Higher Growth Yield Research Articles

How nutrient loads influence microbial-derived carbon accumulation in wetlands: A new insight from microbial metabolic investment strategies

Excessive anthropogenic nutrient inputs often lead to the degradation of wetland ecosystems and a decrease in carbon sink capacity. Microbial-derived carbon is increasingly recognized as an important precursor for organic carbon formation, which is controlled by the balance between microbial anabolic and catabolic processes. Shifts in microbial metabolic investment under nutrient load disturbance are key, but understudied, components of microbial-derived carbon turnover. Here, the roles of the distinct life-history traits and cooperation degree of key microbial assemblies in regulating microbial-derived carbon accumulation in a wetland receiving treated wastewater were firstly assessed by combining microbial biomarkers and genomic approaches. It was found that microbial-derived carbon was an important source of organic carbon in wetlands, and strongly associated with several microbial assemblies with specific trait strategies. Further analysis demonstrated that high growth yield strategists were mainly associated with microbial necromass accrual, while microbial biomass was more dominated by resource acquisition strategies in nutrient-imbalanced wetlands. A significant positive relationship between positive cohesion and microbial-derived carbon indicated that cooperative behavior among taxa promoted the production and accumulation of microbial-derived carbon. Moreover, resource stoichiometric balance, including C:N and C:P, was identified as an important driver of shifts in microbial metabolic investment strategies. The decreased C:N ratio led to a shift from resource acquisition strategies to high growth yield strategies for the microbial community, which facilitated microbial necromass accrual along the N-limited wetland, while the increased C:P ratio caused by excessive P deposition in sediments limits microbial cooperative growth to some extent. This study highlighted the importance of stoichiometric balance in mediating microbial growth metabolism and, in turn, enhancing the carbon sink capacity of wetlands.

Assessment of Four-Seasonal Quality and Yield of Cut Flower Roses Grafted onto Rosa Rootstocks

Cut roses are ornamental crops that are produced year-round, and the quality and yield of these cut flowers vary depending on the temperature and light intensity of the four seasons. Grafting improves productivity by increasing adaptability to negative environments, such as high temperature and low light intensity. The effectiveness of grafting depends on the type of the scion and rootstock. In order to confirm the effectiveness of stenting on roses, two varieties of cut roses (Rosa hybrida cv. Pink Beauty and Pink Shine) were grafted onto three rootstocks (R. multiflora Natal Briar, R. indica Major, and Rosa multiflora Hort. No. 1), which are widely used in cut rose, and the quality and yield of the cut flowers were investigated year-round according to the four seasons; then, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The Rosa hybrida cv. Pink Beauty (PB) used as the scion showed high yield and excellent growth in autumn when the light intensity was high and the temperature was low. The PB grafted onto the R. multiflora Natal Briar (NA) rootstock showed improved growth in spring, autumn and winter, excluding summer, and had the effect of lengthening the stem. The growth of PB grafted onto R. indica Major (RI) rootstock was also improved in spring, autumn, and winter, except summer, and in particular, the stem was lengthened and thickened. The rosa hybrida cv. Pink Shine (PS) was a variety whose yield of cut flowers increased in summer when the temperature was high. The PS grafted onto the three rootstocks gave a higher yield of cut flowers than the PS scion. The graft of PS/Natal Briar gave longer stems than the PS scion, and the graft of PS/Major gave thicker stems than the PS scion. PS grafted onto the Rosa multiflora Hort. No. 1 (N1) rootstock gave more petals than the PS scion. As such, cut roses grafted onto the Rosa canina cv. Natal brier (NA) improved the stem length, increasing the adaptability to relatively high temperatures, and the Rosa indica cv. Major (RI) improved the stem length and stem diameter, enhancing the adaptability to relatively low temperatures.

