Bio-organic Fertilizer Research Articles

Bioorganic Fertilizer Can Improve Potato Yield by Replacing Fertilizer with Isonitrogenous Content to Improve Microbial Community Composition

The application of bio-organic fertilizers can significantly improve soil fertility and crop yield. This study explored how replacing bio-organic fertilizer with equal nitrogen affected potato quality, yield, and soil microbial diversity after a 4-year positioning experiment. The results showed that the application of bio-organic fertilizer instead of 70% chemical fertilizer could significantly increase potato yield by 10.4–155.4% but had no significant effect on quality. Furthermore, replacing chemical fertilizers with bio-organic fertilizers could decrease the number of soil bacterial species, but it did not influence the diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities. At the phylum level, bio-organic fertilizer application was directly proportional to the abundance of Gemmatimonadota and Ascomycota, but inversely proportional to the abundance of Acidobacteriota and Basidiomycota. At the genus level, Longimicrobiaceae, Lysobacter, and Nocardioides were higher, whereas Vicinamibacteraceae, Gaiella, and Solirubrobacter were lower. Arthrobacter, Parcubacteria, Lautropia, Luteimonas, and Brunneochlamydosporium were the signatures of bio-organic fertilizer treatment and were positively correlated with the potato yield. Thus, in dry climates with little rainfall, partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with higher bioorganic fertilizers can alter the composition of microbial communities in potato rhizosphere soil, thus significantly improving potato yield.

Soil Aggregates and Organic Carbon Affected by Bio‑Fertilizer in Greenhouse Soil

ABSTRACT Bio-organic fertilizer exerts an important part in aggregate stability as well as carbon and nitrogen turnover. To investigate whether there is a synergistic effect of bio-organic fertilizer application on soil properties within the aggregates. In the present study, the field experiment was performed to examine soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, total nitrogen (TN) contents, stability, and the SOC and TN contents of aggregate fractions in 0–20 cm layer. The treatments comprised the application of no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (CF), bio-organic fertilizer alone (OF), and chemical fertilizer combined with bio-organic fertilizer (COF). Our study suggested that the OF and COF treatments evidently enhanced the stability of aggregates relative to other treatments. All bio-organic amended treatments elevated the SOC level in bulk soil and within each aggregate fraction by 0.67–153.62%. Small macro-aggregates and micro-aggregates made large the contribution to rate of SOC and TN under each treatment, relative to other aggregate fractions. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that both the significant positive correlation of SOC and TN with the composition of macro-aggregates and negative correlation with aggregates of <0.25 mm particle size. Further analysis using principal component analysis and comprehensive soil fertility index evaluation indicates that the combined application of bio-organic and chemical fertilizer was a favorable agricultural management practice for improving greenhouse soil quality and maintaining land productivity. This study evidenced that the COF treatment is more suitable for improving the greenhouse soil structure and enhancing carbon sequestration capacity, which is of great significance in ensuring the structure stability of greenhouse soil and maintaining the high yield of tomatoes.

Bio-organic fertilizer affects secondary cell wall biosynthesis of Dendrocalamus farinosus by inhibiting the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway

Bamboo, as a timber plant, holds significant environmental and economic value. Dendrocalamus farinosus is particularly valuable as it serves both as a source of bamboo shoots and timber, offering high yield, strong disease resistance, and superior fiber quality. Our previous study demonstrated that bio-organic fertilizers promoted the growth of D. farinosus and significantly altered the cellulose and lignin content, key components of the secondary cell wall in culms. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we used metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses to uncover the potential mechanisms by which bio-organic fertilizers affect the secondary cell wall biosynthesis in D. farinosus. A total of 1,437 metabolites were identified, with 20 differential metabolites significantly enriched in the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway in bamboo shoots (7 upregulated; 13 downregulated). We identified 8,075 differentially expressed genes in bamboo shoots, including 72 genes potentially involved in lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis (6 upregulated; 66 downregulated). In internodes, we identified 5,324 differentially expressed genes, including 83 genes potentially involved in secondary cell wall biosynthesis (43 upregulated; 39 downregulated). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validated the expression patterns of 8 key genes in internodes. The results suggest that bio-organic fertilizers may affect secondary cell wall biosynthesis in internodes by inhibiting the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway in D. farinosus shoots. Our study offers insights into the efficient utilization of bamboo and lignocellulosic biomass, serving as a valuable resource for future research.

