Foliar Application of Amino Acids and Nutrients as a Tool to Mitigate Water Stress and Stabilize Sugarcane Yield and Bioenergy Generation

Extended periods of water stress negatively affect sugarcane crop production. The foliar application of supplements containing specific nutrients and/or organic molecules such as amino acids can improve sugarcane metabolism, stalk and sugar yields, and the quality of the extracted juice. The present study assessed the effectiveness of the foliar application of an abiotic stress protection complement (ASPC) composed of 18 amino acids and 5 macronutrients. The experiments were carried out in the field with two treatments and twelve replicates. The two treatments were no application of ASPC (control) and foliar application of ASPC. The foliar application of ASPC increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (DPPH) was higher in ASPC-treated plants than in control plants, reflecting higher antioxidant enzyme activity and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The level of H2O2 was 11.27 nM g-1 protein in plants treated with ASPC but 23.71 nM g-1 protein in control plants. Moreover, the application of ASPC increased stalk yield and sucrose accumulation, thus increasing the quality of the raw material. By positively stabilizing the cellular redox balance in sugarcane plants, ASPC application also increased energy generation. Therefore, applying ASPC is an effective strategy for relieving water stress while improving crop productivity.

Nitrogen input on organic amendments alters the pattern of soil-microbe-plant co-dependence

The challenges of nitrogen (N) management in agricultural fields include minimizing N losses while maximizing profitability and soil health. Crop residues can alter N and carbon (C) cycle processes in the soil and modulate the responses of the subsequent crop and soil- microbe-plant interactions. Here, we aim to understand how organic amendments with low and high C/N ratio, combined or not with mineral N may change soil bacterial community and their activity on the soil. Organic amendments with different C/N ratios were combined or not with N fertilization as follows: i) unamended soil (control), ii) grass clover silage (GC; low C/N ratio), and iii) wheat straw (WS; high C/N ratio). The organic amendments modulated the bacterial community assemblage and increased microbial activity. WS amendment had the strongest effects on hot water extractable carbon, microbial biomass N and soil respiration, which were linked with changes in bacterial community composition compared with GC-amended and unamended soil. By contrast, N transformation processes in the soil were more pronounced in GC-amended and unamended soil than in WS-amended soil. These responses were stronger in the presence of mineral N input. WS amendment induced greater N immobilization in the soil, even with mineral N input, impairing crop development. Interestingly, N input in unamended soil altered the co-dependence between the soil and the bacterial community to favor a new co-dependence among the soil, plant and microbial activity. In GC-amended soil, N fertilization shifted the dependence of the crop plant from the bacterial community to soil characteristics. Finally, the combined N input with WS amendment (organic carbon input) placed microbial activity at the center of the interrelationships between the bacterial community, plant, and soil. This emphasizes the crucial importance of microorganisms in the functioning of agroecosystems. To achieve higher yields in crops managed with various organic amendments, it is essential to incorporate mineral N management practices. This becomes particularly crucial when the soil amendments have a high C/N ratio.

Phytotonic effects of thiamethoxam on sugarcane managed with glyphosate as a ripener

BACKGROUND

Thiamethoxam and glyphosate are widely used in sugarcane production as an insecticide and ripener, respectively. In this study, the potential of these chemical products to also elicit phytotonic effects and enhance the physiological development and yield of sugarcane was evaluated. In field experiments, thiamethoxam and glyphosate were applied to sugarcane individually or in combination, and the effects of these chemical management strategies on sugarcane biometric and technological parameters were assessed.

RESULTS

Thiamethoxam application improved biometric parameters, especially stalk yield. Glyphosate application increased sugar yield, despite reducing the number of stalks and consequently the stalk yield.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of the insecticide thiamethoxam to sugarcane attenuates the depreciative effect of ripener (glyphosate) and has a potential phytotonic effect by increasing sugar yields in the early and late seasons. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Carbohydrate Partitioning and Antioxidant Substances Synthesis Clarify the Differences Between Sugarcane Varieties on Facing Low Phosphorus Availability