Approach to microalgal biodiesel production: Insight review on recent advancements and future outlook

AbstractThe environmental concerns about fossil energy and rising oil prices are regular global phenomena. In such an exigency where fossil fuel sources are dwindling, carbon‐neutral biodiesel derived from microalgae lipid seems to be an important renewable energy resource. In recent years, microalgae have become a lucrative feedstock for economically viability of commercial‐scale biofuel production owing to its high biomass growth and high oil yield compared with other crops. The screening and selection of promising microalgae strain should be based on their fatty acid profile and culture conditions. The laboratory to pilot scale culture of microalgae species requires systematic experimental designs to maximize microalgal growth using open or raceway ponds, closed photo bioreactors and hybrid systems. The pros and cons of each harvesting technique, including filtration, centrifugation, sedimentation and flocculation as well cell disruption by thermal, mechanical, chemical and biological techniques, are deliberated in details. Furthermore, the application of homogeneous, heterogeneous and enzyme catalysts in transesterification processes as well as purification technologies are emphasized to ensure high‐quality biodiesel production as per ASTM norms. Microalgae comprise a potential feedstock and biodiesel synthesis from them requires a series of complex up‐streaming and down‐stream processes which are inherently disadvantageous in technology transfer from laboratory to industrial scale. This review paper is mainly focused on microalgal cultivation, harvesting, oil extraction, biodiesel production and purification technologies, and each vital process is critically reviewed in each step. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

(Invited) Development of 3-inch AlN Single Crystal Substrates

Aluminum nitride (AlN) holds great promise as a substrate for electronic devices such as high-power switches, high power density, high frequency and high operating temperature devices for RF. This promise is largely due to its superior properties, for instance its ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) of 6.2 eV, high thermal conductivity (> 290 W/m*K), high melting point (> 2800°C), relatively good chemical resistance, similarity of its lattice structure and parameters to that of Gallium nitride (GaN), high hardness value of about 12 GPa (at 1 N using Vickers indenter), etc. Presently AlN substrates are successfully used for fabrication of ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes (LEDs) operating at wavelengths shorter than 280 nm, i.e., in the UVC region of the spectrum. The AlN-based UVC LEDs are employed in water disinfection, surface cleaning, air purification, and environmental sensing. Several factors including substrate availability, size, production capacity, quality, and cost influence the commercialization of the aluminum nitride both as an UWBG and as an opto-electronic substrate. In this work we present the present and future outlook for the AlN substrates made using Physical Vapor Transport (PVT) growth technique.The PVT crystal growth method of aluminum nitride is carried out in a Tungsten crucible that accommodate the AlN source material as well as the (0001) oriented AlN seed. The thermal gradient is provided by an rf-heating plus appropriate shielding and insulation. In this setup, the sublimed source material is transported to the Al-polar face of the seed where it incorporates into a single crystal. The AlN crystals are then oriented, sliced, and polished. The resulting 2-inch substrates are tested to meet certain specification needed for further epitaxial growth and LED processing. The two-inch AlN wafer specification as well as number of physical properties and purity were previously reported [1].In addition to the 2-inch AlN crystal growth there is an ongoing effort to increase the substrate diameter. Large-diameter (e.g. 100 mm) AlN substrates are a practical requirement benefiting high power electronic devices. Again, PVT growth method is used to expand the crystal size and diameter. However, several challenges have yet to be resolved en route to 100 mm diameter crystals. These challenges are associated with increased thermally induced stress, the need for better control of the axial/radial thermal gradients, vendor ability to provide materials, maintaining crystal quality during expansion, etc.Our PVT growth technique demonstrates high crystal growth yield which allows to contain relatively low production cost. Furthermore, we have established a high-capacity process capable to produce many thousands of 2-inch AlN substrates per year. Our current crystal growth process also demonstrated greater than 3-inch diameter single-crystal AlN substrates; properties of such wafers will be reported. Robert T Bondokov et al 2021 ECS Trans. 104 37

Occurrence and Roles of Comammox Bacteria in Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems: A Critical Review

