Plant Nutrition Research Articles

Magnesium dynamics in the soil-plant system and its role in plant metabolism and nutrition: a review

Magnesium dynamics in the soil-plant system and its role in plant metabolism and nutrition: a review

Changes in the elemental composition of agrocenosis components on gray forest soil under long-term application of mineral and organic fertilizers

The paper analyzes the elemental composition of soils and plants of agrocenosis on the gray forest soil of Vladimir opolye under long-term application of mineral and organic fertilizers. The content of total and mobile forms of Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, Mn, Fe and the content of these elements in aboveground plant organs, as well as changes in the main agrochemical characteristics that can affect the availability of elements to plants were evaluated. It is shown that the application of mineral fertilizers contributes to soil acidification, increase in the content of organic carbon, mobile forms of phosphorus. At the same time, the variants with joint application of mineral and organic fertilizers are subject to less change of these characteristics, which may be due to the increased buffering capacity of the soil with respect to the components coming with mineral salts, due to the applied organic matter. Introduction of Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, Mn, Fe into agrocenosis with fertilizers (organic and mineral) did not affect the gross content of metals in soil. There was a change in the content of mobile forms of metals in the soil due to changes in agrochemical parameters of soils. Changes in the content of trace elements in plant products were recorded. The reduction of Zn, Cu content in plants on the variants with more intensive use of fertilizers (and with higher yield) is explained by "dilution effect". The low content of Co in the soil and its insufficient supply to the plants must be controlled. The joint use of data on changes in the elemental composition of soils and plants allows better differentiation of experimental variants in the space of principal components when analyzed by this method and is promising for monitoring the consequences of agrogenic load of different degrees. The results obtained can be taken into account in the formation of criteria for assessing the mineral nutrition of plants and fertilizer application rates.

Is calcium deficiency the real cause of bitter pit? A review.

Bitter pit is a disorder affecting the appearance of apples. Susceptibility is genetically controlled by both the cultivar and rootstock, with both environmental and horticultural factors affecting its severity and proportional incidence. Symptoms appear more frequently at the calyx end of the fruit and consist of circular necrotic spots, which take on a "corky" appearance visible through the peel. Bitter pit may develop before harvest, or after harvest, reducing the proportions of marketable fruit. In this review, current knowledge of the factors associated with the occurrence of bitter pit in apples is summarized and discussed along with their interactions with Ca uptake and distribution to fruit. This disorder has been previously linked with localized Ca deficiencies in fruit during its development. However, these relationships are not always clear. Even with over a century of research, the precise mechanisms involved in its development are still not fully understood. Additional factors also contribute to bitter pit development, like imbalances of mineral nutrients, low concentration of auxins, high concentration of gibberellins, changes in xylem functionality, or physiological responses to abiotic stress. Bitter pit remains a complex disorder with multiple factors contributing to its development including changes at whole plant and cellular scales. Apple growers must carefully navigate these complex interactions between genetics, environment, and management decisions to minimize bitter pit in susceptible cultivars. Accordingly, management of plant nutrition, fruit crop load, and tree vigor still stands as the most important contribution to reducing bitter pit development. Even so, there will be situations where the occurrence of bitter pit will be inevitable due to cultivar and/or abiotic stress conditions.

Controlling System in Smart Agriculture for Automatic Monitoring of Plant Nutrition

Controlling System in Smart Agriculture for Automatic Monitoring of Plant Nutrition

The microbial-driven nitrogen cycle and its relevance for plant nutrition.

Nitrogen (N) is a vital nutrient and an essential component of biological macromolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. Microorganisms are major drivers of N-cycling processes in all ecosystems, including the soil and plant environment. The availability of N is a major growth-limiting factor for plants and it is significantly affected by the plant microbiome. Plants and microorganisms form complex interaction networks resulting in molecular signaling, nutrient exchange, and other distinct metabolic responses. In these networks, microbial partners influence growth and N use efficiency of plants either positively or negatively. Harnessing the beneficial effects of specific players within crop microbiomes is a promising strategy to counteract the emerging threats to human and planetary health due to the overuse of industrial N fertilizers. However, in addition to N-providing activities (e.g. the well-known symbiosis of legumes and Rhizobium spp.), other plant-microorganism interactions must be considered to obtain a complete picture of how microbial-driven N transformations might affect plant nutrition. For this, we review recent insights into the tight interplay between plants and N-cycling microorganisms, focusing on microbial N-transformation processes representing N sources and sinks that ultimately shape plant N acquisition.