Phosphorus (P) availability is important for metabolic process, tillering and formation of a vigorous root system in sugarcane, but sugarcane varieties differ in P uptake efficiency. This study evaluated the enzymatic, nutritional, and biometric parameters of two sugarcane varieties under two conditions of P availability by monitoring the initial development of plants grown in nutrient solution. The experiment was performed using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replicates and included two varieties, RB966928 (high nutritional requirements) and RB867515 (low nutritional requirements), and two concentrations of P in the nutrient solution: low (2 mg L^-1) and suitable (16 mg L^-1). Carbohydrate concentrations and partitioning, leaf nutrient concentrations, enzymatic activity, and shoot and root biometric parameters were analyzed. Regardless of sugarcane variety and the part of the plant, reducing sugar were approximately 32.5% higher in RB867515 and 38.5% higher in RB966928 under suitable P compared with low P. Sucrose concentrations were significantly higher in both varieties under suitable P than in low P. According to PCA, the relationship between reducing sugars and sucrose was closer in RB966928 than in RB867515. Under low P, soluble protein content decreased, and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The variety RB966928 under suitable P appears to have a high capacity for proline (120%) upregulation under abiotic stress compared with RB867515 (54%), and thus higher biomass accumulation of this RB966928 variety; however, RB867515 had superior results compared to RB966928 under low P. Suitable P increased leaf concentrations of N, P, Mg, B, and Mg and decreased leaf Zn content. Root and shoot dry matter, root length, plant height, and root and stalk diameter increased by suitable P. Regardless of variety, both nutritional and biometric parameters were directly influenced by P levels, including sugarcane yield. In relation of sugarcane dry matter, RB966928 was less sensitive to low P levels and more responsive to P supply than RB867515 and thus may be more suitable for environments in which P is limiting.

A Seaweed Extract-Based Biostimulant Mitigates Drought Stress in Sugarcane

Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses responsible for reduced crop yields. Drought stress induces morphological and physiological changes in plants and severely impacts plant metabolism due to cellular oxidative stress, even in C4 crops, such as sugarcane. Seaweed extract-based biostimulants can mitigate negative plant responses caused by drought stress. However, the effects of foliar application of such biostimulants on sugarcane exposed to drought stress, particularly on plant metabolism, stalk and sugar yields, juice purity, and sugarcane technological quality, have received little attention. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar application of a seaweed extract-based biostimulant on late-harvest sugarcane during the driest period of the year. Three experiments were implemented in commercial sugarcane fields in Brazil in the 2018 (site 1), 2019 (site 2), and 2020 (site 3) harvest seasons. The treatments consisted of the application and no application of seaweed extract (SWE) as a foliar biostimulant in June (sites 2 and 3) or July (site 1). The treatments were applied to the fourth ratoon of sugarcane variety RB855536 at site 1 and the fifth and third ratoons of sugarcane variety SP803290 at sites 2 and 3, respectively. SWE was applied at a dose of 500 ml a.i. ha^-1 in a water volume of 100 L ha^-1. SWE mitigated the negative effects of drought stress and increased stalk yield per hectare by up to 3.08 Mg ha^-1. In addition, SWE increased stalk sucrose accumulation, resulting in an increase in sugar yield of 3.4 kg Mg^-1 per hectare and higher industrial quality of the raw material. In SWE-treated plants, Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzyme activity increased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased. Leaf analysis showed that SWE application efficiently improved metabolic activity, as evidenced by a decrease in carbohydrate reserve levels in leaves and an increase in total sugars. By positively stabilizing the plant's cellular redox balance, SWE increased biomass production, resulting in an increase in energy generation. Thus, foliar SWE application can alleviate drought stress while enhancing sugarcane development, stalk yield, sugar production, and plant physiological and enzymatic processes.

Maize-Brachiaria intercropping: A strategy to supply recycled N to maize and reduce soil N2O emissions?

