Co-Inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and Bradyrhizobium sp. Enhances Nitrogen Uptake and Yield in Field-Grown Cowpea and Did Not Change N-Fertilizer Recovery

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Azospirillum brasilense and Bradyrhizobium sp. co-inoculation coupled with N application on soil N levels and N in plants (total N, nitrate N-NO₃⁻ and ammonium N-NH₄⁺), photosynthetic pigments, cowpea plant biomass and grain yield. An isotopic technique was employed to evaluate ¹⁵N fertilizer recovery and derivation. Field trials involved two inoculations—(i) single Bradyrhizobium sp. and (ii) Bradyrhizobium sp. + A. brasilense co-inoculation—and four N fertilizer rates (0, 20, 40 and 80 kg ha⁻¹). The co-inoculation of Bradyrhizobium sp. + A. brasilense increased cowpea N uptake (an increase from 10 to 14%) and grain yield (an average increase of 8%) compared to the standard inoculation with Bradyrhizobium sp. specifically derived from soil and other sources without affecting ¹⁵N fertilizer recovery. There is no need for the supplementation of N via mineral fertilizers when A. brasilense co-inoculation is performed in a cowpea crop. However, even in the case of an NPK basal fertilization, applied N rates should remain below 20 kg N ha⁻¹ when co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium sp. and A. brasilense is performed.

Microbiome Research as an Effective Driver of Success Stories in Agrifood Systems – A Selection of Case Studies

Increasing knowledge of the microbiome has led to significant advancements in the agrifood system. Case studies based on microbiome applications have been reported worldwide and, in this review, we have selected 14 success stories that showcase the importance of microbiome research in advancing the agrifood system. The selected case studies describe products, methodologies, applications, tools, and processes that created an economic and societal impact. Additionally, they cover a broad range of fields within the agrifood chain: the management of diseases and putative pathogens; the use of microorganism as soil fertilizers and plant strengtheners; the investigation of the microbial dynamics occurring during food fermentation; the presence of microorganisms and/or genes associated with hazards for animal and human health (e.g., mycotoxins, spoilage agents, or pathogens) in feeds, foods, and their processing environments; applications to improve HACCP systems; and the identification of novel probiotics and prebiotics to improve the animal gut microbiome or to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases in humans (e.g., obesity complications). The microbiomes of soil, plants, and animals are pivotal for ensuring human and environmental health and this review highlights the impact that microbiome applications have with this regard.

From Microns to Meters: Exploring Advances in Legume Microbiome Diversity for Agroecosystem Benefits

Legumes are of primary importance for agroecosystems because they provide protein-rich foods and enhance soil fertility through fixed atmospheric nitrogen. The legume-rhizobia symbiosis that makes this possible has been extensively studied, from basic research on biochemical signaling to practical applications in cropping systems. While rhizobia are the most-studied group of associated microorganisms, the functional benefit they confer to their legume hosts by fixing nitrogen is not performed in isolation. Indeed, non-rhizobia members of the rhizosphere and nodule microbiome are now understood to contribute in multiple ways to nodule formation, legume fitness, and other agroecosystem services. In this review, we summarize advances contributing to our understanding of the diversity and composition of bacterial members of the belowground legume microbiome. We also highlight applied work in legume food and forage crops that link microbial community composition with plant functional benefits. Ultimately, further research will assist in the development of multi-species microbial inoculants and cropping systems that maximize plant nutrient benefits, while reducing sources of agricultural pollution.