Bimetallic metal-organic framework aerogels supported by aramid nanofibers for efficient CO2 capture

The excessive CO2 emission has gained global attentions due to its potential effects on climate change, plant nutrition deterioration, and human health and safety. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) featured with high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and tailorable morphology have been widely applied for CO2 capture. However, some drawbacks of poor mechanical stability and uneven distribution of mesopores limit their further applications. Herein, we demonstrate a one-step synthesis of bimetallic center framework (OSSBCF) and pore reconstruction (PRC) strategy to prepare the hierarchical porous Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels. This unique design achieves the construction of efficient gas transfer channels and creates massive micropores with abundant Lewis basic adsorption sites. Benefiting from theses merits, the bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels demonstrate high MOFs loading mass of 47.51 wt%, high specific surface area of 686.39 m2g−1, and large porosity of 99.31 %. Moreover, the bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels exhibit an enhanced CO2 adsorption capacity of 5.99 mmol/g and CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity of 35 at 25 °C and 1 bar. The CO2 capacity of bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels keep up to 95.19 % after ten cycles of CO2 adsorption, indicating the excellent long-term recycle stability. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy to engineer hierarchical porous bimetallic MOF aerogels toward practical CO2 capture.

Influence of soil organic matter, fertiliser formulation and season on fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency in temperate pastures

Intensively grazed dairy systems use high inputs of fertiliser nitrogen (N), and often supplementary irrigation, to ensure adequate pasture production to support milk output and meet the growing food demand. However, the efficiency of N use in these systems can be low and potential environmental impacts high. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that (1) use of two inhibitors, the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide (NBTPT) and the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) reduced N loss and improved pasture production compared to conventional N fertiliser (urea) in irrigated temperate perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) dairy pasture, and (2) their efficiency was affected by soil and environmental parameters. The effect of repeated applications of urea, at different rates, and the inhibitors were studied on pasture production and agronomic apparent fertiliser N use efficiency (NUE) over 2.5 years. The fate of a single application of N was determined through recovery of 15N-labeled fertiliser applied at 20 and 40 kg N ha−1 was studied in the field for one year. The highest yield and NUE occurred in spring–summer (from August to February) reflecting optimal growing conditions. The highest NUE occurred at low rates of urea application (20 and 40 kg N ha−1). Mineralisation played a key role in supplying N to pasture with 64–82% of total plant N derived from soil organic matter (SOM). Less than 50% of the applied N was recovered in the pasture (37–43%) with a large component retained in the soil (26–43% after one year, 0–40 cm), and slowly released in small amounts (< 2%) to the pasture over time, highlighting the abundant capacity of the native soil N pool to supply pasture N. Loss of N fertiliser (14–31%) was attributed to primarily ammonia (NH3) volatilisation and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. Use of the inhibitors NBTPT and DMPP did not significantly affect pasture yield or NUE, most likely because fertiliser N saved with the inhibitors only played a minor role in plant nutrition with the majority of the plant nutrition provided by the soil organic matter pool.

An Azospirillum brasilense chemoreceptor that mediates nitrate chemotaxis has conditional roles in the colonization of plant roots.