The Colonization of Synthetic Microbial Communities Carried by Bio-Organic Fertilizers in Continuous Cropping Soil for Potato Plants.

Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) play significant roles in soil health and sustainable agriculture. In this study, bacterial SynComs (SCBs) and fungal SynComs (SCFs) were constructed by selecting microbial species that could degrade the potato root exudates associated with continuous cropping obstacles. SCBs, SCFs, and SCB + SCF combinations were then inoculated into organic fertilizers (OFs, made from sheep manure) to produce three bio-organic fertilizers (BOFs), denoted by SBFs (BOFs of inoculated SCBs), SFFs (BOFs of inoculated SCFs), and SBFFs (BOFs of inoculated SCB + SCF combinations), respectively. The OF and three BOFs, with a chemical fertilizer (CK) as the control, were then used in pot experiments involving potato growth with soil from a 4-year continuous cropping field. Microbial diversity sequencing was used to investigate the colonization of SCBs and SCFs into the rhizosphere soil and the bulk soil, and their effects on soil microbial diversity were evaluated. Source Tracker analysis showed that SCBs increased bacterial colonization from the SBFs into the rhizosphere soil, but at a relatively low level of 1% of the total soil bacteria, while SCFs increased fungi colonization from the SFF into the bulk soil at a much higher level of 5-18% of the total soil fungi. In combination, SCB + SCF significantly increased fungi colonization from the SBFF into both the bulk soil and the rhizosphere soil. Overall, the soil fungi were more susceptible to the influence of the BOFs than the bacteria. In general, the application of BOFs did not significantly change the soil microbial alpha diversity. Correlation network analysis showed that key species of bacteria were stable in the soils of the different groups, especially in the rhizosphere soil, while the key species of fungi significantly changed among the different groups. LEfSe analysis showed that the application of BOFs activated some rare species, which were correlated with improvements in the function categories of the tolerance of stress, nitrogen fixation, and saprotroph functions. Mantel test analysis showed that the BOFs significantly affected soil physicochemical properties, influencing bacterial key species, and core bacteria, promoting potato growth. It was also noted that the presence of SynCom-inoculated BOFs may lead to a slight increase in plant pathogens, which needs to be considered in the optimization of SynCom applications to overcome continuous cropping obstacles in potato production.

Microbiologically modified bioorganic fertilizer and metal-tolerant Bacillus sp. MN54 regulate the nutrient homeostasis and boost phytoextraction efficiency of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) in nickel-contaminated soil

Nickel (Ni) pollution in soil is a major environmental challenge to global food security necessitating its effective remediation. In this regard using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and bioorganic fertilizers (BOF) to increase the effectiveness of Ni phytoextraction together with hyper-accumulator plants is an effective strategy. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess how BOF, alone or in combination with Bacillus sp. MN54 (herein after referred to as BS), promotes the growth and detoxifies Ni in Brassica juncea L. under both non-contaminated and Ni-contaminated soil conditions. The experimental design included both non-spiked and Ni-spiked soils (with two Ni concentrations: 50 and 100 mg kg−1), with the addition of BS and BOF at two different application rates (1% and 2%). Results showed that Ni negatively affected the growth attributes and yield of Brassica juncea but the integrated incorporation of BOF and BS significantly improved plant growth and physiological attributes. However, Ni stress increased antioxidant enzyme activities and triggered the production of reactive oxygen species in the plants. Likewise, the highest increases in Ni bioconcentration factor (19.9%, 72.83%, and 74.2%), Ni bioaccumulation concentration (30.6%, 327.4%, and 366.8%), and Ni translocation factor (22.2%, 82%, and 69%) were observed in soils supplemented with 2% BOF and BS under non-contaminated, 50 mg kg−1, and 100 mg kg−1 Ni-stressed conditions, respectively. The enhanced plant growth with BS and BOF under Ni stress suggested that both could efficiently promote Ni phytoextraction and simultaneously improve soil health in Ni-contaminated soil. This highlighted their potential as sustainable soil amendments for remediating Ni-contaminated soils, promoting resilient plant growth and supporting long-term ecosystem recovery.

Three New Species and Five New Host Records from Chaetomiaceae with Anti-Phytopathogenic Potential from Cover Crops Astragalus sinicus and Vicia villosa.

