Root Dry Biomass Research Articles

English

The objective of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of glyphosate and 2.4-D herbicides in the initial development of the soy crop in a Yellow Red Latosol. The experiment was conducted in randomized design, consisting of 4 different doses of herbicides (0, 1, 2 and 5 times the recommended dose of the glyphosate and 2.4-D mixture), applied at intervals of 0, 3, 7 and 10 days before sowing, with 4 repetitions on a soybean culture (Monsoy 8372rr cultivar) performed up to 28 days after sowing, at 7 days intervals. The variables analyzed were plant height, leaf area, phytotoxicity, aerial dry biomass, root dry biomass and chlorophylls a and b, the latter being performed from the second evaluation after sowing. For the conditions evaluated, plant height, leaf area and aerial dry biomass were lower in the plants that received the highest doses of the glyphosate mixture and 2.4-D. The higher doses of glyphosate and 2.4-D resulted in higher symptoms of phytotoxicity in transgenic soy plants. The periods of application of the glyphosate herbicide mixture plus 2.4-D closer to the date of sowing of the soybean were the ones that most harmed the development of the crop. Key words: Transgenic soy, phytotoxicity, initial development.

Effect of cadmium and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid supplementation on cadmium accumulation by roots of Brassica species in Cd spiked soil.

Cadmium (Cd) metal extraction through efficient plant roots has attracted much attention as this methodology is environment-friendly and cost-effective. Brassica species are well known for their tolerance towards high Cd concentration in contaminated soils. The tolerance ability may vary among species; hence the assessment of this variability is mandatory for selecting Brassica species. For this purpose, a greenhouse pot experiment was carried out using three Brassica species (Brassica juncea L., Brassica campestris L., and Brassica napus L.). To evaluate the effect of chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on Cd uptake, EDTA (0, 1, and 2 g kg-1 soil) was supplemented along with Cd (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg kg-1 soil). Among different species, B. juncea possessed the highest root dry biomass and lowest root Cd concentration in untreated soil. Overall root dry biomass of all tested Brassica species reduced on increasing Cd and EDTA levels. The trend was appeared to be related to an increase in root Cd concentration on the supplementation of EDTA that formed a complex with the target metal contaminate and resulted in vacuolar sequestration. Roots of B. juncea showed maximum Cd accumulation and highest values at Cd and EDTA levels up to 20 mg kg-1 and 1 g kg-1 soil due to the combined effect of root biomass and Cd concentration in roots. Thus, present findings inferred that Cd and EDTA supplementation might prove as a feasible strategy to improve remediation of Cd-polluted soil using B. juncea as an efficient Cd accumulator.

Physiological, photochemical, and antioxidant responses of wild and cultivated Carthamus species exposed to nickel toxicity and evaluation of their usage potential in phytoremediation.

The impacts of Ni toxicity on growth behaviors, photochemical, and antioxidant enzymes activities of wild (Carthamus oxyacantha M. Bieb.) and cultivated (Carthamus tinctorius L.) safflower species were investigated in this study. Fourteen-day-old seedlings were treated with excessive Ni levels [control, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 mM NiCl2·6H2O] for 7 days. The results of chlorophyll a fluorescence indicated that toxic nickel exposure led to changes in specific, phenomenological energy fluxes and quantum yields in thylakoid membranes, and activities of donor and acceptor sides of photosystems. These changes resulted in a significant decrease in the photosynthetic activities by about 50% in both species, but these negative effects of Ni were not in a level to destroy the functionality of the photosystems. At the same time, toxic Ni affected membrane integrity and the amount of photosynthetic pigments in the antenna and active reaction centers. Additionally, the accumulation of Ni was higher in roots than in stem and leaves for both species. Depending on Ni accumulation, a significant reduction in dry biomass of root by approx. 64.8 and 45.7% and shoot by 41 and 24.7% were observed in wild and cultivated species, respectively. Two species could probably withstand deleterious Ni toxicity with better upregulating own protective defense systems such as antioxidant enzymes and phenolic compounds. Among of them, SOD and POD activities were increased with increasing Ni concentrations. The POD activities of both species were most prominent and consistently increased (approx. 2 folds in roots and 6 folds in leaves) in highly toxic Ni levels and may be protected them from damaging effect of H2O2. When all results are evaluated as a whole, Carthamus species produced similar responses to toxicity and also both species have bioconcentration (BCF) and bioaccumulation factor (BF) > 1 and translocation factor < 1 under Ni toxicity may be regarded a good indication of Ni tolerance. Furthermore, it is possible to use the Carthamus species as phytostabilizers of soils contaminated with nickel, because of their roots accumulating more nickel.

