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Anita Biesiada
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Antoni Szumny
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Natalia Pachura
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Urszula Piszcz
- Department of Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland;
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16
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Zulfiqar F, Casadesús A, Brockman H, Munné-Bosch S. An overview of plant-based natural biostimulants for sustainable horticulture with a particular focus on moringa leaf extracts. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 295:110194. [PMID: 32534612 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The horticulture sector is facing various challenges in the near future. Aside from maintaining or even improving yields, sustainable horticulture production is crucial to achieve food security. Reducing the reliance on agro-chemicals and/or increasing the efficiency of use under a changing climate is crucial. Natural biostimulants can play an important role in this regard, increasing production at a relatively low cost sustainably. Natural biostimulant feedstocks include leaf, root or seed extracts, either individually or in combination with others. Their positive effect on horticultural production is mostly due to plant growth-enhancing bioactive compounds such as phytohormones, amino acids, and nutrients. Here we review recent progress made in research and applications on plant-derived extracts with an emphasis on the use of these renewable biochemicals as biostimulants in sustainable horticulture. Moringa leaf extracts in particular have been shown to improve seed germination, plant growth and yield, nutrient use efficiency, crop and product quality traits (pre- and post-harvest), as well as tolerance to abiotic stresses. Although horticulture production relies on synthetic fertilisers to maintain and improve production, the use of plant-derived biostimulants such as moringa leaf extracts may be an option to reduce quantities needed and thus contribute in achieving global food security sustainably.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Zulfiqar
- Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - Andrea Casadesús
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Henry Brockman
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Western Australia, 444 Albany Highway, Albany, 6330, Australia
| | - Sergi Munné-Bosch
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Research Institute on Nutrition and Food Security (INSA), University of Barcelona, Spain.
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17
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Bulgari R, Cocetta G, Trivellini A, Ferrante A. Borage extracts affect wild rocket quality and influence nitrate and carbon metabolism. PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PLANTS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 26:649-660. [PMID: 32255929 PMCID: PMC7113362 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-020-00783-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Market is increasingly demanding vegetables with high quality and nutraceutical characteristics. It was demonstrated that leafy vegetables can get benefit from biostimulants, for the reduction of nitrate concentration and the increment of antioxidants, with potential benefit for human health. The research purpose was to investigate on the role of a novel plant-based biostimulant in affecting nitrogen and carbon metabolism in wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.). Foliar spray treatments were performed with extracts obtained from borage (Borago officinalis L.) leaves and flowers. To evaluate the treatments effect, in vivo determinations (chlorophyll a fluorescence and chlorophyll content) were performed. At harvest, nitrate concentration, sucrose, total sugars, chlorophyll, and carotenoids levels were measured in leaves. In order to characterize the mechanism of action also at molecular level, a set of genes encoding for some of the key enzymes implicated in nitrate and carbon metabolism was selected and their expression was measured by qRT-PCR. Interesting results concerned the increment of sucrose, coherent with a high value of Fv/Fm, in addition to a significant reduction of nitrate and ABA than control, and an enhanced NR in vivo activity. Also, genes expression was influenced by extracts, with a more pronounced effect on N related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Bulgari
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Cocetta
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Trivellini
- Institute of Life Science, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna Pisa, Pz Martiri della Libertà 33, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Ferrante
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, Milan, Italy
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18
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Transcriptional Regulation in Rocket Leaves as Affected by Salinity. PLANTS 2019; 9:plants9010020. [PMID: 31877936 PMCID: PMC7020146 DOI: 10.3390/plants9010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Salinity is one of the major abiotic stress causing yield losses and decreasing product quality. The beneficial effects of biostimulant products to enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stresses have been reported in several crops, but their mode of action is poorly understood. This work aims to better understand the effect of salt stress on wild rocket treated with a borage extract. The expression of some of the transcription factors (TFs) typically involved in salt stress response was studied within a 24 h period. Physiological parameters such as chlorophyll, chlorophyll a fluorescence, carotenoids, phenols, and anthocyanin were analyzed. Results obtained showed that salt stress induced a general increase in the expression levels of almost all TFs studied, whereas the treatment with the plant-base extract only induced an increase at specific time points. Moreover, the approach adopted allowed indagating the change in gene expression during time. Different pathways such as sugars metabolism, cuticular wax biosynthesis, and brassinosteroids signaling took part in plant responses.
