Artemia Cyst and Biomass Production

Nostoc es un género de cianobacterias filamentosas con aplicaciones biotecnológicas en nutrición humana, biomedicina, biofertilización y producción comercial de biocombustibles. Sin embargo, su baja tasa de crecimiento en medio líquido por su naturaleza perifítica y su tendencia a formar biofilms, limita su producción a gran escala. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la producción de biomasa de Nostoc muscorum en un sistema hidropónico modificado. Para ello, se realizaron cultivos de N. muscorum por triplicado, en un sistema hidropónico bajo condiciones semicontroladas de temperatura (29 ± 13°C), intensidad lumínica (32 ± 54 μmol/m2/s) y fotoperiodo (12 horas), durante 23 días en un invernadero. La temperatura, el pH, la conductividad eléctrica y la producción de biomasa seca, fueron monitoreados en días alternados. Los resultados arrojaron que la producción máxima de biomasa seca fue de 0.2276 ± 0.0114 g/m2/día, y la productividad promedio fue de 0.4149 ± 0.0207 g/m2/día. A su vez, la producción máxima de biomasa de N. muscorum se obtuvo el día trece con 0.3185 ± 0.0159 g/m2/día. El análisis estadístico de correlación de variables ambientales no arrojó diferencias significativas, por lo que la temperatura, el pH y la conductividad eléctrica no afectaron la producción de biomasa de N. muscorum. Consecuentemente, el crecimiento algal fue influenciado por la fisiología de la especie. El soporte empleado en el sistema hidropónico permitió la adherencia y el desarrollo de la capa mucilaginosa de la cianobacteria sin requerir períodos de desecación como en los cultivos convencionales. El sistema hidropónico proporcionó un flujo continuo de nutrientes que podría prevenir el ataque de bacterias y hongos oportunistas, generando una alta tasa de crecimiento. De este modo, este sistema hidropónico representa una alternativa viable para la producción de biomasa de N. muscorum en condiciones de invernadero a gran escala.

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Adaptation assessment of drought tolerance in maize populations from the Sahara in both shores of the Mediterranean Sea

Euphytica ◽

10.1007/s10681-021-02902-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 217 (8) ◽

Author(s):

Oula Maafi ◽

Pedro Revilla ◽

Lorena Álvarez-Iglesias ◽

Rosa Ana Malvar ◽

Abderahmane Djemel

Keyword(s):

Drought Tolerance ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Genetic Regulation ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Favorable Alleles ◽

Maize Germplasm ◽

Maize Populations ◽

Potential Source ◽

Main Stress ◽

And Control

AbstractDrought is the main stress for agriculture, and maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm from the Sahara has been identified as potential source of drought tolerance; however, information about adaptation of semitropical maize germplasm from the Sahara to temperate areas has not been reported. Our objective was assessing the adaptation of maize germplasm from Saharan oases as sources of drought tolerance for improving yield and biomass production under drought conditions in temperate environments. A collection of maize populations from Saharan oases was evaluated under drought and control conditions in Spain and Algeria. Algerian populations were significantly different under drought for most traits, and the significant genotype × environment interactions indicated that drought tolerance is genotype-dependent, but tolerance differences among genotypes change across environments. Based on yield, the Algerian maize populations PI527474, PI527478, PI527472, PI527467, PI527470, and PI527473 would be appropriate sources of drought tolerance for temperate environments. Concerning biomass production, the most interesting populations were PI527467, PI542685, PI527478, and PI527472. These Saharan populations could provide favorable alleles for drought tolerance for temperate breeding programs, and could also be used for studying mechanisms and genetic regulation of drought tolerance.

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Efficiency of Recycled Biogas Digestates as Phosphorus Fertilizers for Maize

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11060553 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 553

Author(s):

Inga-Mareike Bach ◽

Lisa Essich ◽

Torsten Müller

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Phosphorus Concentration ◽

Available Phosphorus ◽

Phosphorus Fertilizers ◽

Future Supply ◽

Application Techniques ◽

Phosphorus Recycling ◽

Fertilizing Effect

Despite phosphorus resources on Earth being limited, over fertilization in many agricultural situations causes significant resource consumption. Phosphorus-recycling within agricultural production can reduce global dilution into the environment and is thus essential to secure sustainable future supply. This study investigated the fertilization efficacy of phosphorus fertilizers recycled from biogas digestates in maize shoots grown under controlled greenhouse conditions, in two soils, in a pot experiment. Variables investigated were plant-available phosphorus in soil, plant biomass production, and concentration of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium in shoots. Soils were treated with three different fertilizer fractions, separated from biogas digestates, at equivalent phosphorus concentrations, using different combinations and application techniques, isolated or in combination, and compared to triple superphosphate (TSP) as a reference. One of the fractions (P-Salt) had effects on biomass production and plant phosphorus concentration equivalent to TSP in agricultural surface soil. In the second soil (with less active soil life and nutrient content), equivalence to TSP was achieved with combinations of two recycled fractions (P-Salt and dried solids). The enhancement of the phosphorus fertilizing effect by the solids was synergistic, indicating that the solids had a soil conditioning effect. The results show that biogas digestates are a valuable source for phosphorus recycling of fractions that have equivalent or even superior fertilizing properties compared to TSP.

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