Remediation of soils co-contaminated with cadmium and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes by king grass associated with Piriformospora indica: Insights into the regulation of root excretion and reshaping of rhizosphere microbial community structure

Cadmium (Cd) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are frequently detected in agricultural soils, which poses a threat to public health. This study investigated the effects of inoculation of king grass with Piriformospora indica on the remediation of soils co-contaminated with Cd and DDTs. After treatment for 90 days, the dry shoot and root biomass of king grass inoculated with P. indica markedly increased by 13.0–15.8% and 24.1–46.4%, respectively, compared with those of uninoculated plants. Inoculation with P. indica also increased the uptake of Cd and DDTs by shoots and roots of king grass. The removal efficiency of Cd and DDTs from soils reached 4.88–17.4% and 48.4–51.0%, respectively, in the presence of king grass inoculated with P. indica. Under three Cd–DDTs contamination conditions, root secretion of organic acids, alcohol, and polyamines was distinctively stimulated by P. indica inoculation of king grass compared with planting king grass alone. After phytoremediation, changes in soil bacterial and fungal community composition occurred at different contamination levels. Overall, the results showed that king grass associated with P. indica can be adopted for phytoextraction of Cd and DDTs from moderately contaminated soils by regulating root excretion and reshaping rhizosphere microbial community structure.

Growth and root-knot nematode infection of tomato are influenced by mycorrhizal fungi and earthworms in an intercropping cultivation system with leeks

In a greenhouse experiment, we investigated the influence of leek (Allium porrum) intercropping, mycorrhizal fungi and earthworms on the root-knot nematode infection by Meloidogyne incognita (RKN) and the growth and development of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum). Tomato plants were grown in pots, intercropped with leeks or in monoculture, and earthworms and/or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were introduced. The effects of these two treatments on root-knot nematode infection and tomato plant growth and development were assessed i) by counting the galls induced by the nematodes and the number of egg masses on their roots, and ii) by measuring their height increase, shoot and root dry biomasses and flowering time. Tomato growth was increased with leek compared to the monoculture (e.g., +82% shoot biomass), probably due to a lower plant-plant competition, although a facilitation effect cannot be excluded. The presence of leeks did not reduce the number of galls (per g of root). The presence of AMF (Rhizophagus irregularis) increased the overall infection of M. incognita (e.g., +36% egg masses) and induced more galls with multiple egg masses in the leek-tomato association (+71%) but did not increase plant biomass. On the other hand, it increased plant height in presence of the compost earthworms (Eisenia andrei) compared to earthworms alone with RKN (+2%). It also delayed the flowering compared to RKN alone (+7.6 days in average). Competition between the two tomato plants in monoculture probably strongly impacted plant growth, flowering time and thereby the RKN infection, but leek-tomato interactions should be further examined. The overall increased number of multiple egg masses per gall in presence of AMF is contrary to its protective effect reported in the litterature.

