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Capo L, Sopegno A, Reyneri A, Ujvári G, Agnolucci M, Blandino M. Agronomic strategies to enhance the early vigor and yield of maize part II: the role of seed applied biostimulant, hybrid, and starter fertilization on crop performance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1240313. [PMID: 38023856 PMCID: PMC10656683 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1240313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Maize cropping systems need to be re-designed, within a sustainable intensification context, by focusing on the application of high-use efficiency crop practices, such as those that are able to enhance an early plant vigor in the first critical growth stages; such practices could lead to significant agronomic and yield benefits. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the effects of the cultivation of hybrids with superior early vigor, of the distribution of starter fertilizers at sowing, and of the seed application of biostimulants on promoting plant growth and grain yield in full factorial experiments carried out in both a growth chamber and in open fields. The greatest benefits, in terms of plant growth enhancement (plant height, biomass, leaf area) and cold stress mitigation, were detected for the starter fertilization, followed by the use of an early vigor hybrid and a biostimulant seed treatment. The starter fertilization and the early vigor hybrid led to earlier flowering dates, that is, of 2.1 and 2.8 days, respectively, and significantly reduced grain moisture at harvest. Moreover, the early vigor hybrid, the starter NP fertilization, and the biostimulant treatment increased grain yield by 8.5%, 6.0%, and 5.1%, respectively, compared to the standard hybrid and the untreated controls. The combination of all the considered factors resulted in the maximum benefits, compared to the control cropping system, with an increase in the plant growth of 124%, a reduction of the sowing-flowering period of 5 days, and a gain in grain yield of 14%. When choosing the most suitable crop practice, the diversity of each cropping system should be considered, according to the pedo-climatic conditions, the agronomic background, the yield potential, and the supply chain requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Capo
- Department of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sopegno
- Department of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Amedeo Reyneri
- Department of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Gergely Ujvári
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Monica Agnolucci
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Blandino
- Department of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
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Sun W, Shahrajabian MH. The Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as Microbial Biostimulant, Sustainable Approaches in Modern Agriculture. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3101. [PMID: 37687348 PMCID: PMC10490045 DOI: 10.3390/plants12173101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Biostimulant application can be considered an effective, practical, and sustainable nutritional crop supplementation and may lessen the environmental problems related to excessive fertilization. Biostimulants provide beneficial properties to plants by increasing plant metabolism, which promotes crop yield and improves the quality of crops; protecting plants against environmental stresses such as water shortage, soil salinization, and exposure to sub-optimal growth temperatures; and promoting plant growth via higher nutrient uptake. Other important benefits include promoting soil enzymatic and microbial activities, changing the architecture of roots, increasing the solubility and mobility of micronutrients, and enhancing the fertility of the soil, predominantly by nurturing the development of complementary soil microbes. Biostimulants are classified as microbial, such as arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF), plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), non-pathogenic fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, or non-microbial, such as seaweed extract, phosphite, humic acid, other inorganic salts, chitin and chitosan derivatives, protein hydrolysates and free amino acids, and complex organic materials. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are among the most prominent microbial biostimulants and have an important role in cultivating better, healthier, and more functional foods in sustainable agriculture. AMF assist plant nutrient and water acquisition; enhance plant stress tolerance against salinity, drought, and heavy metals; and reduce soil erosion. AMF are proven to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of crop supplements. The current manuscript gives many examples of the potential of biostimulants for the production of different crops. However, further studies are needed to better understand the effectiveness of different biostimulants in sustainable agriculture. The review focuses on how AMF application can overcome nutrient limitations typical of organic systems by improving nutrient availability, uptake, and assimilation, consequently reducing the gap between organic and conventional yields. The aim of this literature review is to survey the impacts of AMF by presenting case studies and successful paradigms in different crops as well as introducing the main mechanisms of action of the different biostimulant products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Sun
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-13-4260-83836
