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Torres-Ruiz JM, Cochard H, Delzon S, Boivin T, Burlett R, Cailleret M, Corso D, Delmas CEL, De Caceres M, Diaz-Espejo A, Fernández-Conradi P, Guillemot J, Lamarque LJ, Limousin JM, Mantova M, Mencuccini M, Morin X, Pimont F, De Dios VR, Ruffault J, Trueba S, Martin-StPaul NK. Plant hydraulics at the heart of plant, crops and ecosystem functions in the face of climate change. New Phytol 2024; 241:984-999. [PMID: 38098153 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Plant hydraulics is crucial for assessing the plants' capacity to extract and transport water from the soil up to their aerial organs. Along with their capacity to exchange water between plant compartments and regulate evaporation, hydraulic properties determine plant water relations, water status and susceptibility to pathogen attacks. Consequently, any variation in the hydraulic characteristics of plants is likely to significantly impact various mechanisms and processes related to plant growth, survival and production, as well as the risk of biotic attacks and forest fire behaviour. However, the integration of hydraulic traits into disciplines such as plant pathology, entomology, fire ecology or agriculture can be significantly improved. This review examines how plant hydraulics can provide new insights into our understanding of these processes, including modelling processes of vegetation dynamics, illuminating numerous perspectives for assessing the consequences of climate change on forest and agronomic systems, and addressing unanswered questions across multiple areas of knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Torres-Ruiz
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Hervé Cochard
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sylvain Delzon
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BIOGECO, Pessac, 33615, France
| | | | - Regis Burlett
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BIOGECO, Pessac, 33615, France
| | - Maxime Cailleret
- INRAE, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR RECOVER, Aix-en-Provence, 13100, France
| | - Déborah Corso
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BIOGECO, Pessac, 33615, France
| | - Chloé E L Delmas
- INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, ISVV, SAVE, F-33140, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | | | - Antonio Diaz-Espejo
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología (IRNAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, 41012, Spain
| | | | - Joannes Guillemot
- CIRAD, UMR Eco&Sols, Montpellier, 34394, France
- Eco&Sols, Univ. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAe, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, 34394, France
- Department of Forest Sciences, ESALQ, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, 05508-060, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laurent J Lamarque
- Département des sciences de l'environnement, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, G9A 5H7, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Marylou Mantova
- Agronomy Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, E08193, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Xavier Morin
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, 34394, France
| | | | - Victor Resco De Dios
- Department of Forest and Agricultural Science and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198, Spain
- JRU CTFC-AGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Lleida, 25198, Spain
| | | | - Santiago Trueba
- University of Bordeaux, INRAE, UMR BIOGECO, Pessac, 33615, France
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Sun Y, Xie X, Jiang CJ. Antioxidant Agriculture for Stress-Resilient Crop Production: Field Practice. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:164. [PMID: 38397762 PMCID: PMC10885882 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13020164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress, resulting from the excessive production of reactive oxygen species, is a common and major cause of cellular damage in plants exposed to various abiotic stresses. To address this challenge, we introduce the concept of antioxidant agriculture as a comprehensive strategy to improve stress tolerance and thus crop productivity by minimizing oxidative stress levels in the field environment. This strategy encompasses a diverse range of approaches, including genetic engineering, the exogenous application of antioxidant agents, microbial inoculation, and agronomic practices, to reinforce the plant's intrinsic antioxidant defense system and mitigate oxidative stress. We present recent successful studies of antioxidant measures that have been validated in field conditions, along with our perspective on achieving antioxidant agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chang-Jie Jiang
- Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China; (Y.S.); (X.X.)
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3
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Srivastava AK, Pandey A, Böhmer M, Pandey GK. Editorial: Abiotic stress signaling in plants: functional genomic intervention, volume II. Front Plant Sci 2024; 14:1334467. [PMID: 38293621 PMCID: PMC10824950 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1334467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Srivastava
- Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Amita Pandey
- Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Delhi, India
| | - Maik Böhmer
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Girdhar Kumar Pandey
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
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Khan S, Irshad S, Mehmood K, Hasnain Z, Nawaz M, Rais A, Gul S, Wahid MA, Hashem A, Abd_Allah EF, Ibrar D. Biochar Production and Characteristics, Its Impacts on Soil Health, Crop Production, and Yield Enhancement: A Review. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:166. [PMID: 38256720 PMCID: PMC10821463 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Rapid urban expansion and a booming population are placing immense pressure on our agricultural systems, leading to detrimental impacts on soil fertility and overall health. Due to the extensive use of agrochemicals in agriculture, the necessity to meet the expanding demand for food has also resulted in unsustainable farming practices. Around the world, biochar, a multipurpose carbonaceous material, is being used to concurrently solve issues with enhancing soil fertility, plant growth, and development under both normal and stressful circumstances. It improves water retention, fosters nutrient absorption, and promotes microbial activity, creating a fertile environment that supports sustainable and resilient agriculture. Additionally, biochar acts as a carbon sink, contributing to long-term carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change impacts. The major benefit of biochar is that it helps the adsorption process with its highly porous structures and different functional groups. Understanding the elements involved in biochar formation that determine its characteristics and adsorptive capacity is necessary to assure the viability of biochar in terms of plant productivity and soil health, particularly biological activity in soil. This paper focuses on the development, composition, and effects of biochar on soil fertility and health, and crop productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahbaz Khan
- Colorado Water Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Sohail Irshad
- Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 64200, Pakistan
| | - Kashf Mehmood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Superior University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Zuhair Hasnain
- Department of Agronomy, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Nawaz
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Pakistan
| | - Afroz Rais
- Department of Botany, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta 87300, Pakistan
| | - Safia Gul
- Department of Botany, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta 87300, Pakistan
| | | | - Abeer Hashem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah
- Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Danish Ibrar
- Crop Science Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad 45500, Pakistan
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5
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Vijayakumar S, Wang Y, Lehretz G, Taylor S, Carmo-Silva E, Long S. Kinetic modeling identifies targets for engineering improved photosynthetic efficiency in potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Solara). Plant J 2024; 117:561-572. [PMID: 37921015 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a significant non-grain food crop in terms of global production. However, its yield potential might be raised by identifying means to release bottlenecks within photosynthetic metabolism, from the capture of solar energy to the synthesis of carbohydrates. Recently, engineered increases in photosynthetic rates in other crops have been directly related to increased yield - how might such increases be achieved in potato? To answer this question, we derived the photosynthetic parameters Vcmax and Jmax to calibrate a kinetic model of leaf metabolism (e-Photosynthesis) for potato. This model was then used to simulate the impact of manipulating the expression of genes and their protein products on carbon assimilation rates in silico through optimizing resource investment among 23 photosynthetic enzymes, predicting increases in photosynthetic CO2 uptake of up to 67%. However, this number of manipulations would not be practical with current technologies. Given a limited practical number of manipulations, the optimization indicated that an increase in amounts of three enzymes - Rubisco, FBP aldolase, and SBPase - would increase net assimilation. Increasing these alone to the levels predicted necessary for optimization increased photosynthetic rate by 28% in potato.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu Wang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Günter Lehretz
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Samuel Taylor
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | | | - Stephen Long
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Khan N, Tanveer M. Editorial: Integration of multi-faceted techniques to improve stress tolerance to achieve food and nutritional security. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1327790. [PMID: 38023900 PMCID: PMC10646157 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1327790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Naeem Khan
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Mohsin Tanveer
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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Wahab A, Muhammad M, Munir A, Abdi G, Zaman W, Ayaz A, Khizar C, Reddy SPP. Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Regulating Growth, Enhancing Productivity, and Potentially Influencing Ecosystems under Abiotic and Biotic Stresses. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3102. [PMID: 37687353 PMCID: PMC10489935 DOI: 10.3390/plants12173102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic relationships with the roots of nearly all land-dwelling plants, increasing growth and productivity, especially during abiotic stress. AMF improves plant development by improving nutrient acquisition, such as phosphorus, water, and mineral uptake. AMF improves plant tolerance and resilience to abiotic stressors such as drought, salt, and heavy metal toxicity. These benefits come from the arbuscular mycorrhizal interface, which lets fungal and plant partners exchange nutrients, signalling molecules, and protective chemical compounds. Plants' antioxidant defence systems, osmotic adjustment, and hormone regulation are also affected by AMF infestation. These responses promote plant performance, photosynthetic efficiency, and biomass production in abiotic stress conditions. As a result of its positive effects on soil structure, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration, AMF contributes to the maintenance of resilient ecosystems. The effects of AMFs on plant growth and ecological stability are species- and environment-specific. AMF's growth-regulating, productivity-enhancing role in abiotic stress alleviation under abiotic stress is reviewed. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive AMF-plant interactions and their responses to abiotic stresses. AMF triggers plants' morphological, physiological, and molecular responses to abiotic stress. Water and nutrient acquisition, plant development, and abiotic stress tolerance are improved by arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. In plants, AMF colonization modulates antioxidant defense mechanisms, osmotic adjustment, and hormonal regulation. These responses promote plant performance, photosynthetic efficiency, and biomass production in abiotic stress circumstances. AMF-mediated effects are also enhanced by essential oils (EOs), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and phosphorus (P). Understanding how AMF increases plant adaptation and reduces abiotic stress will help sustain agriculture, ecosystem management, and climate change mitigation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have gained prominence in agriculture due to their multifaceted roles in promoting plant health and productivity. This review delves into how AMF influences plant growth and nutrient absorption, especially under challenging environmental conditions. We further explore the extent to which AMF bolsters plant resilience and growth during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Wahab
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Murad Muhammad