Towards sustainable yield improvement: field inoculation of soybean with Bradyrhizobium and co-inoculation with Azospirillum in Mozambique

The effects of sole inoculation of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) with Bradyrhizobium and co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium and Azospirillum on nodulation, plant growth and yields were investigated in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 cropping seasons under field conditions in Mozambique. The treatments included (1) Control (non-inoculated control, with symbiosis depending on indigenous rhizobia), (2) Urea (non-inoculated, receiving 200 kg ha-1 of N), (3) Sole inoculation with B. diazoefficiens strain USDA 110, and (4) Co-inoculation with B. diazoefficiens strain USDA 110 and A. brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6, evaluated in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Nodule number and dry weight, shoot dry weight, biological and grain yields, grain dry weight, and harvest index were evaluated. In general, both sole inoculation and co-inoculation enhanced nodulation in relation to control. Sole inoculation increased grain yield by 22% (356 kg ha-1), the same enhancement magnitude attained under mineral N treatment, suggesting that Bradyrhizobium inoculation provides ecological and economic sustainability to the soybean crop in Mozambique or other countries with similar agro-climatic conditions. Co-inoculation did not increase grain yields in relation to neither the control nor sole inoculation, indicating that further research with adapted and high yielding soybean varieties along with effective rhizobial strains is required in Mozambique to attune the beneficial Azospirillum-plant cultivar-rhizobia interactions that have been reported in other countries for several legumes, including soybean.

Impact of pesticides in properties of Bradyrhizobium spp. and in the symbiotic performance with soybean

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has great economic and nutritional importance mainly due to its high protein content. All plant's N needs can be met by the symbiosis with elite Bradyrhizobium strains applied as inoculants to the seeds at sowing time; however, the increasing use of pesticides in seed treatments can impair the contribution of the biological nitrogen fixation. In this study, we report decreases in cell survival of two strains, B. japonicum SEMIA 5079 and B. elkanii SEMIA 587 in seeds inoculated and treated with StandakTop™, composed of the fungicides pyraclostrobin and thiophanate-methyl and the insecticide fipronil, the pesticides most used in soybean seed treatment in several countries. Cell death was enhanced with the time of exposure to the pesticides, and B. elkanii was less tolerant, with almost no detectable viable cells after 15 days. Change in colony morphology with smaller colonies was observed in the presence of the pesticides, being more drastic with the time of exposure, and attributed to an adaptive response towards survival in the presence of the abiotic stress. However, morphological changes were reversible after elimination of the stressing agent and symbiotic performance under controlled greenhouse conditions was similar between strains that had been or not exposed to the pesticides. In addition, no changes in DNA profiles (BOX-PCR) of both strains were observed after the contact with the pesticides. In two field experiments, impacting effects of the pesticides were observed mainly on the total N accumulated in grains of plants relying on both N2-fixation and N-fertilizer. Our data indicate that StandakTop® affects parameters never reported before, including colony morphology of Bradyrhizobium spp. and N metabolism and/or N remobilization to soybean grains.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of arsenic response from Azospirillum brasilense Cd, a bacterial strain used as plant inoculant

Azospirillum brasilense Cd is a bacterial strain widely used as an inoculant of several crops due to its plant growth promoting properties. However, its beneficial effects depend on its viability and functionality under adverse environmental conditions, including the presence of arsenic (As) in agricultural soils. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the response of A. brasilense Cd to arsenate (AsV) and arsenite (AsIII). This bacterium was tolerant to As concentrations frequently found in soils. Moreover, properties related to roots colonization (motility, biofilm, and exopolymers) and plant growth promotion (auxin, siderophore production, and N₂ fixation) were not significantly affected by the metalloid. In order to deepen the understanding on As responses of A. brasilense Cd, As resistance genes were sequenced and characterized for the first time in this work. These genes could mediate the redox As transformation and its extrusion outside the cell, so they could have direct association with the As tolerance observed. In addition, its As oxidation/reduction capacity could contribute to change the AsV/AsIII ratio in the environment. In conclusion, the results allowed to elucidate the As response of A. brasilense Cd and generate interest for its potential use in polluted environments.