Nitrogen removal is a critical process in water treatment plants (WTPs) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The recent discovery of a novel bacterial process, complete ammonia oxidation (comammox, CMX), has refuted a century-long perception of the two-step conversion of NH3 to NO3–. Compared with canonical nitrifiers, CMX bacteria offer undeniable advantages, such as a high growth yield propensity and adaptability to nutrient- and growth-limiting conditions, which collectively draw attention to validate the aptness of CMX bacteria to wastewater treatment. As there has been no comprehensive review on the relevance of CMX bacteria for sustainable water and wastewater treatment, this review is intended to discuss the roles and applications of CMX in the removal of nitrogen and pollutants from water and wastewater. We took into account insights into the metabolic versatilities of CMX bacteria at the clade and subclade levels. We focused on the distribution of CMX bacteria in engineered systems, niche differentiation, co-occurrence and interactions with canonical nitrifiers for a better understanding of CMX bacteria in terms of their ecophysiology. Conceptualized details on the reactor adaptability and stress response of CMX bacteria are provided. The potential of CMX bacteria to degrade micropollutants either directly or co-metabolically was evaluated, and these insights would be an indispensable advantage in opening the doors for wider applications of CMX bacteria in WWTPs. Finally, we summarized future directions of research that are imperative in improving the understanding of CMX biology.

Metabolic pathway design for growth-associated phenylalanine production using synthetically designed mutualism.

Combination of growth-associated pathway engineering based on flux balance analysis (FBA) and adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) is a powerful approach to enhance the production of useful compounds. However, the feasibility of such growth-associated pathway designs depends on the type of target compound. In the present study, FBA predicted a set of gene deletions (pykA, pykF, ppc, zwf, and adhE) that leads to growth-associated phenylalanine production in Escherichia coli. The knockout strain is theoretically enforced to produce phenylalanine only at high growth yields, and could not be applied to the ALE experiment because of a severe growth defect. To overcome this challenge, we propose a novel approach for ALE based on mutualistic co-culture for coupling growth and production, regardless of the growth rate. We designed a synthetic mutualism of a phenylalanine-producing leucine-auxotrophic strain (KF strain) and a leucine-producing phenylalanine-auxotrophic strain (KL strain) and performed an ALE experiment for approximately 160 generations. The evolved KF strain (KF-E strain) grew in a synthetic medium (with glucose as the main carbon source) supplemented with leucine, while severe growth defects were observed in the parental KF strain. The phenylalanine yield of the KF-E strain was 2.3 times higher than that of the KF strain.

Expanding the phylogenetic distribution of cytochrome b-containing methanogenic archaea sheds light on the evolution of methanogenesis

Methane produced by methanogenic archaea has an important influence on Earth’s changing climate. Methanogenic archaea are phylogenetically diverse and widespread in anoxic environments. These microorganisms can be divided into two subgroups based on whether or not they use b-type cytochromes for energy conservation. Methanogens with b-type cytochromes have a wider substrate range and higher growth yields than those without them. To date, methanogens with b-type cytochromes were found exclusively in the phylum “Ca. Halobacteriota” (formerly part of the phylum Euryarchaeota). Here, we present the discovery of metagenome-assembled genomes harboring methyl-coenzyme M reductase genes reconstructed from mesophilic anoxic sediments, together with the previously reported thermophilic “Ca. Methylarchaeum tengchongensis”, representing a novel archaeal order, designated the “Ca. Methylarchaeales”, of the phylum Thermoproteota (formerly the TACK superphylum). These microorganisms contain genes required for methyl-reducing methanogenesis and the Wood-Ljundahl pathway. Importantly, the genus “Ca. Methanotowutia” of the “Ca. Methylarchaeales” encode a cytochrome b-containing heterodisulfide reductase (HdrDE) and methanophenazine-reducing hydrogenase complex that have similar gene arrangements to those found in methanogenic Methanosarcinales. Our results indicate that members of the “Ca. Methylarchaeales” are methanogens with cytochromes and can conserve energy via membrane-bound electron transport chains. Phylogenetic and amalgamated likelihood estimation analyses indicate that methanogens with cytochrome b-containing electron transfer complexes likely evolved before diversification of Thermoproteota or “Ca. Halobacteriota” in the early Archean Eon. Surveys of public sequence databases suggest that members of the lineage are globally distributed in anoxic sediments and may be important players in the methane cycle.