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Asma Munir
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan;
| | - Gholamreza Abdi
- Department of Biotechnology, Persian Gulf Research Institute, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr 75169, Iran;
| | - Wajid Zaman
- Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Asma Ayaz
- Faculty of Sports Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China;
| | - Chandni Khizar
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of the Lahore, Lahore 51000, Pakistan;
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Rajpal VR, Sehgal D, Valluru R, Singh S. Editorial: Current advances in genomics and gene editing tools for crop improvement in a changing climate scenario. Front Genet 2023; 14:1214679. [PMID: 37377598 PMCID: PMC10291607 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1214679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Rani Rajpal
- Depatment of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Deepmala Sehgal
- Syngenta, Jeolett’s Hill International Research Center, Bracknell, United Kingdom
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Gupta S, Bhattacharyya P, Kulkarni MG, Doležal K. Editorial: Growth regulators and biostimulants: upcoming opportunities. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1209499. [PMID: 37304716 PMCID: PMC10252114 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1209499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shubhpriya Gupta
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University & Institute of Experimental Botany Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AS CR), Olomouc, Czechia
- Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Paromik Bhattacharyya
- Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, India
| | - Manoj G. Kulkarni
- Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Karel Doležal
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University & Institute of Experimental Botany Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AS CR), Olomouc, Czechia
- Department of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czechia
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Solanki S, Gupta S, Kapoor R, Varma A. Chemically Synthesized AgNPs and Piriformosporaindica Synergistically Augment Nutritional Quality in Black Rice. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:611. [PMID: 37367547 DOI: 10.3390/jof9060611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of biofertilizers has been the spotlight of research aiming to mitigate the food security threat as well as to restore the fertility of agricultural lands, for decades. Several studies are being conducted to unravel the role and mechanisms of plant growth-promoting microbes. In the present research, we evaluated the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and Piriformospora indica on the growth and nutritional enhancement of black rice (Oryzae sativa. L.) individually and in combination. Among the different treatment conditions, the AgNPs + P. indica treatment led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in morphological and agronomic parameters. In comparison to the control, the percentage increase in plant height in AgNPs-treated black rice was 2.47%, while that for the treatment with only P. indica was 13.2% and that for the treatment with both AgNPs + P. indica was 30.9%. For the number of productive tillers, the effect of AgNPs in comparison to the control was non-significant; however, the effect of P. indica and AgNPs + P. indica showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase of 13.2% and 30.9% in both the treatments, respectively. Gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry analysis of grains revealed that the contents of phenylalanine, tryptophan, and histidine (aromatic amino acids) were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased by 75%, 11.1%, and 50%, respectively, in P. indica-treated black rice. Nutrient profiling showed that macronutrients such as potassium, calcium, magnesium were found to be increased by 72.8%, 86.4% and 59.2%, respectively, in the treatment with AgNPs + P. indica in comparison to the control plants. Additionally, a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase of 51.9% in anthocyanin content was observed in AgNPs + P. indica-treated black rice. The P. indica treatment also showed improved growth and augmented nutrient contents. From this study, we were able to understand that AgNPs + P. indica treatment would be a better plant growth-promoting factor and further evaluation would enable us to obtain a clear picture of its mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Solanki
- Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, Noida 201303, India
| | - Samta Gupta
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Rupam Kapoor
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Ajit Varma
- Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Sector-125, Noida 201303, India
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Hlatshwayo SI, Ngidi MSC, Ojo TO, Modi AT, Mabhaudhi T, Slotow R. The determinants of crop productivity and its effect on food and nutrition security in rural communities of South Africa. Front Sustain Food Syst 2023; 7:1091333. [PMID: 37701859 PMCID: PMC7615073 DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1091333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction High crop productivity has the potential to improve the food and nutrition security status of not only smallholder farmers but also households in general. However, smallholder farmers operate in a dynamic environment whereby their crop production is affected by various factors that hinder it from lessening food insecurity and malnutrition in rural areas. The study investigated the determinants of crop productivity and its effect on household food and nutrition security status in South Africa. Methods This study employed a quantitative research method. A total of 1520 households were selected using the multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. Out of the total sample size of 1520, 386 were crop producers, 176 producers were from Mpumalanga province, and 210 producers were from the Limpopo province. Results and discussion Most of the smallholder farmers do not have access to the irrigation system, mechanization, and agricultural inputs. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale showed that most smallholder farmers were food insecure, with 78% of the farmers in each province found to be food insecure. The results from Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 50% of smallholder farmers had highly diverse diets. Only 50% of the smallholder farmers had high dietary diversity in each province. Irrigation systems and involvement in crop production had a positive influence on the crop productivity of smallholder farmers. The results from the Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, and disability in the family negatively impacted smallholder farmers' food security status while household size had a positive effect on the food security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, and harvest had a negative impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. While household size had a positive impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. Conclusion and recommendations Factors such as irrigation systems and involvement in crop production influenced crop productivity. Household size influenced the nutritional status of smallholder farmers while harvest size affected the food security status. There is a need to encourage more households to get involved in farming. Government and nongovernmental organizations need to support smallholder farmers with agricultural productive resources like irrigation systems to improve their crop productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo
- African Centre for Food Security, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi
- African Centre for Food Security, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
- Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Albert Thembinkosi Modi
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Rob Slotow
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
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Jalal A, Oliveira CEDS, Rosa PAL, Galindo FS, Teixeira Filho MCM. Beneficial Microorganisms Improve Agricultural Sustainability under Climatic Extremes. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051102. [PMID: 37240747 DOI: 10.3390/life13051102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The challenging alterations in climate in the last decades have had direct and indirect influences on biotic and abiotic stresses that have led to devastating implications on agricultural crop production and food security. Extreme environmental conditions, such as abiotic stresses, offer great opportunities to study the influence of different microorganisms in plant development and agricultural productivity. The focus of this review is to highlight the mechanisms of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (especially bacteria and fungi) adapted to environmental induced stresses such as drought, salinity, heavy metals, flooding, extreme temperatures, and intense light. The present state of knowledge focuses on the potential, prospective, and biotechnological approaches of plant growth-promoting bacteria and fungi to improve plant nutrition, physio-biochemical attributes, and the fitness of plants under environmental stresses. The current review focuses on the importance of the microbial community in improving sustainable crop production under changing climatic scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Jalal
- Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Faculty of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Brasil 56-Centro, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira
- Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Faculty of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Brasil 56-Centro, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Poliana Aparecida Leonel Rosa
- Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Faculty of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Brasil 56-Centro, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando Shintate Galindo
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus of Dracena, Sao Paulo 17900-000, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho
- Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Faculty of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Brasil 56-Centro, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
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Hlatshwayo SI, Slotow R, Ngidi MSC. The Role of Smallholder Farming on Rural Household Dietary Diversity. Agriculture (Basel) 2023; 13:595. [PMID: 37693124 PMCID: PMC7615070 DOI: 10.3390/agriculture13030595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The importance of smallholder farming is increasingly recognized in rural areas where increased crop productivity and market participation can effectively improve their dietary diversity and nutrition quality. However, rural households are still faced with severe food insecurity and malnutrition. The study sought to assess the role of smallholder farming in crop productivity and market access on rural household dietary diversity. The secondary data were collected using a quantitative research method, and 1520 participants were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. The descriptive results showed that cereals were the most (98%) consumed food group, while vegetables and fruits were the least consumed food groups, at 37% and 23%, respectively. The results from the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that 57% of smallholder farmers consumed highly diverse diets (more or equal to six food groups), whereas 25% and 18% of smallholder farmers consumed medium dietary diversity (four to five food groups) and low diverse diets (less or equal to three food groups), respectively. The findings from the Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) and Poisson endogenous treatment effect models showed that household size, ownership of livestock, wealth index, and involvement in crop production positively influenced household dietary diversity. On the other hand, output and access to market information showed a negative effect. Social grants had contradicting effects: they had a negative impact on the HDDS received from crop productivity while they had a positive effect on the HDDS from market participation. Providing different ways smallholder farmers can use their funds effectively can help improve household dietary diversity and nutrition quality. The study recommended that more workshops and training be conducted that cover all the sustainable production systems that smallholder farmers can undertake to produce different food groups. These will raise awareness among smallholder farmers about the requirements for balanced diets for food and nutrition security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo
- African Centre for Food Security, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
| | - Rob Slotow
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
| | - Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi
- African Centre for Food Security, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
- Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
- Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