Cover crops, typically planted during off-seasons and requiring less agronomic manipulation, may provide abundant fungal resources. Certain species of Chaetomiaceae could serve as potential agents for controlling plant diseases and developing bioorganic fertilizers. Eight species from five genera of Chaetomiaceae were identified from healthy Astragalus sinicus and Vicia villosa, two major cover crops, through multigene phylogenetic analysis, morphological identification, and pairwise homoplasy index testing. The identified species comprise three new species: Achaetomium astragali, Subramaniula henanensis, and S. sichuanensis, as well as five known but new host record species: Botryotrichum murorum, Chaetomium coarctatum, C. pseudocochliodes, C. pseudoglobosum, and Collariella pachypodioides. Dual culture tests revealed that isolates of all eight Chaetomiaceae species exhibited antagonistic effects on multiple phytopathogens. Among the identified fungi, the NSJA2 isolate, belonging to C. coarctatum, exhibited significant relative inhibition effects on 14 out of 15 phytopathogens tested in this study, indicating its broad-spectrum antagonistic effects. Additionally, NSJA2 exhibited excellent salt tolerance. Overall, our study has identified multiple fungi with anti-phytopathogens potential, among which NSJA2 exhibits high potential for practical application. This finding paves the way for further exploration and exploitation of NSJA2 as a promising biocontrol agent.

Foliar application of bioorganic fertilizer enhances plant nutrients uptake and citrus yield by regulating rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiome

Foliar application of bioorganic fertilizer enhances plant nutrients uptake and citrus yield by regulating rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiome

Protorhabditis nematodes and pathogen-antagonistic bacteria interactively promote plant health

BackgroundFertilization practices control bacterial wilt-causing Ralstonia solanacearum by shaping the soil microbiome. This microbiome is the start of food webs, in which nematodes act as major microbiome predators. However, the multitrophic links between nematodes and the performance of R. solanacearum and plant health, and how these links are affected by fertilization practices, remain unknown.ResultsHere, we performed a field experiment under no-, chemical-, and bio-organic-fertilization regimes to investigate the potential role of nematodes in suppressing tomato bacterial wilt. We found that bio-organic fertilizers changed nematode community composition and increased abundances of bacterivorous nematodes (e.g., Protorhabditis spp.). We also observed that pathogen-antagonistic bacteria, such as Bacillus spp., positively correlated with abundances of bacterivorous nematodes. In subsequent laboratory and greenhouse experiments, we demonstrated that bacterivorous nematodes preferentially preyed on non-pathogen-antagonistic bacteria over Bacillus. These changes increased the performance of pathogen-antagonistic bacteria that subsequently suppressed R. solanacearum.ConclusionsOverall, bacterivorous nematodes can reduce the abundance of plant pathogens, which might provide a novel protection strategy to promote plant health.6HVRaGfzCN9g8_uHWKg5j1Video

The structure and function of rhizosphere bacterial communities: impact of chemical vs. bio-organic fertilizers on root disease, quality, and yield of Codonopsis pilosula.

Long-term use of chemical fertilizers (CFs) can cause soil compaction and acidification. In recent years, bio-organic fertilizers (BOFs) have begun to replace CFs in some vegetables and cash crops, but the application of CFs or BOFs has resulted in crop quality and disease occurrence. This study aimed to analyze the microbial mechanism of differences between CFs and BOFs in root disease, quality, and yield of tuber Chinese herbal medicine. We studied the effects of CFs, organic fertilizers, commercial BOFs, biocontrol bacteria BOFs, and biocontrol fungi BOFs on rhizosphere microbial community structure and function, root rot, quality, and yield of Codonopsis pilosula at different periods after application and analyzed the correlation. Compared to CFs, the emergence rate and yield in BOF treatments were increased by 21.12 and 33.65%, respectively, and the ash content, water content, and disease index in the BOF treatments were decreased by 17.87, 8.19, and 76.60%, respectively. The structural equation model showed that CFs promoted the quality and yield of C. pilosula by influencing soil environmental factors, while BOFs directly drove soil bacterial community to reduce disease index and improve the quality and yield of C. pilosula. There was a stronger interaction and stability of soil microbial networks after BOF treatments. Microlunatus, Rubrobacter, Luteitalea, Nakamurella, and Pedomicrobium were identified as effector bacteria, which were related to disease prevention and yield and quality increase of C. pilosula. Microbial functional analysis indicated that the signal transduction and amino acid metabolism of soil bacteria might play a major role in improving the quality and yield of C. pilosula in the early and middle growth stages. In conclusion, compared to CFs, BOFs obtained a lower disease index of root rot and a higher quality and yield of C. pilosula by changing the structure and function of the rhizosphere bacterial community.