Ultrahigh yield and large-scale fast growth of large-size high-quality van der Waals transition-metal telluride single crystals

Stable, rapid, and large-scale production of high-quality, large-size two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals single crystals is an important prerequisite for realizing the potential of highly integrated 2D devices. Here, we report a chloride-mediated chemical vapor transport (CVT) approach to achieve large-scale production of MoTe 2 and WTe 2 single crystals with lateral sizes up to 2 cm and extremely high quality. The largest magnetoresistance and carrier mobility can reach 170% and 1,390.09 cm 2 V -1 s -1 for 2H-MoTe 2 crystals and 506,017% and 11,952.10 cm 2 V -1 s -1 for Td-WTe 2 crystals, respectively, and all are among the best reported ones. Compared with the conventional CVT method, which has a long growth cycle and much reactive reagent surplus, the growth speed of the current method is about 73 to 9,144 times faster, with ultrahigh yields of nearly 100%. The high crystallinity guarantees the crystals can be easily exfoliated to large-scale 2D crystals down to monolayers for assembling 2D high-performance devices. • High-yield and large-scale fast growth of van der Waals TMT single crystals • TMTs exhibit high crystalline quality and good electrical transport properties • TMTs monolayers with millimeter-scale lateral dimensions • TMT-based field-effect transistor and Hall device exhibit stable performance Obtaining high-quality, large-size 2D vdW single crystals is an important prerequisite for realizing the potential of highly integrated 2D devices. Here, Yang et al. report a chloride-mediated CVT approach to achieve ultrahigh-yield and large-scale fast growth of centimeter-sized transition-metal telluride single crystals with extremely high quality.

Latest growth of large diameter Tl-based elpasolite scintillation crystals

Elpasolite scintillators play an important role in radiation detection and imaging. Novel Tl-based elpasolite scintillators such as Ce-doped Tl2LiYCl6 (TLYC) have been developed as excellent Tl-based dual mode gamma and neutron detectors. This paper presents a successful high yield growth and γ-ray characterization of large diameter (1-inch to 1.5-inch diameter) single, crack-free, and transparent TLYC crystals at Fisk University. Energy resolution of 4.2% (FWHM) at 662 keV and light yield of 26,000 photons/MeV are measured. As-processed and hermetically packaged TLYC samples are characterized for their gamma-ray energy resolutions, light yields, non-proportionality behaviors and decay times. Successful growth of 1-inch diameter (Cs,Tl)2LiLaBr6:Ce crystals are also shown. The best result is obtained when the content of Cs+ is larger than Tl+. Energy resolution of 3.4% (FWHM) at 662 keV is measured for (Cs,Tl)2LiLaBr6:Ce for 75% Cs-to-25% Tl ratio.

Biochemistry shapes growth kinetics of nitrifiers and defines their activity under specific environmental conditions.

Is it possible to find trends between the parameters that define microbial growth to help us explain the vast microbial diversity? Through an extensive database of kinetic parameters of nitrifiers, we analyzed if the dominance of specific populations of nitrifiers could be predicted and explained. We concluded that, in general, higher growth yield (YXS) and ammonia affinity (a0 NH3) and lower growth rate (µmax) are observed for ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) than bacteria (AOB), which would explain their considered dominance in oligotrophic environments. However, comammox (CMX), with the maximum energy harvest per mole of ammonia, and some AOB, have higher a0 NH3 and lower µmax than some AOA. Although we were able to correlate the presence of specific terminal oxidases with observed oxygen affinities (a0 O2) for nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria (NOB), that correlation was not observed for AOB. Moreover, the presumed dominance of AOB over NOB in O2‐limiting environments is discussed. Additionally, lower statistical variance of a0 O2 values than for ammonia and nitrite affinities was observed, suggesting nitrogen limitation as a stronger selective pressure. Overall, specific growth strategies within nitrifying groups were not identified through the reported kinetic parameters, which might suggest that mostly, fundamental differences in biochemistry are responsible for underlying kinetic parameters.