Motile plant-associated bacteria use chemotaxis and dedicated chemoreceptors to navigate gradients in their surroundings and to colonize host plant surfaces. Here, we characterize a chemoreceptor that we named Tlp2 in the soil alphaproteobacterium Azospirillum brasilense. We show that the Tlp2 ligand-binding domain is related to the 4-helix bundle family and is conserved in chemoreceptors found in the genomes of many soil- and sediment-dwelling alphaproteobacteria. The promoter of tlp2 is regulated in an NtrC- and RpoN-dependent manner and is most upregulated under conditions of nitrogen fixation or in the presence of nitrate. Using fluorescently tagged Tlp2 (Tlp2-YFP), we show that this chemoreceptor is present in low abundance in chemotaxis-signaling clusters and is prone to degradation. We also obtained evidence that the presence of ammonium rapidly disrupts Tlp2-YFP localization. Behavioral experiments using a strain lacking Tlp2 and variants of Tlp2 lacking conserved arginine residues suggest that Tlp2 mediates chemotaxis in gradients of nitrate and nitrite, with the R159 residue being essential for Tlp2 function. We also provide evidence that Tlp2 is essential for root surface colonization of some plants (teff, red clover, and cowpea) but not others (wheat, sorghum, alfalfa, and pea). These results highlight the selective role of nitrate sensing and chemotaxis in plant root surface colonization and illustrate the relative contribution of chemoreceptors to chemotaxis and root surface colonization.IMPORTANCEBacterial chemotaxis mediates host-microbe associations, including the association of beneficial bacteria with the roots of host plants. Dedicated chemoreceptors specify sensory preferences during chemotaxis. Here, we show that a chemoreceptor mediating chemotaxis to nitrate is important in the beneficial soil bacterium colonization of some but not all plant hosts tested. Nitrate is the preferred nitrogen source for plant nutrition, and plants sense and tightly control nitrate transport, resulting in varying nitrate uptake rates depending on the plant and its physiological state. Nitrate is thus a limiting nutrient in the rhizosphere. Chemotaxis and dedicated chemoreceptors for nitrate likely provide motile bacteria with a competitive advantage to access this nutrient in the rhizosphere.

Competitive fitness and stability of ammonium-excreting Azotobacter vinelandii strains in the soil

Non-symbiotic N2-fixation would greatly increase the versatility of N-biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Genetic modification of diazotrophic bacteria has successfully enhanced NH4+ release. In this study, we compared the competitive fitness of A. vinelandii mutant strains, which allowed us to analyze the burden of NH4+ release under a broad dynamic range. Long-term competition assays under regular culture conditions confirmed a large burden for NH4+ release, exclusion by the wt strain, phenotypic instability, and loss of the ability to release NH4+. In contrast, co-inoculation in mild autoclaved soil showed a much longer co-existence with the wt strain and a stable NH4+ release phenotype. All genetically modified strains increased the N content and changed its chemical speciation in the soil. This study contributes one step forward towards bridging a knowledge gap between molecular biology laboratory research and the incorporation of N from the air into the soil in a molecular species suitable for plant nutrition, a crucial requirement for developing improved bacterial inoculants for economic and environmentally sustainable agriculture.Key points• Genetic engineering for NH4+ excretion imposes a fitness burden on the culture medium• Large phenotypic instability for NH4+-excreting bacteria in culture medium• Lower fitness burden and phenotypic instability for NH4+-excreting bacteria in soil

An Overview of Seed Production Methodologies in Selected Flowering Annuals

This review provides a comprehensive overview of flower seed production, emphasizing the significance of the floriculture industry. Flower crops, especially annuals, contribute significantly to the beautification of surroundings and have become a lucrative agricultural business globally. The demand for quality flower seeds has led to the establishment of production facilities, particularly in India, catering to both domestic and international markets. The climatic requirements for seed production vary across different flower crops, with considerations for mild, sub-tropical, and tropical climates. The review delves into the nature of pollination for various flower crops, emphasizing the need for isolation to prevent contamination. F1 hybrid seed production is discussed, highlighting its merits and demerits, along with techniques for creating cross-hybrid seeds. The agronomic principles involved in hybrid seed production, including variety selection, seed pre-conditioning, planting time, sowing methods, and density, are detailed. The role of plant growth regulators, irrigation, and nutrition in optimizing seed yields is explored. Harvesting methods and the critical importance of proper timing are addressed, along with insights into seed storage conditions. The review concludes by emphasizing the multifaceted aspects of flower seed production, from climatic considerations to agronomic practices, pollination, and post-harvest processes. The knowledge presented serves as a valuable resource for practitioners and researchers in the floriculture and seed production sectors.