Inoculation of Bacillus velezensis Bv-116 and its bio-organic fertilizer serve as an environmental friendly biocontrol strategy against cucumber Fusarium wilt.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus velezensis Bv-116 and its bio-organic fertilizer on the control of cucumber Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cucumerinum (FOC), the promotion of growth of cucumber seedlings, and the soil microbial community. B. velezensis Bv-116 exhibited an inhibition rate of 84.93% against FOC, as well as broad-spectrum inhibitory activities against other soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi. Fermentation products of B. velezensis Bv-116 destroyed the cell structure of FOC and inhibited the growth of FOC mycelium. These products were identified as volatile antimicrobial gases, proteases and cellulases. In the greenhouse pot experiment, both B. velezensis Bv-116 and its bio-organic fertilizer exhibited significant promoting effects on cucumber growth, and a significant reduction in the incidence and disease severity index of cucumber wilt (p < 0.05). Analysis of the microbial community structure of cucumber rhizosphere soil revealed that inoculation of B. velezensis Bv-116 and its bio-organic fertilizer increased the abundance of genera with biocontrol capabilities against plant pathogens. In addition, inoculation of the bio-organic fertilizer reversed the excessive proliferation of Fusarium and Acidobacteria. Our results suggest the potential of inoculating B. velezensis Bv-116 and its bio-organic fertilizer as an environmentally friendly biocontrol strategy against cucumber wilt.

Biochar, Organic Fertilizer, and Bio-Organic Fertilizer Improve Soil Fertility and Tea Quality

Tea, the world’s second most traded commodity, significantly impacts the economies of producing countries. However, prolonged cultivation leads to soil degradation, particularly through acidification and the depletion of essential nutrients, which adversely affects tea quality. This study investigates the effects of biomass materials—biochar, organic fertilizer, and bio-organic fertilizer—on both tea quality and soil properties. The results revealed that all biomass treatments improved the catechin quality index (CQI) of tea, with bio-organic fertilizer (BOF) yielding the highest CQI at 629.41, followed closely by biochar (624.16) and organic fertilizer (581.34). Soil analysis indicated that biochar increased soil pH from 4.53 to 5.54, total carbon by 194.6% (from 12.61 g kg−1 to 24.42 g kg−1), and nitrogen levels by 11.7% (from 14.91 mg kg−1 to 16.17 mg kg−1), while reducing soluble salts significantly. Furthermore, biomass treatments enhanced enzyme activities, with urease and acid phosphatase increasing by up to 136.6% and 149.5%, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships, with tea amino acid content correlating with soil total nitrogen (r = 0.62, p &lt; 0.05) and tea polyphenols positively correlating with available potassium (r = 0.60, p &lt; 0.05). This study demonstrates that integrating biomass materials into tea cultivation not only enhances tea quality but also contributes to soil health, supporting sustainable tea garden management practices.

AGRONOMIC ANALYSIS OF TWO MAIZE HYBRIDS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A BIOFERTILIZER

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; The use of synthetic fertilizers has contributed to environmental pollution and the impact of areas for agricultural use, generating the need to look for ecological alternatives. Currently it has been shown that the application of the commercial biofertilizer Azofert® (&lt;em&gt;Rhizobium leguminosarum&lt;/em&gt;, CF1, 1x109 CFU mL&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) increases the growth, development and yield of some crops, including corn, which is of great importance in the world due to its high consumption. &lt;strong&gt;Objetive.&lt;/strong&gt; To evaluate the agronomic response of two corn hybrids (ADV-9789 and Emblema Ultra), under the application of said organic biofertilizer Azofert®. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology.&lt;/strong&gt; A completely randomized block experimental design (BCA) with a bi-factorial arrangement was used, applying doses of 4, 8 and 12 mL Kg&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; seed and a control treatment. &lt;strong&gt;Results.&lt;/strong&gt; It was observed that, in the growth, production and yield variables, the three Azofert® treatments were superior to the control treatment, which assume that the inoculation in seed was efective as a treatment recommendation for this crop. The highest dose (12 mL Kg&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; seed) was the one that presented the significantly higher values in both varieties. &lt;strong&gt;Implications.&lt;/strong&gt; Azofert® is a biofertilizer whose main use is in legumes however, this opens an area of opportunity to study it in other types of crops. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions&lt;/strong&gt;. The organic biofertilizer Azofert® has a high potential to increase the growth, development and yield of the two corn hybrids studied.&lt;/p&gt;

