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Wilkes TI. The influence of a soil amendment on the abundance and interaction of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with arable soils and host winter wheat. Access Microbiol 2024; 6:000581.v5. [PMID: 38361647 PMCID: PMC10866040 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000581.v5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been shown to be associated with an estimated 70 % of vascular terrestrial plants. Such relationships have been shown to be sensitive to soil disturbance, for example, tillage in the preparation of a seed bed. From the application of arable soil management, AM fungal populations have been shown to be negatively impacted in abundance and diversity, reducing plant growth and development. The present study aims to utilise two sources (multipurpose compost and a commercial inocula) of mycorrhizal fungi for the amendment of arable soils supporting Zulu winter wheat under controlled conditions and quantify plant growth responses. A total of nine fields across three participating farms were sampled, each farm practicing either conventional, reduced, or zero tillage soil management exclusively. Soil textures were assessed for each sampled soil. Via the employment of AM fungal symbiosis quantification methods, AM fungi were compared between soil amendments and their effects on crop growth and development. The present study was able to quantify a mean 6 cm increase to crop height (P<0.001), 10 cm reduction to root length corresponding with a 2.45-fold increase in AM fungal arbuscular structures (P<0.001), a 1.15-fold increase in soil glomalin concentration corresponding to a 1.26-fold increase in soil carbon, and a 1.32-fold increase in the relative abundance of molecular identified AM fungal sequences for compost amended soils compared to control samples. Mycorrhizal inocula, however, saw no change to crop height or root length, AM fungal arbuscules were reduced by 1.43-fold, soil glomalin was additionally reduced by 1.55-fold corresponding to a reduction in soil carbon by 1.31-fold, and a reduction to relative AM fungal species abundance by 1.26-fold. The present study can conclude the addition of compost as an arable soil amendment is more beneficial for the restoration of AM fungi beneficial to wheat production and soil carbon compared to the addition of a commercial mycorrhizal inocula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas I. Wilkes
- Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Science, School of Life and Medical Sciences, College Lane Campus, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB, UK
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Sánchez JM, Rodríguez JP, Espitia HE. Bibliometric analysis of publications discussing the use of the artificial intelligence technique agent-based models in sustainable agriculture. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
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Abstract
As an endophytic fungus, the growth-promoting effects of Piriformospora indica have been widely confirmed in many of its host plants. In this study, we investigated the influences of P. indica colonization on the growth of the daughter plants of two strawberry cultivars, ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie.’ The results showed that the fungus colonization significantly promoted the growth of the daughter plants of both of the two strawberry varieties. Its colonization greatly improved almost all of the growth parameters of the ‘Benihoppe’ daughter plants, including the above-ground fresh weight, above-ground dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, plant height, petiole length, leaf area, number of roots and chlorophyll content. However, the fungus colonization showed significant improving effects on only the above-ground fresh weight, root fresh weight and root dry weight of ‘Sweet Charlie.’ Surprisingly, the average root length of ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ was suppressed by about 14.3% and 24.6%, respectively, by P. indica. Moreover, after P. indica colonization, the leaf nitrate reductase activity and root activity upregulated by 30.12% and 12.74%, and 21.85% and 21.16%, respectively, for the ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ daughter plants. Our study indicated that P. indica could promote the growth of strawberry daughter plants by improving rooting, strengthening photosynthetic pigments production and nutrient absorption and accelerating biomass accumulation. The fungus shows great potential to be used in the strawberry industry, especially in the breeding of daughter plants.
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Videgain-Marco M, Marco-Montori P, Martí-Dalmau C, Jaizme-Vega MDC, Manyà-Cervelló JJ, García-Ramos FJ. The Effects of Biochar on Indigenous Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi from Agroenvironments. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10050950. [PMID: 34068692 PMCID: PMC8150396 DOI: 10.3390/plants10050950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The effects of biochar on soil–plant–microorganisms systems are currently being extensively investigated. Considering that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an essential role in nutrient dynamics, the present study aims at understanding vine shoot-derived biochar effects on AMF activity and the impact of their multiplication in soils on water-stress resistance of plants. Three agronomic tests were performed in greenhouse pots. The first experiment evaluated the effects of three factors: final pyrolysis temperature for biochar production (400 °C and 600 °C), application rate (0 weight-wt.- % as a control, 1.5 wt. %, and 3.0 wt. %) and texture of the growing media (sandy-loam and clay-loam origin) on AMF, microbial communities and phosphatase activity. In the second experiment, an indigenous consortium of AMF was multiplied through the solid substrate method and sorghum as a trap plant with biochar addition. This process was compared to a control treatment without biochar. Obtained inocula were tested in a third experiment with lettuce plants under different water irrigation conditions. Results from the first experiment showed a general increase in AMF activity with the addition of the biochar produced at 400 °C in the sandy-loam texture substrate. Results of the second experiment showed that the biochar addition increased AMF root colonization, the number of AMF spores and AMF infective potential. Results of the third experiment showed that biochar-derived AMF inoculum increased AMF root colonization, AMF spores, dry biomass and the SPAD index in a lettuce crop under low-water irrigation conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Videgain-Marco
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, EPS, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, E-22071 Huesca, Spain; (C.M.-D.); (F.J.G.-R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-974292656
| | - Pedro Marco-Montori
- Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón—IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Unidad de Recursos Forestales, Avenida Montañana 930, E-50059 Zaragoza, Spain;
| | - Clara Martí-Dalmau
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, EPS, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, E-22071 Huesca, Spain; (C.M.-D.); (F.J.G.-R.)