Effect of saline water and shading on dragon fruit (‘pitaya’) seedling growth

ABSTRACT ‘Pitaya’ (Hylocereus undatus) is a fruit-bearing, climbing cactus with great food potential for the semiarid region. This study aimed to evaluate the production of ‘pitaya’ seedlings irrigated with low and high salinity water and grown in different light intensities. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two electrical conductivities of irrigation water: S1 - 0.3 dS m-1 (low salinity) and S2 - 5.0 dS m-1 (moderate salinity) in two environments: A1 - black net with 50% shading, and A2 - full sun, with ten replicates. The variables evaluated were plant height, main cladode diameter, above-ground biomass, root biomass, total plant biomass, number of secondary cladodes, root length, and length of secondary cladodes. The 50% shading (black net) promoted higher plant height, number of secondary shoots, and root length of the ‘pitaya’ plants. The irrigation with moderate saline water (5.0 dS m-1) reduced the number of secondary cladodes, length of root, and length of secondary cladodes. The ‘pitaya’ seedlings grown under 50% shading (black net) showed greater root dry biomass when irrigated with low-salinity water. Greater values of diameter of the primary cladode, above-ground dry biomass, and total dry biomass were observed under full sunlight and elevated saline stress.

A manifold response of forage rape to combined heat wave and drought under current and elevated CO2

AbstractIntensity and frequency of heat waves (HW) accompanied by drought are increasing, however, still little is known about its effect on forage plants. A pot experiment was carried out in growth chambers in order to elucidate the multiple response of forage rape to combined HW and drought (HD) under current and elevated CO2 (HD + CO2). Forage rape was proved to be relatively HD‐resistant plant, with no significant and long‐term effects on shoot growth and photosynthetic performance, and effective stimulation of antioxidative system, especially in the case of HD + CO2 exposure. Activities of enzymes of ascorbate–glutathione cycle were further stimulated by elevated CO2 even after the termination of HD treatment. Nutritive value of forage rape was also positively affected, as was shown by elevated content of water‐soluble carbohydrates after exposure and starch after the period of recovery (up to 80% and 92%, respectively). Concentrations of most macro‐ and microelements were increased, and stabilized higher or equalized to control level after the period of recovery in a similar pattern for HD and HD + CO2 exposure. However, content of Ca was reduced and remained significantly lower (~20%). One of the most important negative and lagged HD effects was reduction of dry root biomass (~30%), most possibly induced by accumulation of non‐structural carbohydrates in shoot and was not mitigated by elevated CO2. To conclude, forage rape was proved to be a promising forage crop for the future climate with increased frequency of HWs; however, a special attention should be paid to the lagged effects, such as inhibition of root growth.

Root Application Efficacy of Plant Biostimulants in a Tunisian Portulaca Oleracea l. Cultivar Grown under Salt Stress

Plants biostimulants (PBs) have been shown to play multiple roles in plant growth and to improve crop tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity. The present investigation was undertaken for the first time to study the effect of PBs - a plant-derived protein hydrolysate (PH), a root activator (RA) and a root stimulator (RS) - on Portulaca oleracea L. tolerance to salt stress. For this purpose, a Tunisian P. oleracea cultivar was cultivated in pots under a greenhouse. Plants were treated with a factorial combination of three nutrient solutions (non-salt control, 50 and 100 mM NaCl) and three PBs were applied to roots. Growth and physiological parameters were then determined. Main results showed that salt stress decreased shoot and root dry biomass, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents while it increased the content in total soluble sugars, proline and relative water contents. However, root application of the three PBs induced some significant differences in the agronomical and physiological responses between PB treated and untreated plants when subjected to sodium chloride salinity from 50 and 100 mM NaCl. Overall, the present study proves that the root application of these PBs increases the performance of P. oleracea plants under salinity conditions. Therefore, PBs can be used to improve the salt-stress tolerance of vegetable crops by increasing their physiological responses to abiotic stress Portulaca oleracea L.; plant; salinity; biostimulant; growth; physiology

Green house evaluation of IAA and GA3 producing yeast isolates on growth tomato crop by root dip method