Forecasting the level of crop yields in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

Scientific article defines the most important indicators of the economic efficiency of crop production and agricultural production, including productivity. The structure of production of the main types of crop production in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic by categories of farms as a percentage of the total production has been studied. It has been established that the main types of crop production are grain, sunflower seeds, potatoes, and vegetables. The volume of production of the main types of crop production in farms of all categories of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in 2020 increased compared to the previous year. Productivity is the most important indicator reflecting the level of intensification of agricultural production. The quality of the planned economic level largely depends on the correct planning and forecasting of the level of crop yields. An analysis of yields in farms of all categories of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in 2020 made it possible to establish that sunflower has the highest yield growth rate, and vegetable production has significantly decreased. The production of potatoes and vegetables in households in 2020 increased in relation to the volume of agricultural production. The production of grain and vegetables in peasant (farmer) households and individual entrepreneurs in 2020 decreased in relation to the volume of agricultural production. In farms of all categories of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, an additional increase in productivity is predicted due to the introduction of innovative technologies in crop production.

Assessment of the impact of irrigation with treated wastewater at different dilutions on growth, quality parameters and contamination transfer in strawberry fruits and soil: Health risk assessment

Industrial treated wastewater (TWW) could be an attractive alternative fto fresh water use in agriculture due to the shortage in water resource especially in the Mediterranean region. Furthermore, TWW could represent an efficient substitute for crop production thanks to its high load in nutrient. However, its high content of salts or mineral as well as organic pollutants can affect the crop safety, productivity and growth. A simple way to reduce the amount of chloride and salinity could be the dilution. In this study the irrigation of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv Camarosa) using diluted TWW at three dilution ratios; D60 (40% TWW) D40 and D20 was performed and compared with the well water (WW) used as control. The use of TWW for the irrigation of strawberry plants was done for the first time in the city of Sfax located in the southeast of Tunisia.D20 registered the lowest strawberry yield and highest heavy metal contents in fruits compared to the other dilutions. Also, this dilution showed a toxic effect of high accumulation of chlorine, salts and metals by the apparition of brown edges in the leaves. However, D60 recorded the lowest soil salinity, the high plant growth and strawberry yield compared to the WW irrigated plants and showed lowest metal contents in soil, plants and fruits compared to other dilutions. Our study suggests the use of 60% diluted TWW for the irrigation of strawberry in order to obtain fruits matching international safety and quality standards.

Fine-Scale Adaptations to Environmental Variation and Growth Strategies Drive Phyllosphere Methylobacterium Diversity.

ABSTRACTMethylobacterium is a prevalent bacterial genus of the phyllosphere. Despite its ubiquity, little is known about the extent to which its diversity reflects neutral processes like migration and drift, versus environmental filtering of life history strategies and adaptations. In two temperate forests, we investigated how phylogenetic diversity within Methylobacterium is structured by biogeography, seasonality, and growth strategies. Using deep, culture-independent barcoded marker gene sequencing coupled with culture-based approaches, we uncovered a considerable diversity of Methylobacterium in the phyllosphere. We cultured different subsets of Methylobacterium lineages depending upon the temperature of isolation and growth (20°C or 30°C), suggesting long-term adaptation to temperature. To a lesser extent than temperature adaptation, Methylobacterium diversity was also structured across large (>100 km; between forests) and small (<1.2 km; within forests) geographical scales, among host tree species, and was dynamic over seasons. By measuring the growth of 79 isolates during different temperature treatments, we observed contrasting growth performances, with strong lineage- and season-dependent variations in growth strategies. Finally, we documented a progressive replacement of lineages with a high-yield growth strategy typical of cooperative, structured communities in favor of those characterized by rapid growth, resulting in convergence and homogenization of community structure at the end of the growing season. Together, our results show how Methylobacterium is phylogenetically structured into lineages with distinct growth strategies, which helps explain their differential abundance across regions, host tree species, and time. This work paves the way for further investigation of adaptive strategies and traits within a ubiquitous phyllosphere genus.