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Nazir F, Mahajan M, Khatoon S, Albaqami M, Ashfaque F, Chhillar H, Chopra P, Khan MIR. Sustaining nitrogen dynamics: A critical aspect for improving salt tolerance in plants. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1087946. [PMID: 36909406 PMCID: PMC9996754 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1087946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In the current changing environment, salt stress has become a major concern for plant growth and food production worldwide. Understanding the mechanisms of how plants function in saline environments is critical for initiating efforts to mitigate the detrimental effects of salt stress. Agricultural productivity is linked to nutrient availability, and it is expected that the judicious metabolism of mineral nutrients has a positive impact on alleviating salt-induced losses in crop plants. Nitrogen (N) is a macronutrient that contributes significantly to sustainable agriculture by maintaining productivity and plant growth in both optimal and stressful environments. Significant progress has been made in comprehending the fundamental physiological and molecular mechanisms associated with N-mediated plant responses to salt stress. This review provided an (a) overview of N-sensing, transportation, and assimilation in plants; (b) assess the salt stress-mediated regulation of N dynamics and nitrogen use- efficiency; (c) critically appraise the role of N in plants exposed to salt stress. Furthermore, the existing but less explored crosstalk between N and phytohormones has been discussed that may be utilized to gain a better understanding of plant adaptive responses to salt stress. In addition, the shade of a small beam of light on the manipulation of N dynamics through genetic engineering with an aim of developing salt-tolerant plants is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faroza Nazir
- Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Moksh Mahajan
- Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Mohammed Albaqami
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Farha Ashfaque
- Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
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15
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Kaushal P, Ali N, Saini S, Pati PK, Pati AM. Physiological and molecular insight of microbial biostimulants for sustainable agriculture. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1041413. [PMID: 36794211 PMCID: PMC9923114 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1041413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Increased food production to cater the need of growing population is one of the major global challenges. Currently, agro-productivity is under threat due to shrinking arable land, increased anthropogenic activities and changes in the climate leading to frequent flash floods, prolonged droughts and sudden fluctuation of temperature. Further, warm climatic conditions increase disease and pest incidences, ultimately reducing crop yield. Hence, collaborated global efforts are required to adopt environmentally safe and sustainable agro practices to boost crop growth and productivity. Biostimulants appear as a promising means to improve growth of plants even under stressful conditions. Among various categories of biostimulants, microbial biostimulants are composed of microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and/or microbes which stimulate nutrient uptake, produce secondary metabolites, siderophores, hormones and organic acids, participate in nitrogen fixation, imparts stress tolerance, enhance crop quality and yield when applied to the plants. Though numerous studies convincingly elucidate the positive effects of PGPR-based biostimulants on plants, yet information is meagre regarding the mechanism of action and the key signaling pathways (plant hormone modulations, expression of pathogenesis-related proteins, antioxidants, osmolytes etc.) triggered by these biostimulants in plants. Hence, the present review focuses on the molecular pathways activated by PGPR based biostimulants in plants facing abiotic and biotic challenges. The review also analyses the common mechanisms modulated by these biostimulants in plants to combat abiotic and biotic stresses. Further, the review highlights the traits that have been modified through transgenic approach leading to physiological responses akin to the application of PGPR in the target plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Kaushal
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, HP, India
| | - Nilofer Ali
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, HP, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Shivani Saini
- Department of Botany, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Chandigarh, India
| | - Pratap Kumar Pati
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Aparna Maitra Pati
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, HP, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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16
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Sanjuán J, Nápoles MC, Pérez-Mendoza D, Lorite MJ, Rodríguez-Navarro DN. Microbials for Agriculture: Why Do They Call Them Biostimulants When They Mean Probiotics? Microorganisms 2023; 11:153. [PMID: 36677445 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in using plant-beneficial microorganisms to partially replace chemicals and help reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. Formulated microbial products or inoculants for agriculture contain single strains or a consortium of live microbes, well characterized and biosafe, which can contribute to the growth, health, and development of a plant host. This concept conforms to the definition of probiotics. However, some plant-growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) have been considered a category of biostimulants since some years ago, despite the traditional concept of biostimulants involves substances or materials with no fertilizer value, which in minute amounts promote plant growth. The inclusion of PGPMs together with substances has also involved a significant distortion of the classical concept of biostimulants. Regulations such as the recent EU Fertilizing Products Regulation (EU No. 2019/1009) have incorporated the new definition of biostimulants and included microbials as a subcategory of biostimulants. We discuss that this regulation and the forthcoming European harmonized standards disregard some key features of microbial products, such as the live, true biological nature of their active principles. The factors that determine the complex functional compatibility of plant-microbe associations, and important biosafety issues that concern the intentional release of microbes into the environment, seem to be also ignored. We anticipate that by equating microbials to chemicals, the biological nature of microbial products and their specific requirements will be underestimated, with pernicious consequences for their future development and success.
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Mashamaite CV, Manyevere A, Chakauya E. Cleome gynandra: A wonder climate-smart plant for nutritional security for millions in semi-arid areas. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:1003080. [PMID: 36212376 PMCID: PMC9538671 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1003080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Spider plant (Cleome gynandra) is predominantly used as a traditional leafy vegetable throughout Africa and is considered a rich natural source of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and proteins. With the increase in malnutrition, diet related non-communicable diseases and poverty across the continent of Africa, the spider plant is a bona fide alternative healthy food crop to alleviate these challenges. Spider plant is an erect annual herb that could grow up to 150 cm tall, strongly branched, with a long taproot and few secondary roots. It is commonly consumed in resource-poor communities especially during times of major food scarcity. It is a drought-tolerant and resilient annual vegetable crop capable of growing well in a wide range of climatic and edaphic conditions. Despite the potential benefits and wide adaptability, progressive attempts towards the development of C. gynandra as a crop have been impeded by issues like low investment in research and development resulting in poor seed quality, relatively low yields and susceptibility to pests and diseases. In this paper, we reviewed the research that has been done regarding its morphology, growing conditions, production and utilisation (i.e., nutrition). The current review highlighted the status of the science in advancing the domestication of C. gynandra as a potential power crop for several African countries. The review concluded that with the advancement of modern biotechnology techniques and genome sequencing, there is a compelling case for investment and development in C. gynandra as a candidate for managing micronutrient deficiencies during the post-pandemic era. Finally, the existing knowledge gaps (e.g., breeding) that necessitate explorations were identified and recommendations that could enhance its development and potential commercialisation were made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alen Manyevere
- Department of Agronomy, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - Ereck Chakauya
- AUDA-NEPAD Centre of Excellence on Science Technology and Innovation, (AUDA-NEPAD CoE STI), Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
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18
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López E, Vionnet C, Ferrer-Cid P, Barcelo-Ordinas JM, Garcia-Vidal J, Contini G, Prodolliet J, Maiztegui J. A Low-Power IoT Device for Measuring Water Table Levels and Soil Moisture to Ease Increased Crop Yields. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:6840. [PMID: 36146185 PMCID: PMC9500614 DOI: 10.3390/s22186840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The simultaneous measurement of soil water content and water table levels is of great agronomic and hydrological interest. Not only does soil moisture represent the water available for plant growth but also water table levels can affect crop productivity. Furthermore, monitoring soil saturation and water table levels is essential for an early warning of extreme rainfall situations. However, the measurement of these parameters employing commercial instruments has certain disadvantages, with a high cost of purchase and maintenance. In addition, the handling of commercial devices makes it difficult to adapt them to the specific requirements of farmers or decision-makers. Open-source IoT hardware platforms are emerging as an attractive alternative to developing flexible and low-cost devices. This paper describes the design of a datalogger device based on open-source hardware platforms to register water table levels and soil moisture data for agronomic applications. The paper begins by describing energy-saving and wireless transmission techniques. Then, it summarizes the linear calibration of the phreatimeter sensor obtained with laboratory and field data. Finally, it shows how non-linear machine-learning techniques improve predictions over classical tools for the moisture sensor (SKU: SEN0193).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano López
- Engineering and Water Sciences Department, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe S3000, Argentina
| | - Carlos Vionnet
- Engineering and Water Sciences Department, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe S3000, Argentina
- National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, Santa Fe S3000, Argentina
| | - Pau Ferrer-Cid
- Computer Architecture Department, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose M. Barcelo-Ordinas
- Computer Architecture Department, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Garcia-Vidal
- Computer Architecture Department, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillermo Contini
- Engineering and Water Sciences Department, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe S3000, Argentina
| | - Jorge Prodolliet
- Engineering and Water Sciences Department, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe S3000, Argentina
| | - José Maiztegui
- Agricultural Sciences Department, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Esperanza S3080, Argentina
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19
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Kuang W, Sanow S, Kelm JM, Müller Linow M, Andeer P, Kohlheyer D, Northen T, Vogel JP, Watt M, Arsova B. N-dependent dynamics of root growth and nitrate and ammonium uptake are altered by the bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae in the cereal model Brachypodium distachyon. J Exp Bot 2022; 73:5306-5321. [PMID: 35512445 PMCID: PMC9440436 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) fixation in cereals by root-associated bacteria is a promising solution for reducing use of chemical N fertilizers in agriculture. However, plant and bacterial responses are unpredictable across environments. We hypothesized that cereal responses to N-fixing bacteria are dynamic, depending on N supply and time. To quantify the dynamics, a gnotobiotic, fabricated ecosystem (EcoFAB) was adapted to analyse N mass balance, to image shoot and root growth, and to measure gene expression of Brachypodium distachyon inoculated with the N-fixing bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae. Phenotyping throughput of EcoFAB-N was 25-30 plants h-1 with open software and imaging systems. Herbaspirillum seropedicae inoculation of B. distachyon shifted root and shoot growth, nitrate versus ammonium uptake, and gene expression with time; directions and magnitude depended on N availability. Primary roots were longer and root hairs shorter regardless of N, with stronger changes at low N. At higher N, H. seropedicae provided 11% of the total plant N that came from sources other than the seed or the nutrient solution. The time-resolved phenotypic and molecular data point to distinct modes of action: at 5 mM NH4NO3 the benefit appears through N fixation, while at 0.5 mM NH4NO3 the mechanism appears to be plant physiological, with H. seropedicae promoting uptake of N from the root medium.Future work could fine-tune plant and root-associated microorganisms to growth and nutrient dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Kuang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, 415000 Changde, China