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19
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Investigating the Impact of Biostimulants on the Row Crops Corn and Soybean Using High-Efficiency Phenotyping and Next Generation Sequencing. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy9110761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Row crops represent the most important crops in terms of global cultivated area. Such crops include soybean, corn, wheat, rice, rapeseed, sunflower, and cotton. Row crops agriculture is generally an intensive system of farming used to obtain high yields by employing elevated quantities of organic and mineral fertilizers. Considering this, and the decrease in area of arable land, it becomes crucial to ensure high yield and quality using alternative strategies, such as the use of plant biostimulants. These compounds are increasingly recognized as sustainable solution to optimize nutrient uptake, crop yield, quality, and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In this work, by means of high-throughput plant phenotyping, we evaluated the effectiveness of a set of three new foliar biostimulant prototypes (coded as 52096, 52097, 52113) applied on corn and soybean at application rates 2.5 and 5 mL/L (corresponding to 1 and 2 L/ha respectively). This allowed us to select the most effective prototype (52097, commercial name “YieldOn®”) in increasing digital biovolume (DB) and greener area (GGA) either in soybean (both application rates) or corn (rate 5 mL/L) and decreasing Stress Index (SI) in soybean (both application rates). Molecular mechanism of action of selected prototype 52097 was subsequently characterized through Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). In corn, genes involved in hormone (cytokinin and auxin) metabolism/catabolism, maltose biosynthesis, sugar transport and phloem loading were upregulated after application of prototype 52097. In soybean, genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, metal ion transport (mainly zinc and iron), sulfate reduction, and amino acid biosynthesis were induced. The proposed approach supports the integration of multiple omics to open new perspectives in the discovery, evaluation, and development of innovative and sustainable solutions to meet the increasing needs of row-crops agriculture.
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20
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Applications of Fungal Strains with Keratin-Degrading and Plant Growth Promoting Characteristics. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy9090543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Protein hydrolysates (PHs) are organic non-microbial biostimulants having beneficial effects on plants. The study was designed to assess the effects on plants by the applications of PHs obtained from Trichoderma isolates grown on keratin wastes. Trichoderma isolates were characterized for indole-3-acetic acid and siderophores production, activity of lytic enzymes, phosphorous solubilization and inhibition of pathogens growth, using qualitative specific tests. Fungal isolates were cultured on a medium with keratin wastes (wool and feathers) to obtain PHs. Fungal PHs were tested in vivo for plant biostimulant action, as follows: (i) seeds germination test; (ii) activation of plant proton pump; (iii) evaluation of effect on tomato seedling growth. PHs from T. asperellum cultured on feathers medium reached the highest values for all parameters recorded (plant height and diameter, number of leaves and branches), with the exception of those for plant biomass, which were maximum for the wool medium. The metabolites released by keratin degradation under the activity of selected T. asperellum isolate improved crop health and productivity. The use of PHs can be a reasonable solution for the environmental pollution of by-products from the food chain, as well as for the replacement of chemical fertilizers with microbial formulations to stimulate plant growth.
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Ceccarini C, Antognoni F, Biondi S, Fraternale A, Verardo G, Gorassini A, Scoccianti V. Polyphenol-enriched spelt husk extracts improve growth and stress-related biochemical parameters under moderate salt stress in maize plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 141:95-104. [PMID: 31136935 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biostimulants improve yield, quality, and stress acclimation in crops. In this work, we tested the possibility of using phenolics-rich extracts from spelt (Triticum dicoccum L.) husks to attenuate the effects of salt stress (100-200 mM NaCl) in maize. Two methanolic extracts were prepared from the soluble-conjugated (SC), and the insoluble-bound (IB) phenolic acid fractions of the spelt husk, and their effects were investigated on several stress-associated biochemical parameters, such as proline, lipid peroxidation, H2O2, GSH levels, and ion content. Results show that SC and IB fractions of husk extracts behaved very differently, no doubt due to their greatly divergent chemical composition, as revealed by both GC-MS and HPLC analyses. The efficacy of treatments in mitigating salt stress was also dose- and timing-dependent. IB, even at the lower concentration tested, was able to recover the performance of stressed plants in terms of growth, photosynthetic pigments content, and levels of salt stress markers. Recovery of shoot growth to control levels and reduction of stress-induced proline accumulation occurred regardless of whether plants were pre-treated or post-treated with IB, whereas only pre-treatment with the higher dose of IB was effective in mitigating oxidative stress. Although in some cases SC and even methanol alone exerted some positive effects, they could also be deleterious whereas IB never was. Overall, results indicate that a polyphenol-containing extract obtained from spelt by-products can behave as biostimulant in maize plants and can mitigate their response to salt stress, by acting on different biochemical targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Ceccarini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomolecolari, Università di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029, Urbino, Italy
| | - Fabiana Antognoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze per La Qualità della Vita, Università di Bologna, 47921, Rimini, Italy.