A green house experiment was conduct by use of IAA (MZL -8 and TCL -1) and GA3 (CAL – 1 and ACL- 3) producing yeast isolates on growth of tomato crop by root dip method with 8 treatments and 3 replication at Department of Agricultural Microbiology, GKVK, Bengaluru. The yeastisolate TCL -1 recorded maximum plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, root length, fresh shoot biomass, dry shoot biomass, fresh root biomass, dry root biomass, IAA and GA3 content, 44.73 cm, 80, 11.40, 14.70 cm, 24.00 g/plant, 11.75 g/plant, 7.98 g/plant, 3.91 g/plant, 1.205 μg/g of leaf and 0.550 μg/g of leaf respectively. The control (T1) recorded Lowest plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, root length, fresh shoot biomass, dry shoot biomass, fresh root biomass, dry root biomass, IAA and GA3 content, 22.20 cm, 55.70, 8.00,9.00 cm, 11.00 g/plant, 6.23 g/plant, 3.67 g/plant, 2.07 g/plant, 0.384 μg/g of leaf and 0.200 μg/g of leaf respectively at 50 DAT.

Evaluation of IAA and GA3 producing yeast isolates on growth of tomato crop by spraying under green house

A green house experiment was carried out at Department of Agricultural Microbiology, GKVK, Bengaluru by use of IAA (MZL -8 and TCL -1) and GA3 (CAL – 1 and ACL- 3) producing yeast isolates on growth of tomato crop by spraying method with 8 treatments and 3 replication. The highest plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, root length, fresh shoot biomass, dry shoot biomass, fresh root biomass, dry root biomass, IAA and GA3 content, 44.73 cm, 80, 11.40, 14.70 cm, 24.00 g/plant, 11.75 g/plant, 7.98 g/plant, 3.91 g/plant, 1.205 μg/g of leaf and 0.550 μg/g of leaf, respectively by the yeast isolate TCL -1.The least plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, root length, fresh shoot biomass, dry shoot biomass, fresh root biomass, dry root biomass, IAA and GA3 content, 22.20 cm, 55.70, 8.00,9.00 cm, 11.00 g/plant, 6.23 g/plant, 3.67 g/plant, 2.07 g/plant, 0.384 μg/g of leaf and 0.200 μg/g of leaf, respectively was recorded by control (T1) treatment at 50 DAT.

ESCALATION IN RICE (Oryza sativa L.) SEED STRENGTH AND SUCCESSIVE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH POTASSIUM HUMATE

Seed strength is an important agronomic traits and considered as an indicator of crop yield and economic value. Different concentrations of potassium humate i.e. 0, 250, 500, 750 and 100 mg per kilogram were applied on the seeds of Basmati rice and their influence was observed. After treatment with the potassium humate various vegetative (plant height; root, shoot length; fresh and dry biomass of root and shoot) and reproductive growth (number of tillers, flowers, grains, weight of 100 grains) parameters were recorded. It was observed that 500 mg/kg concentration of potassium humate has given potential results as compared to rest of the concentrations. It was also observed that an increment in the concentration from 500mg/kg has ceased a number of physiological functions of the rice plants under trial.

Assessing the Impact of Proline and Abscisic Acid on Salt Stress Grown BRASSICA NAPUS at Germination and Seedling Establishment

Abiotic stress such as Salinity causes serious challenge to plant growth and development, so it causes negative influence on plant's growth and yield. Different growth regulators and osmolytes kept attention as productive strategy and help the plant for enhancing stress tolerance and plant' growth and yield improved under stress condition. This project investigates the performance of Brassica napus at germination and seedling stage after application of abscisic acid and proline with combination of salt stress. Experiment was designed in completely randomized manner and petri plates were arranged in different sets with 10 seeds/each and applied with different concentrations of NaCl solutions. Proline (10 -20mM) and ABA (50-100mg/L) was pplied separately and in combination (proline 10 x ABA 50) and (proline 20 x 100) in these sets. After 8 days experiment was terminated and different parameters (germination percentage, seedling growth, shoot and root length, fresh and dry biomass, vigor index, Reletive water content, (RWC) Water content (WC), Root Shoot Ratio (RSR), Shoot Weight Ratio (SWR) and Root Weight Rratio (RWR). Salt stress exhibited significant decrease in shoot and root length, fresh and dry biomass, vigor index, RWC, different ratios (SWR, RWR) and different physiological indices while RSR exhibited increase in comparison to control in all sets. According to this research the application of proline and abscisic acid alone showed increased performance in all studied parameters. Interactions of proline and ABA did not support germination and seedling establishment process. This study concluded that application of proline (10mM) and ABA (100mg/L) improved germination and seedling establishment process very well as compared to other doses in Brasicca napus