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 410125 Changsha, China
| | - Stefan Sanow
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jana M Kelm
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Mark Müller Linow
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Peter Andeer
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Dietrich Kohlheyer
- IBG-1 Biotechnology, Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Trent Northen
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- The Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John P Vogel
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- The Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michelle Watt
- IBG-2 Plant Sciences, Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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20
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Deolu-Ajayi AO, van der Meer IM, van der Werf A, Karlova R. The power of seaweeds as plant biostimulants to boost crop production under abiotic stress. Plant Cell Environ 2022; 45:2537-2553. [PMID: 35815342 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses like drought and salinity are major factors resulting in crop yield losses and soil degradation worldwide. To meet increasing food demands, we must improve crop productivity, especially under increasing abiotic stresses due to climate change. Recent studies suggest that seaweed-based biostimulants could be a solution to this problem. Here, we summarize the current findings of using these biostimulants and highlight current knowledge gaps. Seaweed extracts were shown to enhance nutrient uptake and improve growth performance in crops under stressed and normal conditions. Seaweed extracts contain several active compounds, for example, polysaccharides, polyphenols and phytohormones. Although some of these compounds have growth-promoting properties on plants, the molecular mechanisms that underly seaweed extract action remain understudied. In this paper, we review the role of these extracts and their bioactive compounds as plant biostimulants. The targeted application of seaweed extract to improve crop performance and protein accumulation is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayodeji O Deolu-Ajayi
- Agrosystems Research, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid M van der Meer
- Bioscience, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrie van der Werf
- Agrosystems Research, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rumyana Karlova
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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21
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Chaudhary P, Singh S, Chaudhary A, Sharma A, Kumar G. Overview of biofertilizers in crop production and stress management for sustainable agriculture. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:930340. [PMID: 36082294 PMCID: PMC9445558 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.930340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
With the increase in world population, the demography of humans is estimated to be exceeded and it has become a major challenge to provide an adequate amount of food, feed, and agricultural products majorly in developing countries. The use of chemical fertilizers causes the plant to grow efficiently and rapidly to meet the food demand. The drawbacks of using a higher quantity of chemical or synthetic fertilizers are environmental pollution, persistent changes in the soil ecology, physiochemical composition, decreasing agricultural productivity and cause several health hazards. Climatic factors are responsible for enhancing abiotic stress on crops, resulting in reduced agricultural productivity. There are various types of abiotic and biotic stress factors like soil salinity, drought, wind, improper temperature, heavy metals, waterlogging, and different weeds and phytopathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and nematodes which attack plants, reducing crop productivity and quality. There is a shift toward the use of biofertilizers due to all these facts, which provide nutrition through natural processes like zinc, potassium and phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen fixation, production of hormones, siderophore, various hydrolytic enzymes and protect the plant from different plant pathogens and stress conditions. They provide the nutrition in adequate amount that is sufficient for healthy crop development to fulfill the demand of the increasing population worldwide, eco-friendly and economically convenient. This review will focus on biofertilizers and their mechanisms of action, role in crop productivity and in biotic/abiotic stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Chaudhary
- Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - Shivani Singh
- Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - Anuj Chaudhary
- School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Shobhit University, Gangoh, India
| | - Anita Sharma
- Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India
| | - Govind Kumar
- Department of Crop Production, Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, India
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22
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Ramtekey V, Cherukuri S, Kumar S, V. SK, Sheoran S, K. UB, K. BN, Kumar S, Singh AN, Singh HV. Seed Longevity in Legumes: Deeper Insights Into Mechanisms and Molecular Perspectives. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:918206. [PMID: 35968115 PMCID: PMC9364935 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.918206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable agricultural production largely depends upon the viability and longevity of high-quality seeds during storage. Legumes are considered as rich source of dietary protein that helps to ensure nutritional security, but associated with poor seed longevity that hinders their performance and productivity in farmer's fields. Seed longevity is the key determinant to assure proper seed plant value and crop yield. Thus, maintenance of seed longevity during storage is of prime concern and a pre-requisite for enhancing crop productivity of legumes. Seed longevity is significantly correlated with other seed quality parameters such as germination, vigor, viability and seed coat permeability that affect crop growth and development, consequently distressing crop yield. Therefore, information on genetic basis and regulatory networks associated with seed longevity, as well as molecular dissection of traits linked to longevity could help in developing crop varieties with good storability. Keeping this in view, the present review focuses towards highlighting the molecular basis of seed longevity, with special emphasis on candidate genes and proteins associated with seed longevity and their interplay with other quality parameters. Further, an attempt was made to provide information on 3D structures of various genetic loci (genes/proteins) associated to seed longevity that could facilitate in understanding the interactions taking place within the seed at molecular level. This review compiles and provides information on genetic and genomic approaches for the identification of molecular pathways and key players involved in the maintenance of seed longevity in legumes, in a holistic manner. Finally, a hypothetical fast-forward breeding pipeline has been provided, that could assist the breeders to successfully develop varieties with improved seed longevity in legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sunil Kumar
- Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute-IASRI, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Seema Sheoran
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Karnal, India
| | - Udaya Bhaskar K.
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Seed Science, Regional Station, Bengaluru, India
| | - Bhojaraja Naik K.
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Seed Science, Regional Station, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Seed Science, Mau, India
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23
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Abstract
Mechanization has greatly contributed to the success of modern agriculture, with vastly expanded food production capabilities achieved by the higher capacity of farm machinery. However, the increase in capacity has been accompanied by higher vehicle weights that increase risks of subsoil compaction. We show here that while surface contact stresses remained nearly constant over the course of modern mechanization, subsoil stresses have propagated into deeper soil layers and now exceed safe mechanical limits for soil ecological functioning. We developed a global map for delineating subsoil compaction susceptibility based on estimates of mechanization level, mean tractor size, soil texture, and climatic conditions. The alarming trend of chronic subsoil compaction risk over 20% of arable land, with potential loss of productivity, calls for a more stringent design of farm machinery that considers intrinsic subsoil mechanical limits. As the total weight of modern harvesters is now approaching that of the largest animals that walked Earth, the sauropods, a paradox emerges of potential prehistoric subsoil compaction. We hypothesize that unconstrained roaming of sauropods would have had similar adverse effects on land productivity as modern farm vehicles, suggesting that ecological strategies for reducing subsoil compaction, including fixed foraging trails, must have guided these prehistoric giants.
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24
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Kouhen M, García-Caparrós P, Twyman RM, Abdelly C, Mahmoudi H, Schillberg S, Debez A. Improving environmental stress resilience in crops by genome editing: insights from extremophile plants. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2022; 43:559-574. [PMID: 35606905 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2042481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In basic and applied sciences, genome editing has become an indispensable tool, especially the versatile and adaptable CRISPR/Cas9 system. Using CRISPR/Cas9 in plants has enabled modifications of many valuable traits, including environmental stress tolerance, an essential aspect when it comes to ensuring food security under climate change pressure. The CRISPR toolbox enables faster and more precise plant breeding by facilitating: multiplex gene editing, gene pyramiding, and de novo domestication. In this paper, we discuss the most recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9 and alternative CRISPR-based systems, along with the technical challenges that remain to be overcome. A revision of the latest proof-of-concept and functional characterization studies has indeed provided more insight into the quantitative traits affecting crop yield and stress tolerance. Additionally, we focus on the applications of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in regard to extremophile plants, due to their significance on: industrial, ecological and economic levels. These still unexplored genetic resources could provide the means to harden our crops against the threat of climate change, thus ensuring food security over the next century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Kouhen
- Centre of Biotechnology of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Laboratory of Extremophile Plants (LPE), Hammam-Lif, Tunisia.,Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Pesche, Italy
| | - Pedro García-Caparrós
- Agronomy Department of Superior School Engineering, University of Almeria, CIAIMBITAL, Almería, Spain
| | | | - Chedly Abdelly
- Centre of Biotechnology of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Laboratory of Extremophile Plants (LPE), Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Henda Mahmoudi
- International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Academic City, Near Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ahmed Debez
- Centre of Biotechnology of Borj-Cedria (CBBC), Laboratory of Extremophile Plants (LPE), Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
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25
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Long SP, Taylor SH, Burgess SJ, Carmo-Silva E, Lawson T, De Souza AP, Leonelli L, Wang Y. Into the Shadows and Back into Sunlight: Photosynthesis in Fluctuating Light. Annu Rev Plant Biol 2022; 73:617-648. [PMID: 35595290 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-070221-024745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is an important remaining opportunity for further improvement in the genetic yield potential of our major crops. Measurement, analysis, and improvement of leaf CO2 assimilation (A) have focused largely on photosynthetic rates under light-saturated steady-state conditions. However, in modern crop canopies of several leaf layers, light is rarely constant, and the majority of leaves experience marked light fluctuations throughout the day. It takes several minutes for photosynthesis to regain efficiency in both sun-shade and shade-sun transitions, costing a calculated 10-40% of potential crop CO2 assimilation. Transgenic manipulations to accelerate the adjustment in sun-shade transitions have already shown a substantial productivity increase in field trials. Here, we explore means to further accelerate these adjustments and minimize these losses through transgenic manipulation, gene editing, and exploitation of natural variation. Measurement andanalysis of photosynthesis in sun-shade and shade-sun transitions are explained. Factors limiting speeds of adjustment and how they could be modified to effect improved efficiency are reviewed, specifically nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), Rubisco activation, and stomatal responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Long