CO2-dependent High-yield Growth of a Heterotrophic Bacterium under Oligotrophic Conditions

CO₂-dependent High-yield Growth of a Heterotrophic Bacterium under Oligotrophic Conditions

LED Illumination for High-Quality High-Yield Crop Growth in Protected Cropping Environments.

Vegetables and herbs play a central role in the human diet due to their low fat and calory content and essential antioxidant, phytochemicals, and fiber. It is well known that the manipulation of light wavelengths illuminating the crops can enhance their growth rate and nutrient contents. To date, it has not been easy to generalize the effects of LED illumination because of the differences in the plant species investigated, the measured traits, the way wavelengths have been manipulated, and the plants’ growing environments. In order to address this gap, we undertook a quantitative review of LED manipulation in relation to plant traits, focusing on vegetables and herbs. Here, we use standardized measurements of biomass, antioxidant, and other quantitative characteristics together with the whole range of the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Overall, our review revealed support for the claims that the red and blue LED illumination is more reliable and efficient than full spectrum illumination and increases the plant’s biomass and nutritional value by enhancing the photosynthetic activity, antioxidant properties, phenolic, and flavonoids contents. Although LED illumination provides an efficient way to improve yield and modify plant properties, this study also highlights the broad range of responses among species, varieties traits, and the age of plant material.

Frank-van der Merwe growth in bilayer graphene

Frank-van der Merwe growth in bilayer graphene

High-Yield Growth and Tunable Morphology of Bi2Se3 Nanoribbons Synthesized on Thermally Dewetted Au.

The yield and morphology (length, width, thickness) of stoichiometric Bi2Se3 nanoribbons grown by physical vapor deposition is studied as a function of the diameters and areal number density of the Au catalyst nanoparticles of mean diameters 8–150 nm formed by dewetting Au layers of thicknesses 1.5–16 nm. The highest yield of the Bi2Se3 nanoribbons is reached when synthesized on dewetted 3 nm thick Au layer (mean diameter of Au nanoparticles ~10 nm) and exceeds the nanoribbon yield obtained in catalyst-free synthesis by almost 50 times. The mean lengths and thicknesses of the Bi2Se3 nanoribbons are directly proportional to the mean diameters of Au catalyst nanoparticles. In contrast, the mean widths of the Bi2Se3 nanoribbons do not show a direct correlation with the Au nanoparticle size as they depend on the contribution ratio of two main growth mechanisms—catalyst-free and vapor–liquid–solid deposition. The Bi2Se3 nanoribbon growth mechanisms in relation to the Au catalyst nanoparticle size and areal number density are discussed. Determined charge transport characteristics confirm the high quality of the synthesized Bi2Se3 nanoribbons, which, together with the high yield and tunable morphology, makes these suitable for application in a variety of nanoscale devices.

Effect of HF wet-etching and H2-plasma polishing on the low-temperature growth of carbon nanotubes on stainless-steel substrates

Direct growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on 316 stainless-steel (SS) substrates could facilitate versatile commercial applications. For the successful synthesis of CNTs on SS substrate, hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching renders suitable surface roughness to promote CNT growth. For catalyst preparation and also subsequent CNT growth, H2-plasma treatment plays essential roles. Reversing the aging effect of Fe/Ni from its unwanted oxides of reduced catalytic activity and formation of Fe nanoparticles from the sheet are accomplished using H2-plasma. High-density plasma, along with specific gas precursors with its energetic ions, required for uniform CNT growth is attained by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. By using CO2, providing suitable oxidizer precursors, in (CH4 + H2) diffuse plasma, necessary ambience for low-temperature nucleation (300 °C) and high-yield CNT growth is obtained. Reduction in the deposition rate by highly-energetic ion collisions in high-power plasma is resolved by introducing remote plasma configuration using a specially designed mask assembly. Considering the optimum magnitudes of the intensity ratios of D- and 2D-peaks to the G-peak in the Raman spectra of CNTs, a time span of 2 h of HF-etching appears optimum for proper functioning of the Fe/Ni nanoparticle catalyst. Furthermore, H2-plasma polishing is effectively utilized as the last step of pretreatment, leading to the growth of lower-diameter CNTs. Finally, using a shadow mask assembly and weak oxidizing gas, low-temperature growth of CNTs is successfully accomplished on SS substrates, pretreated by optimum HF-etching and H2-plasma polishing on the Fe-nanoparticle catalyst layer, avoiding the conventional steps of high-temperature annealing for catalyst nanoparticle formation as well as high-temperature nucleation for CNT growth. Even without the use of a separate Fe-catalyst layer, CNT growth is accomplished directly on HF-etched and H2-plasma polished SS substrates, utilizing mostly Fe/Ni nano-grains that originate from the intrinsic composition of SS as the nucleation sites. Use of limited action-steps and of a low-temperature (~300 °C) distinguish this as a realistic avenue for commercial production of CNTs.