Evaluation of Capsicum annum L. genotypes against salinity induced by NaCl

Soil salinity harmfully effect bell pepper production being salt sensitive crop. The aim of this study was to compare capsicum (bell-pepper) cultivars for their ability to tolerate salt stress. Electrical conductivity of different levels i.e., control (no sodium chloride), 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 dS m-1, was developed by using NaCl, after 30 days of seedling emergence of six cultivars (Yolo Wonder, California Wonder, Cop-amber Hybrid, F1 Pangs No. 206, Sweet Pepper F1, Kaka F1). These cultivars were evaluated based on morphological (shoot and root length, plant fresh and dry biomass), physiological (chlorophyll content) and biochemical attributes (nitrogen concentration, and protein contents). Minimum chlorophyll contents (SPAD units) in Kaka F1 (16.77 SPAD units) at 1.5 dSm-1. However, maximum value of chlorophyll contents was observed in Sweet Pepper F1 (49.23 SPAD units) at control followed by “Yolo Wonder” (41.53 SPAD units) at control. Maximum dry biomass was found in California Wonder (0.468 g) at 1.5 dSm-1, while minimum value of dry biomass (g) was observed in Kaka F1 (0.095 g) at 4.5 dSm-1. Six cultivars of capsicum were categorized into three groups. Salt tolerant cultivars included “California Wonder” followed by “Yolo Wonder”. “Kaka F1” was proved most salt sensitive and all others were moderately salt tolerant.

Effects of Nitrogen and Water Deficiency on Agronomic Properties, Root Characteristics and Expression of Related Genes in Soybean

Drought and insufficient nutrient supply are the main limiting factors for field crop production; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the responses of four registered soybean varieties to limited nitrogen (N) supply in combination with drought stress. Plants were grown in tubes filled with silica sand, under open-air conditions. Water shortage was initiated at the three-leaf stage by providing 50% of water, and N deficiency was obtained by reducing the N content of the half-strength Hoagland solution by 50%. N deficiency did not influence the grain yield, while it significantly increased the root dry biomass in Boglár and Pannónia Kincse. Compared with nitrogen supply, the effects of the water shortage were dominant in root development. The expression levels of the investigated genes also showed genotypic variations. The expression of the Inducible nitrate reductase1 gene increased under N-deficient conditions in Boglár and decreased in Pannónia Kincse under drought conditions. The expression level of the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene and abscisic acid 8’-hydroxylase 3 increased under combined stress conditions. Summarising the agronomic and physiological characteristics, Boglár and Sinara were sensitive to drought, Bagera was sensitive to N deficiency but produced the highest yield under limited watering in each nitrogen treatment, while Pannónia Kincse was tolerant to nitrogen deficiency under well-watered conditions.

Mycorrhizal root colonization in maize fields is more affected by soil management and climate conditions than by plant genotype.

This work aims to characterize the arbuscular mycorrhizal association between maize genotypes and the effects of soil physical-chemical attributes on the symbiosis. A preliminary greenhouse assay evaluated five maize landraces and five conventional modern genotypes in non-sterile, low-P soil. Sixty days after sowing, we measured plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry biomass, root colonization structures, and shoot P concentration and total accumulation. In a second stage, a 2-year on-farm study evaluated how soil physical-chemical attributes in fields with three plant genotype groups affected the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal symbiosis in a maize diversity microcenter in Southern Brazil. We collected soil and plant material in farms growing landrace, conventional modern genotypes, or genetically modified (GM) maize. There were five collection points at each group, and we measured mycorrhizal colonization, soil physicochemical attributes, and shoot phosphorus concentration. The greenhouse study showed that genotypes have different growth strategies for root production and shoot growth. No differences in mycorrhizal colonization rates occurred among landraces and modern maize genotypes in the low-P soil. The field study showed that soil and climate conditions had a more marked effect on mycorrhizal root colonization than plant genotype groups (landrace, conventional modern genotypes, or GM maize).