Jakaba Undercover: Taxonomic Riddle and Potency in Indonesian Agriculture

Excessive use of chemical fertilizers leads to serious environmental and health issues, while organic biofertilizers offer a sustainable solution. &lt;em&gt;Jakaba&lt;/em&gt; or “&lt;em&gt;jamur keberuntungan abadi&lt;/em&gt;,” a local liquid organic fertilizer derived from fungi, is increasingly used by Indonesian farmers. However, its taxonomy and potential applications require further investigation. Moreover, the effects of &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; on &lt;em&gt;Fusarium&lt;/em&gt; and its impact on maize growth remain unexplored. This study aims to characterize &lt;em&gt;jakaba &lt;/em&gt;comprehensively, evaluate its anti-&lt;em&gt;Fusarium&lt;/em&gt; properties, conduct pathogenicity tests, and assess its effects on maize growth. Morphological analysis of fresh &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; fruiting bodies was conducted, and molecular identification was performed based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1/4 regions. The antagonistic test was done using plant pathogenic fungi (&lt;em&gt;Fusarium &lt;/em&gt;sp.). In addition, &lt;em&gt;jakaba &lt;/em&gt;was evaluated for its impact on the vegetative growth of maize&lt;em&gt;. &lt;/em&gt;Observations identified &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; as belonging to the genus &lt;em&gt;Corallomycetella&lt;/em&gt;, characterized by coral-shaped fruiting bodies with an orange hue and a white tip. The hyphae are septate, spore hyaline, and ellipsoid. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis revealed that &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; was &lt;em&gt;Corallomycetella repens&lt;/em&gt;, with a query cover of 99% and a phylogenetic tree 96% bootstrap (BS) value. &lt;em&gt;Jakaba&lt;/em&gt; exhibits antibiosis activity against &lt;em&gt;Fusarium&lt;/em&gt; sp., with an inhibition rate of 5.64%. Although &lt;em&gt;C. repens&lt;/em&gt; has been previously identified as a cause of root rot in Indonesia, the current study reveals that &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; is not pathogenic to maize. Furthermore, the application of &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt;’s liquid organic fertilizer at a concentration of 40 ml l&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; significantly increased plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and stem diameter compared to other treatments. These findings highlight &lt;em&gt;jakaba&lt;/em&gt; potential as a biofertilizer.

Bacillus licheniformisYB06: A Rhizosphere-Genome-Wide Analysis and Plant Growth-Promoting Analysis of a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Isolated from Codonopsis pilosula.

Codonopsis pilosula, commonly known as Dangshen, is a valuable medicinal plant, but its slow growth and susceptibility to environmental stress pose challenges for its cultivation. In pursuit of sustainable agricultural practices to enhance the yield and quality of Dangshen, the present study isolated a bacterial strain exhibiting plant growth-promoting potential from the rhizosphere of C. pilosula. This strain was subsequently identified as Bacillus licheniformisYB06. Assessment of its plant growth-promoting attributes revealed the potential of B. licheniformis YB06 as a biofertilizer. Whole-genome sequencing of B. licheniformis YB06 revealed a genome size of 4,226,888 bp with a GC content of 46.22%, harboring 4325 predicted protein-coding sequences. Genomic analysis of B. licheniformis YB06 revealed a diverse array of genes linked to induced systemic resistance (ISR) and plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, encompassing phytohormone production, nitrogen assimilation and reduction, siderophore biosynthesis, phosphate solubilization, biofilm formation, synthesis of PGP-related amino acids, and flagellar motility. Seed germination assays demonstrated the positive effects of B. licheniformis YB06 on the germination and growth of C. pilosula seedlings. Furthermore, we explored various fertilization regimes, particularly the B. licheniformis YB06-based biofertilizer, were investigated for their impact on the structure and diversity of the C. pilosula rhizosphere soil bacterial community. Our findings revealed that fertilization significantly impacted soil bacterial composition and diversity, with the combined application of B. licheniformis YB06-based biofertilizer and organic fertilizer exhibiting a particularly pronounced enhancement of rhizosphere bacterial community structure and diversity. This study represents the first report on the beneficial effects of B. licheniformis YB06 on both the growth of C. pilosula and the composition of its rhizosphere soil microbial community. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the development of novel bio-organic compound fertilizers, thereby contributing to the sustainable cultivation of C. pilosula.