| | - María del Carmen Jaizme-Vega
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias (ICIA), Carretera de El Boquerón s/n, Valle Guerra, La Laguna, E-38270 Tenerife, Spain;
| | - Joan Josep Manyà-Cervelló
- Thermochemical Processes Group, Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), EPS, University of Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, E-22071 Huesca, Spain;
| | - Francisco Javier García-Ramos
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, EPS, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, E-22071 Huesca, Spain; (C.M.-D.); (F.J.G.-R.)
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón—IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), EPS, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, E-22071 Huesca, Spain
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Koskey G, Mburu SW, Awino R, Njeru EM, Maingi JM. Potential Use of Beneficial Microorganisms for Soil Amelioration, Phytopathogen Biocontrol, and Sustainable Crop Production in Smallholder Agroecosystems. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.606308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Smallholder agroecosystems play a key role in the world's food security providing more than 50% of the food produced globally. These unique agroecosystems face a myriad of challenges and remain largely unsupported, yet they are thought to be a critical resource for feeding the projected increasing human population in the coming years. The new challenge to increase food production through agricultural intensification in shrinking per capita arable lands, dwindling world economies, and unpredictable climate change, has led to over-dependence on agrochemical inputs that are often costly and hazardous to both human and animal health and the environment. To ensure healthy crop production approaches, the search for alternative ecofriendly strategies that best fit to the smallholder systems have been proposed. The most common and widely accepted solution that has gained a lot of interest among researchers and smallholder farmers is the use of biological agents; mainly plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) that provide essential agroecosystem services within a holistic vision of enhancing farm productivity and environmental protection. PGPMs play critical roles in agroecological cycles fundamental for soil nutrient amelioration, crop nutrient improvement, plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, biocontrol of pests and diseases, and water uptake. This review explores different research strategies involving the use of beneficial microorganisms, within the unique context of smallholder agroecosystems, to promote sustainable maintenance of plant and soil health and enhance agroecosystem resilience against unpredictable climatic perturbations.
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Siedt M, Schäffer A, Smith KEC, Nabel M, Roß-Nickoll M, van Dongen JT. Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 751:141607. [PMID: 32871314 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The emission of nutrients and pesticides from agricultural soils endangers natural habitats. Here, we review to which extent carbon-rich organic amendments help to retain nutrients and pesticides in agricultural soils and to reduce the contamination of surrounding areas and groundwater. We compare straw, compost, and biochar to see whether biochar outperforms the other two more traditional and cheaper materials. We present a list of criteria to evaluate the suitability of organic materials to be used as soil amendments and discuss differences in elemental compositions of straw, compost, and biochar to understand, how soil microorganisms utilize those materials. We review their effects on physical and chemical soil characteristics, soil microbial communities, as well as effects on the transformation and retention of nutrients and pesticides in detail. It becomes clear that for all three amendments their effects can vary greatly depending on numerous aspects, such as the type of soil, application rate, and production procedure of the organic material. Biochar is most effective in increasing the sorption capacity of soils but does not outperform straw and compost with regards to the other aspects investigated. Nevertheless, the possibility to design biochar properties makes it a very promising material. Finally, we provide critical comments about how to make studies about organic amendments more comparable (comprehensive provision of material properties), how to improve concepts of future work (meta-analysis, long-term field studies, use of deep-insight microbial DNA sequencing), and what needs to be further investigated (the link between structural and functional microbial parameters, the impact of biochar on pesticide efficiency).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Siedt
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kilian E C Smith
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Moritz Nabel
- Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Konstantinstr. 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany
| | - Martina Roß-Nickoll
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Joost T van Dongen
- Molecular Ecology of the Rhizosphere, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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