Nitrogen use in agriculture directly impacts food security, global warming, and environmental degradation. Forage grasses intercropped with maize produce feed for animals and or mulch for no-till systems. Forage grasses may exude nitrification inhibitors. It was hypothesized that brachiaria intercropping increases N recycling and maize grain yield and reduces nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soil under maize cropping. A field experiment was set up in December 2016 to test three cropping system (maize monocropped, maize intercropped with Brachiaria brizantha or with B. humidicola) and two N rates (0 or 150 kg ha^-1). The grasses were sown with maize, but B. humidicola did not germinate well in the first year. B. brizantha developed slowly during the maize cycle because of shading but expanded after maize was harvested. The experiment was repeated in 2017/2018 when B. humidicola was replanted. N₂O and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, maize grain yield and N content were measured during the two seasons. After the first maize harvest, the above- and below-ground biomass, C and N content of B. brizantha grown during fall-winter, and the biological nitrification inhibition potential of B. brizantha were evaluated. Maize yield responded to N fertilization (5.1 vs. 9.8 t ha^-1) but not to brachiaria intercropping. B. brizantha recycled approximately 140 kg N ha^-1 and left 12 t dry matter ha^-1 for the second maize crop. However, the 2017/18 maize yields were not affected by the N recycled by B. brizantha, whereas N₂O emissions were higher in the plots with brachiaria, suggesting that part of the recycled N was released too early after desiccation. Brachiarias showed no evidence of causing nitrification inhibition. The strategy of intercropping brachiarias did not increase maize yield, although it added C and recycled N in the system.

Trichoderma asperellum Inoculation as a Tool for Attenuating Drought Stress in Sugarcane

Drought stress is an important concern worldwide which reduces crop yield and quality. To alleviate this problem, Trichoderma asperellum has been used as a plant growth-promoting fungus capable of inducing plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we examined the effect of T. asperellum inoculation on sugarcane plant above and belowground development under drought stress and investigated the role of this fungus on inducing tolerance to drought at physiological and biochemical levels. The experiment was performed in pots under greenhouse conditions, with four treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of sugarcane plants inoculated or not with T. asperellum and grown under drought stress and adequate water availability. Drought-stressed sugarcane plants inoculated with T. asperellum changed the crop nutrition and chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations, resulting in increased photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency compared to the non-inoculated plants. In addition, the antioxidant metabolism also changed, increasing the superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzyme activities, as well as the proline concentration and sugar portioning. These cascade effects enhanced the root and stalk development, demonstrating that T. asperellum inoculation is an important tool in alleviating the negative effects of drought stress in sugarcane. Future studies should be performed to elucidate if T. asperellum should be reapplied to the sugarcane ratoons.

Nitrogen-Fertilized Systems of Maize Intercropped With Tropical Grasses for Enhanced Yields and Estimated Land Use and Meat Production

Intercropping grain with forage crops bridges the gap between agriculture and sustainability. In tropical regions, forage grasses are increasingly being adopted as winter pasture intercropped and in rotation with maize to maximize food production. However, current recommendations for nitrogen (N) fertilizer application are based on monocropped maize (Zea mays), and the best N management approach for intercropping systems remains unclear. A field experiment was carried out in three growing seasons with three intercropping systems [monoculture maize, intercropped with palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha), and intercropped with guineagrass (Megathyrus maximus)] combined with six different split applications of N to maize (0–0, 100–0, 70–30, 50–50, 30–70, and 0–100 kg N ha−1 at seeding-sidedressing) with four replicates. We measured dry matter (DM) and accumulated N in maize and forage grasses, as well as maize production components and yields. Additionally, land equivalent ratio, relative crowding coefficient, aggressivity of maize with forage grasses, forage crude protein (CP) concentration, estimated animal stocking rate, and estimated meat production and economic outcomes. Greatest maize yield was 8.7 Mg ha−1 for monocropped maize. However, favorable maize yield was also obtained in intercropping systems. Although no difference was observed between intercropping systems, applying all N at sidedressing of maize negatively affected maize and forage yields and, consequently, land use and economic evaluation. For both intercropping systems, estimated meat and land use were 114 and 10% higher when N fertilizer was applied than the control (0–0 kg N ha−1), on average. Maize-forage grass intercropping is a viable alternative production system for improving yields and land use. In addition, estimated meat production and revenue can be enhanced with palisadegrass or guineagrass. At least half of the N fertilizer must be applied early in the growing season of maize to maximize production of the entire system.