| | - Stefania Biondi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fraternale
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomolecolari, Università di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029, Urbino, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Verardo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Andrea Gorassini
- Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici e del Patrimonio Culturale, Università di Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy
| | - Valeria Scoccianti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomolecolari, Università di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029, Urbino, Italy
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Biostimulants Application in Horticultural Crops under Abiotic Stress Conditions. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy9060306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses strongly affect plant growth, development, and quality of production; final crop yield can be really compromised if stress occurs in plants’ most sensitive phenological phases. Additionally, the increase of crop stress tolerance through genetic improvements requires long breeding programmes and different cultivation environments for crop performance validation. Biostimulants have been proposed as agronomic tools to counteract abiotic stress. Indeed, these products containing bioactive molecules have a beneficial effect on plants and improve their capability to face adverse environmental conditions, acting on primary or secondary metabolism. Many companies are investing in new biostimulant products development and in the identification of the most effective bioactive molecules contained in different kinds of extracts, able to elicit specific plant responses against abiotic stresses. Most of these compounds are unknown and their characterization in term of composition is almost impossible; therefore, they could be classified on the basis of their role in plants. Biostimulants have been generally applied to high-value crops like fruits and vegetables; thus, in this review, we examine and summarise literature on their use on vegetable crops, focusing on their application to counteract the most common environmental stresses.
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Champ CE, Kundu-Champ A. Maximizing Polyphenol Content to Uncork the Relationship Between Wine and Cancer. Front Nutr 2019; 6:44. [PMID: 31114789 PMCID: PMC6502998 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have revealed conflicting results regarding the risk of cancer from alcohol consumption. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that wine may have benefits that separate it from other alcoholic beverages. As wine contains a significant amount of chemicals, specifically polyphenols like anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (PA), that can affect cellular function and promote health, this hypothesis is reasonably supported by recent research. Polyphenols promote several anticancer cellular pathways, including xenobiotic metabolism, support of innate antioxidant production, and stimulation of phase I and II detoxification of carcinogens. However, the multitude of growing and production conditions of grapes, including temperature, water availability, soil type, maceration, and aging can result in a remarkably varying final product based on the available literature. Thus, we hypothesize that wines produced from grapes cultivated between steady daily temperatures at 15–25°C with moderate sun exposure from flowering to harvest, lower vine-water status, resulting either from lower precipitation, and irrigation practices or more permeable soil types, limitation of fertilizers, extended maceration, and aging in oak will impact the concentration of anthocyanins and PA in the finished wine and may have a differential impact on cancer. This higher concentration of polyphenols would, in theory, create a healthier wine, thus explaining the conflicting reports on the benefits or harms of wine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin E. Champ
- Cancer Prevention Project, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Colin E. Champ
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Bulgari R, Trivellini A, Ferrante A. Effects of Two Doses of Organic Extract-Based Biostimulant on Greenhouse Lettuce Grown Under Increasing NaCl Concentrations. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 9:1870. [PMID: 30666260 PMCID: PMC6330896 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The enhancement of plant tolerance toward abiotic stresses is increasingly being supported by the application of biostimulants. Salinity represents a serious problem in the Mediterranean region. To verify the effects deriving from the application of biostimulants, trials on Romaine lettuce plants under salt exposure were performed, in greenhouse. Plants were subjected to three NaCl solutions with 0.8, 1.3, and 1.8 dS/m of electrical conductivity. The volume of the solution was 200 mL/plant and delivered every 3 days. Biostimulant treatments started after crop establishment and were: control (water) and two doses (0.1 or 0.2 mL/plant) of the commercial biostimulant Retrosal® (Valagro S.p.A), containing calcium, zinc, and specific active ingredients. Four Retrosal® treatments were applied, every 7 days, directly to the substrate. Non-destructive analyses were conducted to assess the effects on leaf photosynthetic efficiency. At harvest, plants fresh weight (FW) and dry weight were determined, as well as the concentration of chlorophylls, carotenoids, total sugars, nitrate, proline, and abscisic acid (ABA). The biostimulant tested increased