Microbial inoculants: reviewing the past, discussing the present and previewing an outstanding future for the use of beneficial bacteria in agriculture

More than one hundred years have passed since the development of the first microbial inoculant for plants. Nowadays, the use of microbial inoculants in agriculture is spread worldwide for different crops and carrying different microorganisms. In the last decades, impressive progress has been achieved in the production, commercialization and use of inoculants. Nowadays, farmers are more receptive to the use of inoculants mainly because high-quality products and multi-purpose elite strains are available at the market, improving yields at low cost in comparison to chemical fertilizers. In the context of a more sustainable agriculture, microbial inoculants also help to mitigate environmental impacts caused by agrochemicals. Challenges rely on the production of microbial inoculants for a broader range of crops, and the expansion of the inoculated area worldwide, in addition to the search for innovative microbial solutions in areas subjected to increasing episodes of environmental stresses. In this review, we explore the world market for inoculants, showing which bacteria are prominent as inoculants in different countries, and we discuss the main research strategies that might contribute to improve the use of microbial inoculants in agriculture.

Can co-inoculation of Bradyrhizobium and Azospirillum alleviate adverse effects of drought stress on soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill.)?

Harnessing the beneficial potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria may be an alternative strategy to improve plant tolerance to drought stress. The effect of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Azospirillum brasilense either alone or in combination on the plant growth and drought tolerance of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill.] was investigated in this study in greenhouse conditions. Treatments were arranged in a randomized block design in a 3 × 4 factorial: three irrigation regimes [100% of pot capacity-PC (well-watered control), 50% of PC (moderate stress) and 25% of PC (severe stress)] and four inoculation treatments [control (non-inoculated), inoculation with B. japonicum, inoculation with A. brasilense, and co-inoculation with B. japonicum and A. brasilense]. Leaf relative water content, cell membrane stability, root nodulation, plant growth, and morphophysiological indexes were recorded. The inoculation of soybean plants with B. japonicum and A.brasilense either alone or in combination improved leaf membrane stability under drought stress conditions when compared to non-inoculated plants; however, this lower damage to cell membranes was not sufficient to maintain the leaf water content of the plant under drought stress. Plants co-inoculated with B. japonicum and A.brasilense improved the root nodulation under severe drought conditions. Inoculation of B. japonicum and A. brasilense either alone or in combination reduced the pod abortion rate under moderate drought stress, but had no effect under severe drought stress. In summary, the co-inoculation of A. brasilense and B. japonicum alleviate adverse effects limited by drought stress to the growth of soybeans.Author: Please check and confirm that the authors [Elijanara Raissa Silva, Carlos Eduardo Silva Oliveira, Alan Mario Zuffo, Eduardo Pradi Vendruscolo] and their initials have been correctly identified and amend if necessary.The authors were correctly identified.

Quorum sensing communication: Bradyrhizobium-Azospirillum interaction via N-acyl-homoserine lactones in the promotion of soybean symbiosis

Quorum-sensing (QS) mechanisms are important in intra- and inter-specific communication among bacteria. We investigated QS mechanisms in Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain CPAC 15 and Azospirillum brasilense strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6, used in commercial co-inoculants for the soybean crop in Brazil. A transconjugant of CPAC 15-QS with partial inactivation of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) was obtained and several parameters were evaluated; in vitro, CPAC 15 and the transconjugant differed in growth, but not in biofilm formation, and no differences were observed in the symbiotic performance in vivo. The genome of CPAC 15 carries functional luxI and luxR genes and low amounts of three AHL molecules were detected: 3-OH-C12-AHL, 3-OH-C14-AHL, and 3-oxo-C14-AHL. Multiple copies of luxR-like genes, but not of luxI are present in the genomes of Ab-V5 and Ab-V6, and differences in gene expression were observed when the strains were co-cultured with B. japonicum; we may infer that the luxR-genes of A. brasilense may perceive the AHL molecules of B. japonicum. Soybean symbiotic performance was improved especially by co-inoculation with Ab-V6, which, contrarily to Ab-V5, did not respond to the AHLs of CPAC 15. We concluded that A. brasilense Ab-V5, but not Ab-V6, responded to the QS signals of CPAC 15, and that the synergistic interaction may be credited, at least partially, to the QS interaction. In addition, we confirmed inter- and intra-species QS communication between B. japonicum and A. brasilense and, for Azospirillum, at the strain level, impacting several steps of the symbiosis, from cell growth to plant nodulation and growth.