Characterization of the Bacterial Microbiome Structure and Identification of the Beneficial Genera in the Leaf Litter Compost for its Potential Application as a Bioorganic Fertilizer

This study investigates the potential of leaf and various organic waste composts as bio-organic fertilizers using 16S rRNA metagenomics. The microbial richness and diversity analysis, employing alpha and beta diversity indices, reveal substantial variations influenced by organic substrates during composting. The leaf compost had a high total OTU (70,554) but low microbial diversity (Chao 1 index = 272.27). The kitchen waste compost had the highest microbial diversity (Chao 1 index = 429.18). Positive correlations between microbial biomass, diversity, and compost quality highlighted the pivotal role of microbial activity. The beneficial genera identified across all the bio-composts were Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Sphingobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, and Clostridium. Some pathogenic genera were also detected in all the composts analyzed, viz. Prevotella, Agrobacterium, Fusobacterium, and Streptococcus. Nonetheless, the ratio of beneficial to the pathogenic genera was generally high in all compost, highlighting the enrichment with beneficial microorganisms. The leaf compost demonstrated the highest proportion of beneficial genera, about 92%, indicating significant bio-fertilizing potential, with a low % level of pathogenic genera of about 3%. Thus, the leaf compost has excellent potential to be used as a bio-organic fertilizer. Understanding the microbial composition of organic waste composts is crucial for its application as bio-fertilizer for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Влияние биоорганического удобрения на урожай гороха посевного

Biological activity of bioorganic fertilizer of different concentrations on pea seedlings of Batrak variety was investigated. Bioorganic fertilizer in concentration of 10-5% is shown to be the most effective. Soaking seeds in solutions of bioorganic fertilizer showed the activation of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and a decrease in catalase activity, this shows that plants increase immunity during treatment and become more resistant to various environmental factors. Bioorganic fertilizer at a concentration of 10-5% helps to reduce infection of pea seeds with pathogenic microflora and increases yield by 10-15%. Keywords: PEAS, PEROXIDASE, CATALASE, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, FIELD STUDIES, BIOORGANIC FERTILIZER, BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

Impact of Bio-Organic Fertilizer Incorporation on Soil Nutrients, Enzymatic Activity, and Microbial Community in Wheat–Maize Rotation System

Excessive use of inorganic fertilizers disrupts soil nutrient balance and leads to soil degradation and a decrease in biodiversity. In contrast, bio-fertilizers enhance soil structure and fertility and promote plant growth and sustainable agriculture development. Therefore, this study focused on a rotation system of winter wheat and summer maize and aimed to explore the effects of applying chemical fertilizer (NPK) and bio-fertilizer (BF) in the winter wheat season on the sustainable soil development of current wheat and subsequent maize. Before sowing winter wheat four fertilization treatments were, respectively CK (100% NPK at 750 kg ha−1), A (60% NPK at 450 + 20% BF at 150 kg ha−1), B (60% NPK at 450 + 40% BF at 300 kg ha−1), and C (60% NPK at 450 + 60% BF at 450 kg ha−1), conducted. The results showed that treatment A (60% NPK + 20% BF) replacing the NPK at 300 kg ha−1 with BF at 150 kg ha−1 significantly soil nutrient contents, enzyme activity, and microbial metabolic activity. The study also found a positive correlation between soil parameters (total nitrogen, alkaline nitrogen, available phosphorus, organic matter, urease, and alkaline phosphatase in the winter wheat and maize cropping season). Furthermore, the soil microbial composition showed significant enrichment of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes, and variations among treatments. Moreover, the application of biofertilizer enhanced the diversity of soil fungi species, particularly during the winter wheat season. This study highlights the importance of integrating biofertilizers with NPK fertilizer for agricultural system conversion and promoting agricultural production and sustainability.