Effect of Potting Media on Growth and Quality parameters of &lt;i&gt;Juniperus polycarpos&lt;/I&gt; C. Koch Seedlings under Nursery Condition

A trial was conducted to study the effect of different potting media on the growth performance of Juniperus polycarpos under nursery condition. One year old seedlings of J. polycarpos raised in germination beds were transplanted in polybags filled with different combination of potting media with seven treatments comprising various combinations of soil, sand and farmyard manure and five replication in completely randomized design to study their effect on seedling growth and quality parameters. Significant differences were observed in shoot length, collar diameter, root length, number of roots, root and shoot biomass of J. polycarpos seedlings raised in different potting media. Maximum growth of various seedling parameters viz., shoot length (58.80cm), collar diameter (6.98mm), root length (55.24cm), number of roots (58.53) was recorded in treatment T 7 i. e. Soil + Sand + FYM (1:1:1) where as minimum growth of various seedling parameters was recorded in treatment T 1 i.e. nursery soil. Maximum fresh shoot biomass (32.35 g seedlings -1 ) was recorded in treatment T 4 , whereas fresh root biomass (9.08 g seedlings -1 ) and total fresh biomass (40.85g seedlings -1 ) was recorded in treatment T 7 . Maximum dry shoot biomass (17.33 g seedlings -1 ) was recorded in treatment T 5 whereas dry root biomass (4.60 g seedlings -1 ) and total dry biomass (21.86g seedlings -1 ) was recorded in treatment T 7 . Maximum value of various seedling quality parameters viz., root shoot ratio (0.27), volume index (2864.75) and Quality index (1.79) was also observed in seedling grown in treatment T 7 and whereas least value of sturdiness quotient (8.40) was observed in treatment T 1 (nursery soil) which is at par with treatment T 7 . The study recommended raising of seedlings of J. polycarpos in soil, sand and farm yard manure (1:1:1) for production of quality nursery stock.

Erosion protection by winter state of salt marsh vegetation

The inclusion of coastal ecosystems in coastal protection strategies is highly desired, but for temperate regions it is hampered by uncertainty about the provision of relevant ecosystem services over the annual growth cycle. This flume study compared winter stages of the two salt marsh species Spartina anglica and Elymus athericus with and without above ground biomass to bare soil to assess their protection service against vertical bed erosion in the surf and swash zone. Results yielded no effect of the above ground biomass on mean erosion, even though the species responded differently with E. athericus buckling and S. anglica withstanding the hydrodynamic forcing. Equally, no significant differences were observed between species which is attributed to the comparable dry root biomass and soil bulk density of the used vegetated patches. While this similarity does not allow for establishment of quantitative relationships, the results suggest a species independent erosion protection efficiency persisting throughout the year. This has the potential to simplify the consideration of erosion protection by salt marsh in coastal protection strategies, as it alleviates the need for detailed differentiation on species or seasonal level of this ecosystem service.

Effects of engineered lignin-graft-PLGA and zein-based nanoparticles on soybean health