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
- Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel H Taylor
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Steven J Burgess
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
| | | | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda P De Souza
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
| | - Lauriebeth Leonelli
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
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26
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Carvalho FEL, Ware MA, Lima Neto MC, Aranjuelo I. Editorial: Photosynthetic Efficiency Under Multiple Stress Conditions: Prospects for Increasing Crop Yields. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:893730. [PMID: 35574071 PMCID: PMC9096905 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.893730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maxwell Adam Ware
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | | | - Iker Aranjuelo
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Gobierno de Navarra, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Lab Navarra, Agrobiotechnology Institute (IdAB), Navarra, Spain
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27
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Xu P, Li G, Houlton BZ, Ma L, Ai D, Zhu L, Luan B, Zhai S, Hu S, Chen A, Zheng Y. Role of Organic and Conservation Agriculture in Ammonia Emissions and Crop Productivity in China. Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:2977-2989. [PMID: 35147421 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is an increasing food demand with growing population and limited land for agriculture. Conventional agriculture with nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications, however, is a key source of ammonia (NH3) emissions that cause severe haze pollution and impair human health. Organic and conservation agricultural (OCA) practices are thereby recommended to address these dual challenges; however, whether OCA provides cobenefits for both air quality and crop productivity is controversial. Here, we perform a meta-analysis and machine learning algorithm with data from China, a global hotspot for agricultural NH3 emissions, to quantify the effects of OCA on NH3 emissions, crop yields and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). We find that the effects of OCA depend on soil and climate conditions, and the 40-60% substitution of synthetic fertilizers with livestock manure achieves the maximum cobenefits of enhanced crop production and reduced NH3 emissions. Model forecasts further suggest that the appropriate application of livestock manure, straw return, and no-till could increase grain production up to 59.7 million metric tons (100% of straw return) and reduce maximum US$2.7 billion (60% substitution with livestock manure) in damage costs to human health from NH3 emissions by 2030. Our findings provide data-driven pathways and options for achieving multiple sustainable development goals and improving food systems and air quality in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Geng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- Division of Environment and Sustainability, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Function Hub, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, Guangdong 511458, China
| | - Benjamin Z Houlton
- Department of Global Development and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, New York City, New York, 14853, United States
| | - Lin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetic and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050021, China
| | - Dong Ai
- 7518College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Bo Luan
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Shengqiang Zhai
- Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Shiyao Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Anping Chen
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Yi Zheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- Shenzhen Municipal Engineering Lab of Environmental IoT Technologies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
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28
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Rahman MM, Uddin S, Jahangir MMR, Solaiman ZM, Alamri S, Siddiqui MH, Islam MR. Integrated Nutrient Management Enhances Productivity and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Crops in Acidic and Charland Soils. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:plants10112547. [PMID: 34834910 PMCID: PMC8621362 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Integrated Plant Nutrient System (IPNS) is practiced worldwide to maintain soil quality. Two field experiments were conducted in 2019 and 2020 in acidic and charland soils to assess the impact of different manures, viz., poultry manure (PM), vermicompost (VC), compost (OF), rice husk biochar (RHB), poultry manure biochar (PMB)-based IPNS, and dolomite over control on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of the Mustard-Boro-Transplanted Aman and Maize-Jute-Transplanted Aman cropping patterns, and on soil properties. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results showed that IPNS treatments significantly improved soil aggregate properties and total nitrogen in acidic soil, and bulk density in charland soil. In both years, IPNS treatments increased system productivity from 55.4 to 82.8% in acidic soil and from 43.3 to 115.4% in charland soil over that of control. IPNS and dolomite treatments increased nitrogen uptake from 35.5 to 105.7% over that of control and NUE in both soils in 2019 and 2020. PMB- and OF-based INPS treatments exhibited superior performances in both soils, and the impact was more prominent in 2020. Therefore, PMB- and OF-based IPNS can be recommended for maximizing system productivity and NUE with concurrent improvement of physicochemical properties of acidic and charland soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mojibur Rahman
- Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh; (M.M.R.); (S.U.); (M.M.R.J.)
- Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh
| | - Shihab Uddin
- Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh; (M.M.R.); (S.U.); (M.M.R.J.)
| | | | - Zakaria M. Solaiman
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Saud Alamri
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 2455, Saudi Arabia; (S.A.); (M.H.S.)
| | - Manzer H. Siddiqui
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 2455, Saudi Arabia; (S.A.); (M.H.S.)
| | - Mohammad Rafiqul Islam
- Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh; (M.M.R.); (S.U.); (M.M.R.J.)
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29
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Chukwuneme CF, Ayangbenro AS, Babalola OO. Metagenomic Analyses of Plant Growth-Promoting and Carbon-Cycling Genes in Maize Rhizosphere Soils with Distinct Land-Use and Management Histories. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1431. [PMID: 34573413 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have shown that the maize rhizosphere comprises several plant growth-promoting microbes, but there is little or no study on the effects of land-use and management histories on microbial functional gene diversity in the maize rhizosphere soils in Africa. Analyzing microbial genes in the rhizosphere of plants, especially those associated with plant growth promotion and carbon cycling, is important for improving soil fertility and crop productivity. Here, we provide a comparative analysis of microbial genes present in the rhizosphere samples of two maize fields with different agricultural histories using shotgun metagenomics. Genes involved in the nutrient mobilization, including nifA, fixJ, norB, pstA, kefA and B, and ktrB were significantly more abundant (α = 0.05) in former grassland (F1) rhizosphere soils. Among the carbon-cycling genes, the abundance of 12 genes, including all those involved in the degradation of methane were more significant (α = 0.05) in the F1 soils, whereas only five genes were significantly more abundant in the F2 soils. α-diversity indices were different across the samples and significant differences were observed in the β diversity of plant growth-promoting and carbon-cycling genes between the fields (ANOSIM, p = 0.01 and R = 0.52). Nitrate-nitrogen (N-NO3) was the most influential physicochemical parameter (p = 0.05 and contribution = 31.3%) that affected the distribution of the functional genes across the samples. The results indicate that land-use and management histories impact the composition and diversity of plant growth-promoting and carbon-cycling genes in the plant rhizosphere. The study widens our understanding of the effects of anthropogenic activities on plant health and major biogeochemical processes in soils.
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30
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Singh PK, Miller G, Faigenboim A, Lieberman-Lazarovich M. The Tomato ddm1b Mutant Shows Decreased Sensitivity to Heat Stress Accompanied by Transcriptional Alterations. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1337. [PMID: 34573319 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress is a major environmental factor limiting crop productivity, thus presenting a food security challenge. Various approaches are taken in an effort to develop crop species with enhanced tolerance to heat stress conditions. Since epigenetic mechanisms were shown to play a regulatory role in mediating plants' responses to their environment, we investigated the role of DNA methylation in response to heat stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), an important vegetable crop. To meet this aim, we tested a DNA methylation-deficient tomato mutant, Slddm1b. In this short communication paper, we report phenotypic and transcriptomic preliminary findings, implying that the tomato ddm1b mutant is significantly less sensitive to heat stress compared with the background tomato line, M82. Under conditions of heat stress, this mutant line presented higher fruit set and seed set rates, as well as a higher survival rate at the seedling stage. On the transcriptional level, we observed differences in the expression of heat stress-related genes, suggesting an altered response of the ddm1b mutant to this stress. Following these preliminary results, further research would shed light on the specific genes that may contribute to the observed thermotolerance of ddm1b and their possibly altered DNA methylation status.
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31
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Ibáñez A, Diez-Galán A, Cobos R, Calvo-Peña C, Barreiro C, Medina-Turienzo J, Sánchez-García M, Coque JJR. Using Rhizosphere Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria to Improve Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) Plant Productivity. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081619. [PMID: 34442698 PMCID: PMC8401182 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
On average less than 1% of the total phosphorous present in soils is available to plants, making phosphorous one of the most limiting macronutrients for crop productivity worldwide. The aim of this work was to isolate and select phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) from the barley rhizosphere, which has other growth promoting traits and can increase crop productivity. A total of 104 different bacterial isolates were extracted from the barley plant rhizosphere. In this case, 64 strains were able to solubilize phosphate in agar plates. The 24 strains exhibiting the highest solubilizing index belonged to 16 different species, of which 7 isolates were discarded since they were identified as putative phytopathogens. The remaining nine strains were tested for their ability to solubilize phosphate in liquid medium and in pot trials performed in a greenhouse. Several of the isolated strains (Advenella mimigardefordensis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium and Burkholderia fungorum) were able to significantly improve levels of assimilated phosphate, dry weight of ears and total starch accumulated on ears compared to non-inoculated plants. Since these strains were able to increase the growth and productivity of barley crops, they could be potentially used as microbial inoculants (biofertilizers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Ibáñez
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Alba Diez-Galán
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Rebeca Cobos
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Carla Calvo-Peña
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Carlos Barreiro
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Avda. Real 1—Parque Científico de León, 24006 León, Spain;
- Área de Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Jesús Medina-Turienzo
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Mario Sánchez-García
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
| | - Juan José R. Coque
- Instituto de Investigación de la Viña y el Vino, Escuela de Ingeniería Agraria, Universidad de León, 24009 León, Spain; (A.I.); (A.D.-G.); (R.C.); (C.C.-P.); (J.M.-T.); (M.S.-G.)