significantly the FW of lettuce (+65% in the highest dose) compared to controls. Results indicate that treatments positively affected the chlorophyll content measured in vivo (+45% in the highest dose) and that a general positive effect was observable on net photosynthesis rate. Retrosal® seems to improve the gas exchanges under our experimental conditions. The total sugars levels were not affected by treatments. Biostimulant allowed maintaining nitrate concentration similar to the untreated and unstressed controls. The increasing levels of water salinity caused a raise in proline concentration in control plants (+85%); biostimulant treatments at 0.2 mL/plant dose kept lower the proline levels. All plants treated with the biostimulant showed lower value of ABA (-34%) compared to controls. Results revealed that Retrosal® is able to stimulate plant growth independently from the salinity exposure. However, treated plants reached faster the commercial maturity stage. The fresh biomass of control at the end of experiment, after 30 days, ranged from 15 to 42 g/head, while in biostimulant treated plants ranged from 45 to 94 g/head. The product applied at maximum dose seems to be the most effective in our experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Bulgari
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Trivellini
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Ferrante
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Abou Chehade L, Al Chami Z, De Pascali SA, Cavoski I, Fanizzi FP. Biostimulants from food processing by-products: agronomic, quality and metabolic impacts on organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2018; 98:1426-1436. [PMID: 28771745 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.8610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biostimulants have recently gained increased attention due to their multiple benefits for sustainable agriculture. In this study, three food processing by-products - fennel processing residues (FPR), lemon processing residues (LPR) and brewer's spent grain (BSG) - were investigated as potential sources of biostimulants. Their aqueous extracts as individual and associated applications were assessed for their effects on agronomic, quality and metabolic performance of organic tomato in comparison to extract of humic substances (HS) and untreated control (CTRL). RESULTS Only FPR extracts stimulated shoot growth and tomato dry matter content, whereas all candidates improved tomato yield. FPR and BSG increased fruit mineral content and BSG-FPR-LPR in combination enhanced titratable acidity. FPR-treated fruits had also 20% more vitamin C than CTRL, and higher phenol content was obtained in those of BSG-LPR. Fruit metabolomic profile showed the tendency of all extracts, except BSG-LPR, to increase tomato citric acid and to decrease β-glucose and methanol concentrations. The analysis revealed accordingly the indispensable role of FPR in combined applications for inducing an HS-like response in fruits. CONCLUSION The results were indicative of the biostimulant activity of these extracts and demonstrated them, particularly FPR, as promising candidates for enhancing plant productivity and fruit quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Abou Chehade
- CIHEAM - Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Ziad Al Chami
- CIHEAM - Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Sandra Angelica De Pascali
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Ivana Cavoski
- CIHEAM - Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Fanizzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, 73100, Lecce, Italy
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Rouphael Y, Colla G. Synergistic Biostimulatory Action: Designing the Next Generation of Plant Biostimulants for Sustainable Agriculture. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1655. [PMID: 30483300 PMCID: PMC6243119 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 10 years, interest in plant biostimulants (PBs) has been on the rise compelled by the growing interest of scientists, extension specialists, private industry, and growers in integrating these products in the array of environmentally friendly tools that secure improved crop performance and yield stability. Based on the new EU regulation PBs are defined through claimed agronomic effects, such as improvement of nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stressors and crop quality. This definition entails diverse organic and inorganic substances and/or microorganisms such as humic acids, protein hydrolysates, seaweed extracts, mycorrhizal fungi, and N-fixing bacteria. The current mini-review provides an overview of the direct (stimulatory on C and N metabolism) and indirect (enhancing nutrient uptake and modulating root morphology) mechanisms by which microbial and non-microbial PBs improve nutrient efficiency, plant performance, and physiological status, resilience to environmental stressors and stimulate plant microbiomes. The scientific advances underlying synergistic and additive effects of microbial and non-microbial PBs are compiled and discussed for the first time. The review identifies several perspectives for future research between the scientific community and private industry to design and develop a second generation of PBs products (biostimulant 2.0) with specific biostimulatory action to render agriculture more sustainable and resilient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Rouphael
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- *Correspondence: Youssef Rouphael, ;
| | - Giuseppe Colla
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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