Mineral amendments to improve plant growth after soil sterilization in allelopathy experiments

Aim of study: Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are biocontrol agents, plant growth promoters, and increase tolerance to biotic-abiotic stresses. In this study we investigated the factors associated to the application method, which are crucial for the interaction between the fungus and the host plant at initial crop growth stages. Area of study: The study was performed in Cordoba (Spain) Material and methods: Three experiments were performed to investigate: (i) the effect of different concentrations of the surfactant Tween® 80 (0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10%) on wheat seed coating with conidia of Metarhizium brunneum and seed and conidia viability; (ii) the performance of wheat seedlings at first growth stages after their inoculation with Beauveria bassiana or M. brunneum via seed coating or soil drenching; and (iii) the role of soil sterilization and seed disinfection on leaf concentration of chlorophyll (SPAD) and B. bassiana or M. brunneum colonization. Main results: Tween® 80 concentration linearly improved seed coating (up to 127%) without altering wheat seeds and fungal conidia germination. Seedling length of inoculated plants was significantly increased with B. bassiana and M. brunneum (67% and 46%, respectively) via seed coating. Seed disinfection was key to achieve an enhancement in wheat SPAD (10-18%) with B. bassiana or M. brunneum concerning Control, that combined with sterilization of soil showed the highest endophyte colonization rates (up to 83.3% with both fungi) Research highlights: The surfactant concentration, application method, seed disinfection, and soil sterilization are key parameters to improve the potential benefits on the EPF-plant relationship.

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Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Can Compensate for the Loss of Indigenous Microbial Communities to Support the Growth of Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.)

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9010007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Meng Yu ◽

Wei Xie ◽

Xin Zhang ◽

Shubin Zhang ◽

Youshan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Microbial Communities ◽

Secondary Metabolism ◽

Soil Microorganisms ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Am Fungi ◽

Glycyrrhiza Uralensis ◽

Soil Sterilization ◽

Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Fisch ◽

Unsterilized Soil

Soil microorganisms play important roles in nutrient mobilization and uptake of mineral nutrition in plants. Agricultural management, such as soil sterilization, can have adverse effects on plant growth because of the elimination of indigenous microorganisms. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are one of the most important beneficial soil microorganisms for plant growth. However, whether AM fungi can compensate for the loss of indigenous microbial communities to support plant growth and metabolism is largely unknown. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of AM fungi on plant growth and secondary metabolism in sterilized and unsterilized soil. We used liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.), an important medicinal plant as the host, which was inoculated with the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis or not and grown in unsterilized or sterilized soil. Plant photosynthesis traits, plant growth and nutrition level, concentrations of the secondary metabolites, and expression levels of biosynthesis genes were determined. The results showed that soil sterilization decreased plant growth, photosynthesis, and glycyrrhizin and liquiritin accumulation, and moreover, downregulated the expression of related biosynthesis genes. Inoculation with R. irregularis in sterilized soil offset the loss of indigenous microbial communities, resulting in plant growth and glycyrrhizin and liquiritin concentrations similar to those of plants grown in unsterilized soil. Thus, AM fungi could compensate for the loss of indigenous microbial communities by soil sterilization to support plant growth and secondary metabolism.

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Effects of soil sterilization and biological agent inoculation on the root respiratory metabolism and plant growth of Cerasus sachalinensis Kom.

Scientia Horticulturae ◽

10.1016/j.scienta.2014.03.019 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 170 ◽

pp. 189-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sijun Qin ◽

Wenjie Zhou ◽

Deguo Lyu ◽

Lingzhi Liu

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Biological Agent ◽

Respiratory Metabolism ◽

Soil Sterilization

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Pircinque: new strawberry cultivar for Brazilian producers

Horticultura Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0102-0536-20210416 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 458-463

Author(s):

Antonio Felippe Fagherazzi ◽

Fernanda Grimaldi ◽

Aike Anneliese Kretzschmar ◽

Leo Rufato ◽

Marllon Fernando S dos Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Fruit Color ◽

Breeding Program ◽

Soil Pathogens ◽

Soil Sterilization ◽

Vegetative Plant ◽

Quality Product ◽

Strawberry Cultivar ◽

Strawberry Cultivars

ABSTRACT The strawberry cultivar ‘Pircinque’ was developed by the breeding program of Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria - Centro di Olivicoltura, Frutticoltura e Agrumicoltura (CREA-OFA-FRF), an Italian research entity, and introduced in Brazil in 2013 by the Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias da Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (CAV-UDESC). In the breeding program in which it originated, ‘Pircinque’ was selected for plant rusticity and resistance to soil pathogens. It can be cultivated where soil sterilization techniques are not used. In Brazil, the cultivation of ‘Pircinque’ has shown to be promising in the major strawberry producing regions. The main characteristics that allowed the development of this cultivar among the growers were plant vigor, productivity, rusticity, flavor, pulp firmness, crispness, sweetness and fruit color. When grown with excessive nitrogen fertilization fruit sensitivity to Botrytis cinerea fungal attack has been found, and a high vegetative plant growth. Due to fruits peculiarity, many growers make differentiated sales, adding value to quality product. Also, due to the high post-harvest period, many growers allocate part of the production to more distant locations. These characteristics are determinant for the cultivar Pircinque be distinguishable from other strawberry cultivars already marketed in Brazil. The cultivar was registered at the Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA) in 2016, and the commercialization of plants started in 2017 with five nurseries accredited to produce and market ‘Pircinque’ plants throughout Brazil.

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Effects of soil sterilization and metal spiking in plant growth promoting rhizobacteria selection for phytotechnology purposes

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.07.025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 334 ◽

pp. 72-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Helena Moreira ◽

Sofia I.A. Pereira ◽

Ana P.G.C. Marques ◽

António O.S.S. Rangel ◽

Paula M.L. Castro

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽

Soil Sterilization ◽

Plant Growth Promoting ◽

Growth Promoting ◽

Selection For

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Mechanisms of ethylene biosynthesis and response in plants

Essays in Biochemistry ◽

10.1042/bse0580061 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 61-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Paul B. Larsen

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Ethylene Biosynthesis ◽

Unsaturated Hydrocarbon ◽

Flower Senescence ◽

Detailed Knowledge ◽

Plant Growth And Development ◽

Step Process ◽

Ethylene Response ◽

Ethylene Signalling

Ethylene is the simplest unsaturated hydrocarbon, yet it has profound effects on plant growth and development, including many agriculturally important phenomena. Analysis of the mechanisms underlying ethylene biosynthesis and signalling have resulted in the elucidation of multistep mechanisms which at first glance appear simple, but in fact represent several levels of control to tightly regulate the level of production and response. Ethylene biosynthesis represents a two-step process that is regulated at both the transcriptional and post-translational levels, thus enabling plants to control the amount of ethylene produced with regard to promotion of responses such as climacteric flower senescence and fruit ripening. Ethylene production subsequently results in activation of the ethylene response, as ethylene accumulation will trigger the ethylene signalling pathway to activate ethylene-dependent transcription for promotion of the response and for resetting the pathway. A more detailed knowledge of the mechanisms underlying biosynthesis and the ethylene response will ultimately enable new approaches to be developed for control of the initiation and progression of ethylene-dependent developmental processes, many of which are of horticultural significance.

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