Selection of host-plant genotype: the next step to increase grain legume N2 fixation activity

Symbiotic N2 fixation research thus far has been primarily focused on selection of bacteria. However, little progress in impacting crop yields has resulted from this approach. Bacteria introduced in field soils rarely compete well with indigenous bacteria, including mutated lines selected for high nitrogen fixation capacity. Consequently, introduction of 'elite' bacteria in fields commonly does not result in crop yield increase. This review highlights that the primary regulation of N2 fixation is a result of response of integrated physiological activity at the plant level. Nitrogen feedback from the host plant plays an important role in regulating the N2 fixation rate. Rapid sequestration of fixed nitrogen by the plant is especially important for high N2 fixation activity. In addition, water cycling in the plant between the shoot and nodules plays a key role in sustaining high N2 fixation activity. Therefore, attention in selecting the host-plant genotype is suggested to be the next step to increasing N2 fixation activity of grain legumes.

Azospirillum: benefits that go far beyond biological nitrogen fixation

The genus Azospirillum comprises plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), which have been broadly studied. The benefits to plants by inoculation with Azospirillum have been primarily attributed to its capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but also to its capacity to synthesize phytohormones, in particular indole-3-acetic acid. Recently, an increasing number of studies has attributed an important role of Azospirillum in conferring to plants tolerance of abiotic and biotic stresses, which may be mediated by phytohormones acting as signaling molecules. Tolerance of biotic stresses is controlled by mechanisms of induced systemic resistance, mediated by increased levels of phytohormones in the jasmonic acid/ethylene pathway, independent of salicylic acid (SA), whereas in the systemic acquired resistance-a mechanism previously studied with phytopathogens-it is controlled by intermediate levels of SA. Both mechanisms are related to the NPR1 protein, acting as a co-activator in the induction of defense genes. Azospirillum can also promote plant growth by mechanisms of tolerance of abiotic stresses, named as induced systemic tolerance, mediated by antioxidants, osmotic adjustment, production of phytohormones, and defense strategies such as the expression of pathogenesis-related genes. The study of the mechanisms triggered by Azospirillum in plants can help in the search for more-sustainable agricultural practices and possibly reveal the use of PGPB as a major strategy to mitigate the effects of biotic and abiotic stresses on agricultural productivity.

Maize growth promotion by inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and metabolites of Rhizobium tropici enriched on lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs)

There is an increasing interest in the development and use of inoculants carrying plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in crops of agronomic interest. The great majority of the inoculants commercialized worldwide contain rhizobia for legume crops, but the use of PGPB as Azospirillum spp. for non-legume is expanding, as well as of inoculants combining microorganisms and microbial metabolites. In this study we evaluated the effects of inoculants containing Azospirillum brasilense with or without metabolites of Rhizobium tropici strain CIAT 899 highly enriched in lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) in six field experiments performed for three summer crop seasons in Brazil with maize (Zea mays L.). Inoculants and metabolites were applied either at sowing by seed inoculation, or by leaf spray at the V3 stage of plant growth. Improvement in shoot dry weight (SDW) and total N accumulated in shoots (TNS) by single, but especially by dual inoculation was observed in some of the experiments. Statistically significant increases in grain yield in relation to the non-inoculated control were observed in five out of six experiments when maize was inoculated with Azospirillum supplied with enriched metabolites of R. tropici applied by seed or leaf spray inoculation. The results give strength to the development of a new generation of inoculants carrying microorganisms and microbial molecules.