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Ouhaddou R, Meddich A, Ikan C, Lahlali R, Ait Barka E, Hajirezaei MR, Duponnois R, Baslam M. Enhancing Maize Productivity and Soil Health under Salt Stress through Physiological Adaptation and Metabolic Regulation Using Indigenous Biostimulants. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3703. [PMID: 37960059 PMCID: PMC10648834 DOI: 10.3390/plants12213703] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Salinity poses a persistent threat to agricultural land, continuously jeopardizing global food security. This study aimed to enhance sweet corn (SC) fitness under varying levels of salinity using indigenous biostimulants (BioS) and to assess their impacts on plant performance and soil quality. The experiment included control (0 mM NaCl), moderate stress (MS; 50 mM NaCl), and severe stress (SS; 100 mM NaCl) conditions. Indigenous biostimulants, including compost (C), Bacillus sp., Bacillus subtilis (R), and a consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (A) were applied either individually or in combination. Growth traits, physiological and biochemical parameters in maize plants, and the physico-chemical properties of their associated soils were assessed. SS negatively affected plant growth and soil quality. The RC combination significantly improved plant growth under SS, increasing aerial (238%) and root (220%) dry weights compared to controls. This treatment reduced hydrogen peroxide by 54% and increased peroxidase activity by 46% compared to controls. The indigenous biostimulants, particularly C and R, enhanced soil structure and mineral composition (K and Mg). Soil organic carbon and available phosphorus increased notably in C-treated soils. Furthermore, RC (437%) and CAR (354%) treatments exhibited a significant increase in glomalin content under SS. Indigenous biostimulants offer a promising strategy to mitigate salinity-related threats to agricultural land. They improve plant fitness, fine-tune metabolism, and reduce oxidative stress. In addition, the biostimulants improved the soil structure and mineral composition, highlighting their potential for reconstitution and sustainability in salt-affected areas. This approach holds promise for addressing salinity-related threats to global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Redouane Ouhaddou
- Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-7 CNRST-05), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Team, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources (AGROBIOVAL), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University (UCA), Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
| | - Abdelilah Meddich
- Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-7 CNRST-05), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Team, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources (AGROBIOVAL), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University (UCA), Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
| | - Chayma Ikan
- Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-7 CNRST-05), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Team, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources (AGROBIOVAL), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University (UCA), Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
| | - Rachid Lahlali
- Department of Plant Protection, Phytopathology Unit, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km10, Rte Haj Kaddour, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
- Plant Pathology Laboratory, AgroBioSciences, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660, Hay Moulay Rachid, Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
| | - Essaid Ait Barka
- Unité de Recherche Résistance Induite et Bio-Protection des Plantes-EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Mohammad-Reza Hajirezaei
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Molecular Plant Nutrition, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Robin Duponnois
- Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales & Méditerranéennes UMR 113 IRD/CIRAD/INRAe/SupAgro Montpellier/UM Campus International de Baillarguet TA A-82/J, CEDEX 5, 34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Marouane Baslam
- Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-7 CNRST-05), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Team, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources (AGROBIOVAL), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University (UCA), Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- GrowSmart, Seoul 07516, Republic of Korea
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