The effectiveness of biological products in the steppe conditions of the Central Chernozem region

In the steppe conditions of the Central Chernozem region, the effectiveness of biologics based on associative microorganisms in the crops of spring barley and winter triticale was studied. The effectiveness of biological products was evaluated on two fertilization backgrounds: the natural background of mineral nutrition (without fertilizers) and pre-sowing nitrogen application at a dose of 30 kg / ha of the active substance. The studies carried out in the steppe conditions of the Central Forest District, with insufficient moisture supply, allowed us to establish a high responsiveness of cultivated plants to pre-sowing seed treatment with drug strains. In barley crops, mineral nitrogen contributed to an increase in productivity by 0.26 t/ha. Seed inoculation contributed to an increase in grain harvest by 0.31-.52 t/ha. The greatest increase in single application was provided by strains 7, 2P-7 and 204. Higher yield growth was observed in the binary application of strains 7, 30, 204 in combination with strain 8. The productivity of triticale in the conditions of the Central Processing Plant was higher than that of barley. Mineral nitrogen increased the yield of triticale by 0.33 t/ha. On a natural background, microbial strains increased grain harvest by 0.55 t/ha. The maximum effect was observed when inoculated with strain 18-5. The combined use of microbial strains with nitrogen fertilizer did not contribute to a further increase in the productivity of triticale.

Drought legacies mediated by trait trade‐offs in soil microbiomes

AbstractSoil microbiomes play a key role in driving biogeochemical cycles of the Earth system. As drought frequency and intensity increase due to climate change, soil microbes and the processes they control will be impacted. Even after a drought ends, microbiomes and other systems take time to recover and may display a memory of previous climate conditions. Still, the mechanisms involved in these legacy effects remain unclear, making it difficult to predict climate and biogeochemical rates in the future. Here, we used a trait‐based microbiome model (DEMENTpy) to implement trade‐off‐mediated mechanisms that may lead to drought legacy effects on litter decomposition. Trade‐offs were assumed to follow the Y‐A‐S framework that defines three primary life‐history strategies of microorganisms: high growth Yield, resource Acquisition, and Stress tolerance. We represented cellular trade‐offs between osmolytes required for drought tolerance and investment in enzymes involved in litter decomposition. Simulations were run under varying levels of drought severity and dispersal. With high levels of dispersal, no legacy effects were predicted by DEMENTpy following drought. With limited dispersal, severe drought resulted in a persistent legacy of altered community‐level traits and reduced litter decomposition. Moderate drought resulted in a transient legacy that disappeared after two years, consistent with recent empirical observations in Southern California ecosystems. These results imply that greater movement along the trade‐off between enzyme investment and osmolyte production resulted in stronger legacy effects. More generally, factors that shift the position of a microbiome in YAS space may alter the legacy outcome following drought. Our trait‐based modeling study motivates additional empirical measurements to quantify YAS traits and trade‐offs that are needed to make accurate predictions of soil microbiome resilience and functioning. Also, our study illustrates an emerging approach for representing trait trade‐offs in microbiomes and vegetation that dictate ecosystem responses to drought and other environmental perturbations.