- Correspondence:
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32
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia J M Kelly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, 120 Mt Albert Road, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C Allan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, 3 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1025, New Zealand
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, 120 Mt Albert Road, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
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33
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González FG, Manavella PA. Prospects for plant productivity: from the canopy to the nucleus. J Exp Bot 2021; 72:3931-3935. [PMID: 34003934 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Population growth has been closely associated with agricultural production, since the first famine predicted by Malthus (1798) up to the Green Revolution of the past century. Today, we continue to face increasing demand for food and crop production (Tilman et al., 2011). Considering the combined caloric or protein content of the 275 major crops used directly as human foods or as livestock and fish feeds, Tilman et al. (2011) forecast a 100% increase in global demand for crops from 2005 to 2050. Meeting this demand with the lowest impact on the environment could be achieved by sustainable intensification of existing cropland with reduced land clearing (Tilman et al., 2011; Fischer and Connor, 2018).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda G González
- Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA, CONICET- UNNOBA-UNSADA), 2700 Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA 2700 Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo A Manavella
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
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34
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Choi J, Lee W, An G, Kim SR. OsCBE1, a Substrate Receptor of Cullin4-Based E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, Functions as a Regulator of Abiotic Stress Response and Productivity in Rice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052487. [PMID: 33801226 PMCID: PMC7957871 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination is an important environmental stress response, and E3 ubiquitin ligases play a major role in the process. T-DNA insertion mutants of rice, Oscbe1-1, and Oscbe1-2, were identified through the screening of cold stress tolerance at seedling stage. Oscbe1 mutants showed a significantly higher cold stress tolerance in the fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic efficiency than wild type. Molecular prediction showed that OsCBE1 (Oryza sativa Cullin4-Based E3 ubiquitin ligase1) encoded a novel substrate receptor of Cullin4-based E3 ubiquitin ligase complex (C4E3). Whereas Oscbe1 mutants had fewer panicles and grains than wild type in the paddy field, the overexpression lines of OsCBE1 had more panicles and grains, suggesting that OsCBE1 is involved in the regulation of both abiotic stress response and development. Oscbe1 mutants also showed ABA hypersensitivity during seed germination, suggesting OsCBE1 function for the stress response via ABA signaling. In silico analysis of OsCBE1 activity predicted a CCCH-type transcription factor, OsC3H32, as a putative substrate. Co-IP (Co-immunoprecipitation) study showed that OsCBE1 interacts with OsDDB1, an expected binding component of OsCBE1 and OsC3H32. Additionally, expression of OsOLE16, OsOLE18, and OsBURP5 were negatively related with expression of OsCBE1. These results suggest that OsCBE1 functions as a regulator of the abiotic stress response via CCCH as a member of the C4E3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juyoung Choi
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (J.C.); (W.L.)
| | - Wonkyung Lee
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (J.C.); (W.L.)
| | - Gynheung An
- Department of Plant Molecular Systems Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea;
| | - Seong-Ryong Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea; (J.C.); (W.L.)
- Correspondence:
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35
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Swift TA, Fagan D, Benito-Alifonso D, Hill SA, Yallop ML, Oliver TAA, Lawson T, Galan MC, Whitney HM. Photosynthesis and crop productivity are enhanced by glucose-functionalised carbon dots. New Phytol 2021; 229:783-790. [PMID: 32813888 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
From global food security to textile production and biofuels, the demands currently made on plant photosynthetic productivity will continue to increase. Enhancing photosynthesis using designer, green and sustainable materials offers an attractive alternative to current genetic-based strategies and promising work with nanomaterials has recently started to emerge. Here we describe the in planta use of carbon-based nanoparticles produced by low-cost renewable routes that are bioavailable to mature plants. Uptake of these functionalised nanoparticles directly from the soil improves photosynthesis and also increases crop production. We show for the first time that glucose functionalisation enhances nanoparticle uptake, photoprotection and pigment production, unlocking enhanced yields. This was demonstrated in Triticum aestivum 'Apogee' (dwarf bread wheat) and resulted in an 18% increase in grain yield. This establishes the viability of a functional nanomaterial to augment photosynthesis as a route to increased crop productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Swift
- Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Daniel Fagan
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | | | - Stephen A Hill
- School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Marian L Yallop
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Thomas A A Oliver
- Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK
- School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - M Carmen Galan
- School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Heather M Whitney
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
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36
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Rutley N, Miller G, Wang F, Harper JF, Miller G, Lieberman-Lazarovich M. Enhanced Reproductive Thermotolerance of the Tomato high pigment 2 Mutant Is Associated With Increased Accumulation of Flavonols in Pollen. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:672368. [PMID: 34093629 PMCID: PMC8171326 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.672368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Climate change has created an environment where heat stress conditions are becoming more frequent as temperatures continue to raise in crop production areas around the world. This situation leads to decreased crop production due to plant sensitivity to heat stress. Reproductive success is critically dependent on plants' ability to produce functional pollen grains, which are the most thermo-sensitive tissue. Flavonols are plant secondary metabolites known for their potent antioxidative activity, essential for male fertility in several species including tomato, and implicated in heat stress tolerance. Since flavonols are highly abundant in fruits of the tomato high pigment 2 (hp2) mutant, we tested the level of flavonols in pollen of this mutant, under the hypothesis that increased accumulation of flavonols would render pollen more tolerant to heat stress. Indeed, pollen from two alleles of the hp2 mutant was found to have flavonols levels increased by 18 and 280% compared with wild-type (WT) under moderate chronic heat stress (MCHS) conditions. This mutant produced on average 7.8-fold higher levels of viable pollen and displayed better germination competence under heat stress conditions. The percentage of fully seeded fruits and the number of seeds per fruit were maintained in the mutant under heat stress conditions while decreased in wild-type plants. Our results strongly suggest that increased concentrations of pollen flavonols enhance pollen thermotolerance and reproductive success under heat stress conditions. Thus, the high flavonols trait may help frame the model for improving crop resilience to heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Rutley
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Golan Miller
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization – Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Fengde Wang
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization – Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Jeffrey F Harper
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Gad Miller
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization – Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- *Correspondence: Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich,
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Hou PF, Xue LH, Feng YF, Yu S, Yang LZ. [Effects of Modified Biowaste-based Hydrochar on Rice Yield and Nitrogen Uptake]. Huan Jing Ke Xue 2020; 41:5648-5655. [PMID: 33374082 DOI: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202005335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Biochar application on farmlands is an efficient way to realize agricultural/forestry biowaste recycling in parallel with carbon sequestration. Recently, hydrochar produced by hydrothermal carbonization processes has attracted attention due to the advantages over conventional pyrolytic production (i.e., easier production process, higher carbon yield, reduced energy consumption, and lower flue gas emissions). To clarify the effects of hydrochar applied in farmlands on crop production, as well as to realize the recycling of agricultural/forestry biowaste resources, this study evaluated the effects of four types of modified-hydrochar addition on rice yield and nitrogen uptake in two typical soils and the possible influencing factors through soil-column experiments and material characterization. The results showed that sawdust hydrochar and/or straw hydrochar could increase rice yield and nitrogen uptake, as well as reduce N loss, in both treated soils after physical or biological modification, an effect that was independent of the application rate (5‰, 15‰; mass fraction). In comparison to the control, the rice yield and nitrogen uptake of hydrochar-addition treatments increased by 9.2%-20.7% and 7.7%-17.0% respectively. Sawdust hydrochar, with a wider C/N material, was conducive to improving nitrogen uptake in high fertility soils; meanwhile, the nitrogen utilization in low fertility soils was less affected by the type of hydrochar due to the limitations imposed by multiple factors. The results of material characterization showed that the surface of the hydrochar was rich in nutrients; the pore structure of hydrochar after washing or biological modification was greatly improved, the relative content of C was remarkably reduced, and the relative contents of N and O notably increased, which could affect nutrient fixation and supply. Thus, the improved pore structure and increased contents of N and O of modified hydrochars may be the key drivers for the increase in rice yield and nitrogen uptake with hydrochar addition. These results suggest that modified hydrochar is beneficial to realizing agricultural/forestry biowaste recycling and improving crop yield and nitrogen utilization, as well as reducing N loss from farmlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Fu Hou
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.,School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Li-Hong Xue
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.,School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Yan-Fang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China.,School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
| | - Shan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Lin-Zhang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
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Maas B, Thomas E, Ocampo-Ariza C, Vansynghel J, Steffan-Dewenter I, Tscharntke T. Transforming Tropical Agroforestry towards High Socio-Ecological Standards. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:1049-1052. [PMID: 33008636 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Growing demand for tropical commodities that are socially and environmentally more sustainable is changing the global market for agroforestry products such as coffee and cocoa. Transforming mass production of cash crops towards higher socio-ecological standards includes challenges, but also novel opportunities to protect ecosystem services and human health and well-being alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bea Maas
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Agroecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | | | | | - Justine Vansynghel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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Yadav SK, Khatri K, Rathore MS, Jha B. Ectopic Expression of a Transmembrane Protein KaCyt b 6 from a Red Seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii in Transgenic Tobacco Augmented the Photosynthesis and Growth. DNA Cell Biol 2020:dna.2020.5479. [PMID: 32865429 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2020.5479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome b6f complex is a thylakoid membrane-localized protein and catalyses the transfer of electrons from plastoquinol to plastocyanin in photosynthetic electron transport chain. In the present study, Cytochrome b6 (KaCyt b6) gene from Kappaphycus alvarezii (a red seaweed) was overexpressed in tobacco. A 935 base pair (bp) long KaCyt b6 cDNA contained an open reading frame of 648 bp encoding a protein of 215 amino acids with an expected isoelectric point of 8.67 and a molecular mass of 24.37 kDa. The KaCyt b6 gene was overexpressed in tobacco under control of CaMV35S promoter. The transgenic tobacco had higher electron transfer rate and photosynthetic yield over wild-type and vector control tobacco. The KaCyt b6 tobacco also exhibited significantly higher photosynthetic gas exchange (PN) and improved water use efficiency. The transgenic plants had higher ratio of PN and intercellular CO2. The KaCyt b6 transgenic tobacco showed higher estimates of photosystem II quantum yield, higher activity of the water-splitting complex, PSII photochemistry, and photochemical quenching. The basal quantum yield of nonphotochemical processes in PSII was recorded lower in KaCyt b6 tobacco. Transgenic tobacco contained higher contents of carotenoids and total chlorophyll and also had better ratios of chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids and total chlorophyll contents hence improved photosynthetic efficiency and production of sugar and starch. The KaCyt b6 transgenic plants performed superior under control and greenhouse conditions. To the best of our knowledge through literature survey, this is the first report on characterization of KaCyt b6 gene from K. alvarezii for enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and growth in tobacco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta K Yadav