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Alsharmani AR, Solaiman ZM, Leopold M, Abbott LK, Mickan BS. Impacts of Rock Mineral and Traditional Phosphate Fertilizers on Mycorrhizal Communities in Pasture Plants. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041051. [PMID: 37110474 PMCID: PMC10142761 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Intensive fertilizer use can constrain contributions from soil biological processes in pastures, including those associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. We evaluated the effect of fertilizers of different P solubility on the colonization of the roots of two common pasture plants by a community of AM fungi in a pasture soil. The treatments were a rock mineral fertilizer, a chemical fertilizer and a microbial inoculant. Subterranean clover and annual ryegrass were grown in pots for 10 weeks. Both fertilizers reduced the proportion and length of roots colonized by naturally occurring AM fungi. However, by 10 weeks, there was a much greater length of mycorrhizal root for annual ryegrass than for subterranean clover. The relative abundance of mycorrhizal fungi in the families Glomeraceae and Acaulosporaceae in roots was not affected by the form of fertilizer, but diversity indices of AM fungi in roots were altered. The chemical fertilizer had a greater negative effect on AM fungal diversity indices in the annual ryegrass roots compared with the subterranean clover roots. The reduction in OTU richness of AM fungi with fertilizer application corresponded with reduced soil pH. Differential effects of P fertilizers on naturally occurring AM fungi in this agricultural soil have the potential to influence the efficacy of P fertilizer use and dominance of plant species in grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed R Alsharmani
- School of Agriculture and Environment, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- College of Science, University of Kufa, Najaf 54001, Iraq
| | - Zakaria M Solaiman
- School of Agriculture and Environment, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Matthias Leopold
- School of Agriculture and Environment, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Lynette K Abbott
- School of Agriculture and Environment, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Bede S Mickan
- School of Agriculture and Environment, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Lee SK, Chiang MS, Hseu ZY, Kuo CH, Liu CT. A photosynthetic bacterial inoculant exerts beneficial effects on the yield and quality of tomato and affects bacterial community structure in an organic field. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:959080. [PMID: 36118214 PMCID: PMC9479686 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.959080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are microorganisms that promote plant health and play a critical role in sustainable agriculture. As a PGPR, Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain PS3, when applied as a microbial inoculant, exhibited beneficial effects on a variety of crops. In this study, we investigated the effects of PS3 on tomato growth, soil properties, and soil microbiota composition in an organic field. The results demonstrated that PS3 inoculation significantly improved the yield of marketable tomato fruit (37%) and the postharvest quality (e.g., sweetness, taste, vitamin C, total phenolic compounds, and lycopene). Additionally, soil nutrient availability (35–56%) and enzymatic activities (13–62%) also increased. We detected that approximately 107 CFU/g soil of R. palustris survived in the PS3-treated soil after harvest. Furthermore, several bacterial genera known to be associated with nutrient cycling (e.g., Dyella, Novosphingobium, Luteimonas, Haliangium, and Thermomonas) had higher relative abundances (log2 fold change >2.0). To validate the results of the field experiment, we further conducted pot experiments with field-collected soil using two different tomato cultivars and obtained consistent results. Notably, the relative abundance of putative PGPRs in the genus Haliangium increased with PS3 inoculation in both cultivars (1.5 and 34.2%, respectively), suggesting that this genus may have synergistic interactions with PS3. Taken together, we further demonstrated the value of PS3 in sustainable agriculture and provided novel knowledge regarding the effects of this PGPR on soil microbiota composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sook-Kuan Lee
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Shu Chiang
- Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Zeng-Yei Hseu
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Horng Kuo
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Chih-Horng Kuo,
| | - Chi-Te Liu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chi-Te Liu,
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Baltazar M, Correia S, Guinan KJ, Sujeeth N, Bragança R, Gonçalves B. Recent Advances in the Molecular Effects of Biostimulants in Plants: An Overview. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081096. [PMID: 34439763 PMCID: PMC8394449 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
As the world develops and population increases, so too does the demand for higher agricultural output with lower resources. Plant biostimulants appear to be one of the more prominent sustainable solutions, given their natural origin and their potential to substitute conventional methods in agriculture. Classified based on their source rather than constitution, biostimulants such as humic substances (HS), protein hydrolysates (PHs), seaweed extracts (SWE) and microorganisms have a proven potential in improving plant growth, increasing crop production and quality, as well as ameliorating stress effects. However, the multi-molecular nature and varying composition of commercially available biostimulants presents challenges when attempting to elucidate their underlying mechanisms. While most research has focused on the broad effects of biostimulants in crops, recent studies at the molecular level have started to unravel the pathways triggered by certain products at the cellular and gene level. Understanding the molecular influences involved could lead to further refinement of these treatments. This review comprises the most recent findings regarding the use of biostimulants in plants, with particular focus on reports of their molecular influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Baltazar
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (S.C.); (B.G.)
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Sofia Correia
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (S.C.); (B.G.)
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Kieran J. Guinan
- BioAtlantis Ltd., Clash Industrial Estate, Tralee, V92 RWV5 County Kerry, Ireland; (K.J.G.); (N.S.)
| | - Neerakkal Sujeeth
- BioAtlantis Ltd., Clash Industrial Estate, Tralee, V92 RWV5 County Kerry, Ireland; (K.J.G.); (N.S.)
| | - Radek Bragança
- BioComposites Centre, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK;
| | - Berta Gonçalves
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; (S.C.); (B.G.)
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
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