Customized Plant Growth Promotion with Soil- and Cultivar-Compatible Microbial Biofertilizers

Organic fertilizers and microbial biofertilizers are now widely recognized to effectively complement traditional mineral fertilizers for plant growth. The present study shows that bio-organic fertilizers can be enhanced by the addition of functional plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that provide additional benefits to plants. We hypothesized that not all beneficial soil bacteria are functional in different farm soils and plant varieties; hence, the most effective PGPR that are suitable to each farm’s individual cropping conditions were selected. Five different field soils and their respective crops were tested for compatibility with six microbial biofertilizers (including three new bacterial strains) to supplement a commercially available bio-organic fertilizer. In pot trials with lucerne plants, four out of the six microbial treatments led to significant (p &lt; 0.05) growth promotion benefits (up to 79.8% more leaves and dry weight) compared to mock-treated or bio-organic fertilizer-only-treated control plants. A trial with industrial hemp demonstrated that compatibility with PGPR occurs in a cultivar-specific manner, leading to growth promotion ranging from −3.4% to 68.9%, with each cultivar displaying a preference for a different PGPR. Finally, pot trials with Rhodes grass and two different soils demonstrated high yield increases compared to control plants, with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 33YE being most effective for one soil and Bacillus velezensis UQ9000N/Pseudomonas lini SMX2 for the other soil. Yield advantages reduced after several cuts of grass, but a repeat biofertilizer treatment at 69 days after the initial treatment restored high yield advantages, with the same PGPR again being most effective. These results demonstrate the importance of customization of microbial inoculants to identify the most compatible PGPR–cultivar–soil interaction. The customization of microbial biofertilizers to soils and plant cultivars, combined with complementary fertilizer applications, can potentially lead to more reliable and more sustainable agricultural practices.

Essential role of composting industry in achieving China’s dual-carbon goals: Case studies from Chinese composting companies

Composting is one of the primary methods for organic waste recycling in China. This study aims to analyze the product quality of organic fertilizer enterprises from the perspective of actual production and the relationship between production process variations and organic matter content in organic fertilizers based on 348 samples from 229 organic fertilizer companies across 22 provinces. Results showed that fertilizers produced through composting processes contain higher organic matter, averaging 45.42 %, compared to commercial organic fertilizers and bio-organic fertilizers. Raw materials, equipment, methods, operational scale, and personnel structure are key factors affecting the content of organic matter in products. Optimizing equipment and processes in Chinese organic fertilizer companies could increase organic matter content to 49.3 %, potentially reducing annual carbon emissions by an estimated 3.07 to 6.97 billion kg of CO2 equivalent, thereby supporting the realization of dual carbon goals.

DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMAL FERTILIZATION RATE BY A NEW BIOORGANIC FERTILIZER TO ENHANCE THE GROWTH PARAMETERS AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF RED BEETROOT (BETA VULGARIS L. SSP. VULGARIS)

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of different rates of a new bioorganic fertilizer and an inorganic fertilizer on the parameters growth and the nutritional quality of red beetroot. A field trial was conducted using the randomized complete block design with six treatments and six replications: (T1= inorganic fertilizer, NPK 20-45-25 ha−1, T2= Bio-Organic Fertilizer “BOF” at 10%, T3= BOF at 20%, T4= BOF at 30%, T5= BOF at 60% and T6= unfertilized control). The total carbohydrate, protein and nitrate content of harvested red beetroot was measured analytically. Quantification of betanin was determined spectrophotometrically, while the antioxidant activity assessed free radical scavenging activities against DPPH. Statistical analysis of soils treated with 20 and 30% BOF showed similar results for the total weight of red beetroot and the weight and diameter of their bulbs. However, these treatments significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased the betanin content of red beetroot by 16 % compared to the conventionally grown samples. However, the investigation of the effect of the different rates of BOF on the IC50 value showed a decrease of up to 52% in favor of the T5 treatment compared to the inorganic fertilizer. In contrast, organically and conventionally growing red beetroot had similar average nitrate levels. In light of the crucial role of BOF rates, high levels of macro and micronutrients in the soil negatively affect all quality parameters of red beetroot.