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Kusum Khatri
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Division of Applied Phycology and Biotechnology, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Bhavnagar, India
| | - Mangal S Rathore
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- Division of Applied Phycology and Biotechnology, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Bhavnagar, India
| | - Bhavanath Jha
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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40
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Rautaray SK, Dubey R, Raychaudhuri S, Pradhan S, Mohanty S, Mohanty RK, Ambast SK. Sustainable agriwaste management at farm level through self-reliant farming system. Waste Manag Res 2020; 38:753-761. [PMID: 32347193 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x20920350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Annually 500 M t organic wastes are produced in India from the agriculture sector. Transportation of bulky organic manures for centralized collection, processing and distribution to farms is cost prohibitive. Hence, recycling of agricultural wastes using vermicompost technology at the farm level is a practical way of managing agriwaste for meeting the plant nutrient requirement. Our experience with a 1.584 ha farm for three years (2015-2016 to 2017-2018) revealed that 8.1 t vermicompost was produced in three batches from 24 t agriwastes produced within the farm area. The system productivity by recycling these farm generated agriwastes and run-off water was 18.05 t (≈11.4 t ha-1) rice equivalent yield which was higher by 2.6 times as compared to rice fallow (4.46 t ha-1). Also, the net return from this system (Indian rupees 70141 ha-1) was higher by 2.3 times, after considering the fixed cost towards construction of a water recycling pond. An increase in carbon stock in soil for the four years study period was 0.66 Mg ha-1 year-1 with the agriwaste recycling system under organic nutrition. For the inorganic fertilizer plot, the increase in carbon stock was 0.53 Mg ha-1 year-1. A decrease in bulk density from 1.56 to 1.46 Mg m-3, increase in water holding capacity from 0.43 to 0.52 cm3 cm-3 and increase in available P and K content in soil from 38.0 and 174.7 kg ha-1 to 45.8 and 186.5 kg ha-1, respectively, were noted. Thus, recycling of agricultural waste at the farm level is useful in improving soil health and crop productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachana Dubey
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | | | - Sanatan Pradhan
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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41
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Rodriguez R, Durán P. Natural Holobiome Engineering by Using Native Extreme Microbiome to Counteract the Climate Change Effects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:568. [PMID: 32582678 PMCID: PMC7287022 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current scenario of climate change, the future of agriculture is uncertain. Climate change and climate-related disasters have a direct impact on biotic and abiotic factors that govern agroecosystems compromising the global food security. In the last decade, the advances in high throughput sequencing techniques have significantly improved our understanding about the composition, function and dynamics of plant microbiome. However, despite the microbiome have been proposed as a new platform for the next green revolution, our knowledge about the mechanisms that govern microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions are incipient. Currently, the adaptation of plants to environmental changes not only suggests that the plants can adapt or migrate, but also can interact with their surrounding microbial communities to alleviate different stresses by natural microbiome selection of specialized strains, phenomenon recently called "Cry for Help". From this way, plants have been co-evolved with their microbiota adapting to local environmental conditions to ensuring the survival of the entire holobiome to improve plant fitness. Thus, the strong selective pressure of native extreme microbiomes could represent a remarkable microbial niche of plant stress-amelioration to counteract the negative effect of climate change in food crops. Currently, the microbiome engineering has recently emerged as an alternative to modify and promote positive interactions between microorganisms and plants to improve plant fitness. In the present review, we discuss the possible use of extreme microbiome to alleviate different stresses in crop plants under the current scenario of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rodriguez
- Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Paola Durán
- Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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42
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Kelland ME, Wade PW, Lewis AL, Taylor LL, Sarkar B, Andrews MG, Lomas MR, Cotton TEA, Kemp SJ, James RH, Pearce CR, Hartley SE, Hodson ME, Leake JR, Banwart SA, Beerling DJ. Increased yield and CO 2 sequestration potential with the C 4 cereal Sorghum bicolor cultivated in basaltic rock dust-amended agricultural soil. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:3658-3676. [PMID: 32314496 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Land-based enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a biogeochemical carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy aiming to accelerate natural geological processes of carbon sequestration through application of crushed silicate rocks, such as basalt, to croplands and forested landscapes. However, the efficacy of the approach when undertaken with basalt, and its potential co-benefits for agriculture, require experimental and field evaluation. Here we report that amending a UK clay-loam agricultural soil with a high loading (10 kg/m2 ) of relatively coarse-grained crushed basalt significantly increased the yield (21 ± 9.4%, SE) of the important C4 cereal Sorghum bicolor under controlled environmental conditions, without accumulation of potentially toxic trace elements in the seeds. Yield increases resulted from the basalt treatment after 120 days without P- and K-fertilizer addition. Shoot silicon concentrations also increased significantly (26 ± 5.4%, SE), with potential benefits for crop resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Elemental budgets indicate substantial release of base cations important for inorganic carbon removal and their accumulation mainly in the soil exchangeable pools. Geochemical reactive transport modelling, constrained by elemental budgets, indicated CO2 sequestration rates of 2-4 t CO2 /ha, 1-5 years after a single application of basaltic rock dust, including via newly formed soil carbonate minerals whose long-term fate requires assessment through field trials. This represents an approximately fourfold increase in carbon capture compared to control plant-soil systems without basalt. Our results build support for ERW deployment as a CDR technique compatible with spreading basalt powder on acidic loamy soils common across millions of hectares of western European and North American agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike E Kelland
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Peter W Wade
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Amy L Lewis
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Lyla L Taylor
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Binoy Sarkar
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - M Grace Andrews
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Mark R Lomas
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - T E Anne Cotton
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Simon J Kemp
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Rachael H James
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Sue E Hartley
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mark E Hodson
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK
| | - Jonathan R Leake
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Steven A Banwart
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Global Food and Environment Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - David J Beerling
- Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Oldfield EE, Wood SA, Bradford MA. Direct evidence using a controlled greenhouse study for threshold effects of soil organic matter on crop growth. Ecol Appl 2020; 30:e02073. [PMID: 31965653 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator of soil fertility, and building SOM is assumed to decrease reliance on external inputs and ensure stable crop production. Recent syntheses of field data support this assumption with positive SOM-productivity relationships that asymptote at ~4% SOM. Teasing out the directionality of this relationship-the extent to which SOM increases crop growth vs. greater growth leading to higher SOM concentrations-requires controlled experimentation. To disentangle this causative pathway, we conducted a greenhouse experiment whereby we manipulated SOM concentrations from 1% to 9% and evaluated whether the SOM-productivity relationship differed for spring wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) under nitrogen fertilization crossed with irrigation due to the expectation that SOM buffers the effects of reduced fertilization and/or irrigation. We found that higher concentrations of SOM led to greater productivity (measured as aboveground biomass) up to a threshold of 5% SOM, after which productivity declined across all treatments. These declines occurred despite the fact that indicators of soil health (water-holding capacity, microbial biomass, and bulk density) improved linearly with increasing SOM concentrations. That is, improvements in soil properties did not translate to gains in productivity at the highest SOM levels. Nitrogen fertilization led to greater productivity across all treatments, but to a greater relative extent at lower SOM levels, where we found that productivity on unfertilized soils with 4% SOM matched that of fertilized soils with 2% SOM. Differences in productivity on unfertilized soils due to irrigation emerged at higher SOM levels (>5%), highlighting SOM's role in water retention. Our results demonstrate that building SOM leads to improved growth of a globally important crop; however, our results also indicated a pronounced SOM threshold, after which crop growth declined. This underscores the need to develop optimal SOM targets for desired agricultural and environmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Oldfield
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
| | - Stephen A Wood
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, 22201, USA
| | - Mark A Bradford
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
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Zhong Z, Furuya T, Ueno K, Yamaguchi H, Hitachi K, Tsuchida K, Tani M, Tian J, Komatsu S. Proteomic Analysis of Irradiation with Millimeter Waves on Soybean Growth under Flooding Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E486. [PMID: 31940953 PMCID: PMC7013696 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving soybean growth and tolerance under environmental stress is crucial for sustainable development. Millimeter waves are a radio-frequency band with a wavelength range of 1-10 mm that has dynamic effects on organisms. To investigate the potential effects of millimeter-waves irradiation on soybean seedlings, morphological and proteomic analyses were performed. Millimeter-waves irradiation improved the growth of roots/hypocotyl and the tolerance of soybean to flooding stress. Proteomic analysis indicated that the irradiated soybean seedlings recovered under oxidative stress during growth, whereas proteins related to glycolysis and ascorbate/glutathione metabolism were not affected. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the promotive effect of millimeter waves to glycolysis- and redox-related pathways under flooding conditions. Sugar metabolism was suppressed under flooding in unirradiated soybean seedlings, whereas it was activated in the irradiated ones, especially trehalose synthesis. These results suggest that millimeter-waves irradiation on soybean seeds promotes the recovery of soybean seedlings under oxidative stress, which positively regulates soybean growth through the regulation of glycolysis and redox related pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoheng Zhong
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Fukui University of Technology, Fukui 910-8505, Japan; (Z.Z.); (K.U.)
- College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China;
| | - Takashi Furuya
- Research Center for Development of Far-Infrared Region, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan; (T.F.); (M.T.)
| | - Kimitaka Ueno
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Fukui University of Technology, Fukui 910-8505, Japan; (Z.Z.); (K.U.)
| | - Hisateru Yamaguchi
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan; (H.Y.); (K.H.); (K.T.)
| | - Keisuke Hitachi
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan; (H.Y.); (K.H.); (K.T.)
| | - Kunihiro Tsuchida
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan; (H.Y.); (K.H.); (K.T.)
| | - Masahiko Tani
- Research Center for Development of Far-Infrared Region, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-8507, Japan; (T.F.); (M.T.)
| | - Jingkui Tian
- College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China;
| | - Setsuko Komatsu
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Fukui University of Technology, Fukui 910-8505, Japan; (Z.Z.); (K.U.)