The majority of published research on the effect of engineered nanoparticles on terrestrial plant species is focused on inorganic nanoparticles, with the effects of organic polymeric nanoparticles (NP) on plants remaining largely unexplored. It is critical to understand the impact of polymeric NPs on plants if these particles are to be used as agrochemical delivery systems. This study investigates the effect of biodegradable polymeric lignin-based nanoparticles (LNPs) and zein nanoparticles (ZNP) on soybean plant health. The LNPs (114 ± 3.4 nm, −53.8 ± 6.9 mV) were synthesized by emulsion evaporation from lignin-graft-poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, and ZNPs (142 ± 3.9 nm and + 64.5 ± 4.7 mV) were synthesized by nanoprecipitation. Soybeans were grown hydroponically and treated with 0.02, 0.2, and 2 mg/ml of LNPs or ZNPs at 28 days after germination. Plants were harvested after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of particle exposure and analyzed for root and stem length, chlorophyll concentration, dry biomass of roots and stem, nutrient uptake and plant ROS. Root and stem length, chlorophyll and stem biomass did not differ significantly between treatments and controls for LNPs-treated plants at all concentrations, and at low doses of ZNPs. At 2 mg/ml ZNPs, the highest concentration tested, after 7 days of treatment chlorophyll levels and root biomass increased and stem length was reduced in comparison to the control. Nutrient uptake was largely unaffected at 0.02 and 0.2 mg/ml NPs. A concentration-dependent increase in the oxidative stresss was detected, especially in the ZNP treated plants. Overall, LNPs and ZNPs had a minimum impact on soybean health especially at low and medium doses. To our knowledge this is the first study to show the effect of zein and lignin based polymeric NPs designed for agrochemical delivery on soybean plant health.

Effect Carrier Materials of Bradyrhizobium sp. strain PZS_A08 on Growth of Indigofera zollingeriana

Sustainable forage production is needed to meet animal feed needs as the livestock industry increases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of liquid and solid carrier material on the effectiveness and infectivity of Bradyrhizobium sp. strain PZS_A08 on the growth of Indigofera zollingeriana (I. zollingeriana). The two carrier materials used were zeolite (solid) and molasses (liquid). This study used two carrier materials consisting of zeolite (solid) and molasses (liquid). The five treatments given were P0 (50% NPK), P1 (50% NPK+liquid biofertilizer), P2 (50% NPK+sterile liquid biofertilizer), P3 (50% NPK+solid biofertilizer), P4 (50 % NPK+sterile solid biofertilizer), P5 (100% NPK). Observations were made on the plant's height, number of leaves, number of nodules, upperparts and root wet biomass, root and upper parts dry biomass, root length, and microbial population). The use of liquid and solid carrier materials effectively affected the effectiveness and infectivity of Bradyrhizobium sp. strain PZS_A08 on I. zollingeriana. Inoculants Bradyrhizobium sp. strain PZS_A08 significantly increased plants' growth and reduced the use of 50% NPK fertilizer. Cold storage temperature (5ºC) effectively maintained Bradyrhizobium sp. strain PZS_A08 on liquid and solid carriers, while solid carriers showed better effectiveness at room temperature storage (30oC). Through this research, solid carriers such as zeolite are recommended as carriers for Bradyrhizobium sp. filter PZS_A08.

Oak (Quercus robur) Associated Endophytic Paenibacillus sp. Promotes Poplar (Populus spp.) Root Growth In Vitro.

Soil fertilization is necessary for high-demand crop production in agriculture and forestry. Our current dependence on chemical fertilizers has significant harmful side effects. Biofertilization using microorganisms is a sustainable way to limit the need for chemical fertilizers in various enterprises. Most plant endophytic bacteria have thus far been unstudied for their plant growth promoting potential and hence present a novel niche for new biofertilizer strains. We isolated English oak (Quercus robur) endophytic bacteria and tested them for plant growth promoting traits (PGPTs) such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate mineralization/solubilization, siderophore and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production. We also investigated the effect the selected isolate had on poplar (Populus spp.) microshoot vegetative growth parameters in vitro. In total 48 bacterial strains were isolated, attributed to Bacillus, Delftia, Paenibacillus, Pantoea and Pseudomonas genera. All the isolates displayed at least three PGPTs, with 39.6% of the isolates displaying all five (all were Pseudomonas spp.) and 18.75% displaying four. Based on relative abundance, Paenibacillus sp. isolate was selected for the poplar microshoot inoculation study. The isolate had a significant positive effect on poplar microshoot root growth and development. Two tested poplar genotypes both had increased lateral root number and density, fresh and dry root biomass. Furthermore, one genotype had increased length and number of adventitious roots as well as a decrease in fresh aboveground biomass. The root enhancement was attributed to IAA production. We propose this isolate for further studies as a potential biofertilizer.