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Fu L, Wang Z, Dhankher OP, Xing B. Nanotechnology as a new sustainable approach for controlling crop diseases and increasing agricultural production. J Exp Bot 2020; 71:507-519. [PMID: 31270541 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Climate change will negatively affect crop production by exacerbating the incidence of disease and decreasing the efficacy of conventional approaches to disease control. Nanotechnology is a promising new strategy for plant disease management that has many advantages over conventional products and approaches, such as better efficacy, reduced input requirements, and lower eco-toxicity. Studies on crop plants using various nanomaterials (NMs) as protective agents have produced promising results. This review focuses on the use of NMs in disease management through three different mechanisms: (i) as antimicrobial agents; (ii) as biostimulants that induce plant innate immunity; and (iii) as carriers for active ingredients such as pesticides, micronutrients, and elicitors. The potential benefits of nanotechnology are considered, together with the role that NMs might play in future disease management and crop adaptation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Fu
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, and School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, and School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Om Parkash Dhankher
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Baoshan Xing
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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Egamberdieva D, Wirth S, Bellingrath-Kimura SD, Mishra J, Arora NK. Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Enhancing Crop Productivity of Saline Soils. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2791. [PMID: 31921005 PMCID: PMC6930159 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil salinity has emerged as a serious issue for global food security. It is estimated that currently about 62 million hectares or 20 percent of the world's irrigated land is affected by salinity. The deposition of an excess amount of soluble salt in cultivable land directly affects crop yields. The uptake of high amount of salt inhibits diverse physiological and metabolic processes of plants even impacting their survival. The conventional methods of reclamation of saline soil which involve scraping, flushing, leaching or adding an amendment (e.g., gypsum, CaCl2, etc.) are of limited success and also adversely affect the agro-ecosystems. In this context, developing sustainable methods which increase the productivity of saline soil without harming the environment are necessary. Since long, breeding of salt-tolerant plants and development of salt-resistant crop varieties have also been tried, but these and aforesaid conventional approaches are not able to solve the problem. Salt tolerance and dependence are the characteristics of some microbes. Salt-tolerant microbes can survive in osmotic and ionic stress. Various genera of salt-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (ST-PGPR) have been isolated from extreme alkaline, saline, and sodic soils. Many of them are also known to mitigate various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. In the last few years, potential PGPR enhancing the productivity of plants facing salt-stress have been researched upon suggesting that ST-PGPR can be exploited for the reclamation of saline agro-ecosystems. In this review, ST-PGPR and their potential in enhancing the productivity of saline agro-ecosystems will be discussed. Apart from this, PGPR mediated mechanisms of salt tolerance in different crop plants and future research trends of using ST-PGPR for reclamation of saline soils will also be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilfuza Egamberdieva
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Ürümqi, China
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, National University of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Stephan Wirth
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | | | - Jitendra Mishra
- DST-CPR, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Naveen K. Arora
- Department of Environmental Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
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Frugis G. Plant Development and Organogenesis: From Basic Principles to Applied Research. Plants (Basel) 2019; 8:E299. [PMID: 31450556 DOI: 10.3390/plants8090299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The way plants grow and develop organs significantly impacts the overall performance and yield of crop plants. The basic knowledge now available in plant development has the potential to help breeders in generating plants with defined architectural features to improve productivity. Plant translational research effort has steadily increased over the last decade, due to the huge increase in the availability of crop genomic resources and Arabidopsis-based sequence annotation systems. However, a consistent gap between fundamental and applied science has yet to be filled. One critical point is often the unreadiness of developmental biologists on one side, to foresee agricultural applications for their discoveries, and of the breeders on the other, to exploit gene function studies to apply candidate gene approaches when advantageous. In this Special Issue, developmental biologists and breeders make a special effort to reconcile research on basic principles of plant development and organogenesis with its applications to crop production and genetic improvement. Fundamental and applied science contributions interwine and chase each other, giving the reader different but complementary perpectives from only apparently distant corners of the same world.
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Pennacchi JP, Carmo‐Silva E, Andralojc PJ, Lawson T, Allen AM, Raines CA, Parry MAJ. Stability of wheat grain yields over three field seasons in the UK. Food Energy Secur 2019; 8:e00147. [PMID: 31244999 PMCID: PMC6582621 DOI: 10.1002/fes3.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ensuring food security in a changing climate is a major contemporary challenge and requires development of climate-resilient crops that perform well under variable environments. The hypothesis that yield stability in suboptimal conditions is linked to yield penalties in optimal conditions was investigated in field-grown wheat in the UK. The phenotypic responses, rate of wheat crop development, and final grain yield to varying sowing date, rainfall, air temperature, and radiation patterns were studied for a panel of 61 elite commercial wheat cultivars grown in the UK in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Contrasting climatic patterns, particularly rainfall accumulation and distribution over the season, influenced the relative performance of the cultivars affecting the duration of grain development stage and impacting on productivity. Indices for crop productivity, yield stability, and performance under suboptimal conditions revealed four cultivars with a combination of stable and high relative grain yields over the three seasons: Gladiator, Humber, Mercato, and Zebedee. Genetic similarity between cultivars partially explained yield performance in the contrasting seasons. The year of release of the cultivars correlated with grain yield but not with yield stability, supporting the contention that breeding for yield potential does not select for climate resilience and yield stability of crops. Further analysis of the outstanding cultivars may unravel target traits for breeding efforts aimed at increasing wheat yield potential and stability in the changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Paulo Pennacchi
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
- Plant Biology and Crop ScienceRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
| | | | | | - Tracy Lawson
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of EssexColchesterUK
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Xia L, Lam SK, Wolf B, Kiese R, Chen D, Butterbach-Bahl K. Trade-offs between soil carbon sequestration and reactive nitrogen losses under straw return in global agroecosystems. Glob Chang Biol 2018; 24:5919-5932. [PMID: 30295405 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
It is widely recommended that crop straw be returned to croplands to maintain or increase soil carbon (C) storage in arable soils. However, because C and nitrogen (N) biogeochemical cycles are closely coupled, straw return may also affect soil reactive N (Nr) losses, but these effects remain uncertain, especially in terms of the interactions between soil C sequestration and Nr losses under straw addition. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis using 363 publications to assess the overall effects of straw return on soil Nr losses, C sequestration and crop productivity in agroecosystems. Our results show that on average, compared to mineral N fertilization, straw return with same amount of mineral N fertilizer significantly increased soil organic C (SOC) content (14.9%), crop yield (5.1%), and crop N uptake (10.9%). Moreover, Nr losses in the form of nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions from rice paddies (17.3%), N leaching (8.7%), and runoff (25.6%) were significantly reduced, mainly due to enhanced microbial N immobilization. However, N2 O emissions from upland fields (21.5%) and ammonia (NH3 ) emissions (17.0%) significantly increased following straw return, mainly due to the stimulation of nitrification/denitrification and soil urease activity. The increase in NH3 and N2 O emissions was significantly and negatively correlated with straw C/N ratio and soil clay content. Regarding the interactions between C sequestration and Nr losses, the increase in SOC content following straw return was significantly and positively correlated with the decrease in N leaching and runoff. However, at a global scale, straw return increased net Nr losses from both rice and upland fields due to a greater stimulation of NH3 emissions than the reduction in N leaching and runoff. The trade-offs between increased net Nr losses and soil C sequestration highlight the importance of reasonably managing straw return to soils to limit NH3 emissions without decreasing associated C sequestration potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longlong Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Shu Kee Lam
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Benjamin Wolf
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Ralf Kiese
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Deli Chen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, School of Agriculture and Food, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
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Maggio A, Bressan RA, Zhao Y, Park J, Yun DJ. It's Hard to Avoid Avoidance: Uncoupling the Evolutionary Connection between Plant Growth, Productivity and Stress "Tolerance". Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3671. [PMID: 30463352 PMCID: PMC6274854 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last 100 years, agricultural developments have favoured selection for highly productive crops, a fact that has been commonly associated with loss of key traits for environmental stress tolerance. We argue here that this is not exactly the case. We reason that high yield under near optimal environments came along with hypersensitization of plant stress perception and consequently early activation of stress avoidance mechanisms, such as slow growth, which were originally needed for survival over long evolutionary time periods. Therefore, mechanisms employed by plants to cope with a stressful environment during evolution were overwhelmingly geared to avoid detrimental effects so as to ensure survival and that plant stress "tolerance" is fundamentally and evolutionarily based on "avoidance" of injury and death which may be referred to as evolutionary avoidance (EVOL-Avoidance). As a consequence, slow growth results from being exposed to stress because genes and genetic programs to adjust growth rates to external circumstances have evolved as a survival but not productivity strategy that has allowed extant plants to avoid extinction. To improve productivity under moderate stressful conditions, the evolution-oriented plant stress response circuits must be changed from a survival mode to a continued productivity mode or to avoid the evolutionary avoidance response, as it were. This may be referred to as Agricultural (AGRI-Avoidance). Clearly, highly productive crops have kept the slow, reduced growth response to stress that they evolved to ensure survival. Breeding programs and genetic engineering have not succeeded to genetically remove these responses because they are polygenic and redundantly programmed. From the beginning of modern plant breeding, we have not fully appreciated that our crop plants react overly-cautiously to stress conditions. They over-reduce growth to be able to survive stresses for a period of time much longer than a cropping season. If we are able to remove this polygenic redundant survival safety net we may improve yield in moderately stressful environments, yet we will face the requirement to replace it with either an emergency slow or no growth (dormancy) response to extreme stress or use resource management to rescue crops under extreme stress (or both).
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Affiliation(s)
- Albino Maggio
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, NA, Italy.
| | - Ray A Bressan
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010, USA.
| | - Yang Zhao
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and CAS Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Junghoon Park
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
| | - Dae-Jin Yun
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
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