Iron nutritional efficiency, cycling and export in oil palm cultivated at different ages

Iron (Fe) plays a fundamental role in the nutrition of plants, yet its role in oil palm remains understudied. This study aims to unlock the role of Fe by analyzing its cycling and export different stages of oil palm tree growth. The experiment was conducted in Thailand, Pará State (Brazil), in a dystrophic Yellow Ferralsol, in a split-block, with four replications and seven treatments (plant age; 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). The concentration, accumulation, recycling, immobilization, and export of Fe were evaluated, in addition to Fe use efficiency, in all plant organs. Analysis of variance (p < 0.05) was carried out on the results and regression model adjustments. The concentration and accumulation of Fe in the stem was greatest at the eighth year of the plants, and the fruit had higher Fe export values in the eighth year of the oil palm as well. As plants aged, the Fe concentration, accumulation, export, and use efficiency increased. Oil palm accumulates and immobilizes more Fe in its organs than it exports, a fact that contributes to the cycling and nutrition of the Fe in the plant. This research paves the way for future studies to explore how Fe can be optimized in oil palm trees to unlock their full potential.

OBTAINING HUMATE-, NITROGEN AND MOLYBDENUM-CONTAINING LIQUID ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZERS

The presence of humic substances (HS) and microelements in liquid organomineral fertilizers (LOMF) makes it possible to balance the mineral nutrition of plants and thereby increase the agricultural crops yield. The use of such fertilizers significantly increases the efficiency and reduces the costs of using mineral fertilizers. The aim of this work is to study the patterns of new types LOMF obtaining process, including macro- and microelements and physiologically active humic substances, and its composition and properties. Methods. Chemical analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, infrared spectroscopy. Results and discussion. The processes of synthesis of LOMF through the interaction of sodium humate and ammonium heptamolybdate tetrahydrate were studied. Analysis of obtained results showed the same nature of the composition dependence and properties of the obtained LOMF on time. It was found that increasing the time from 10 to 120 min leads to an increase in the yield of humic acids (HAdaf) to 40.08%, the N content to 4.62% and Mo to 0.17%, the amount of COOH to 1.80 mg-eq/g and OHphen. groups – up to 0.71 mg-eq/g. It has been shown that with an increase in S:L ratio from 0.3:100 to 0.7:100, the HAdaf decreases to 36.97%, and the N and Mo contents increase, respectively, to 6.0 and 0.37%. Conclusion. The regularities of the time influence and S:L ratios on the composition and properties of LOMF samples have been established. It has been shown that an increase in time and S:L ratio contributes to an increase in the content of N and Mo, the carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups. The changes in these parameters have different effects on the HAdaf. The presence of HS, N, Mo, COOH and OHphen groups in the resulting products allows them to be used in agriculture and for restoring soil fertility.

Application of Liquid Organic Fertilizer to Improve Yields in System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Organic fertilizer is a source of nutrition for plants which is an alternative to inorganic fertilizer. Liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) which comes from coconut fiber and banana LOF which comes from banana stems from which the fruit has been removed, so that wasted plant residue can be used as fertilizer. The study aimed to obtain the best type of LOF and concentration in increasing the growth and yield of the Batang Piaman rice variety using the SRI method. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; The research was conducted from June to December, 2023 in Padang City, West Sumatra. The method used was an experiment with a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in nested with each treatment consisting of 3 groups. The treatment consisted of LOF types at two levels (banana stems and coconut fiber) and LOF concentrations at seven levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mL/L). Observational data were analysed by variance analysis with F test at 5% real level, but if there were differences, it was continued with DMRT further test at 5% real level by STAR IRRI Philippine software (Philippine). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The results obtained were that LOF coconut fiber provided better growth components, yield components and physiological components than banana stem LOF with the best concentration, on the provision of LOF coconut fiber 100 mL/L on the number of rice plant tillers and stomatal density and concentration of 200 mL/L on the number of productive tillers. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The application of LOF coconut fiber is better for the growth and yield of rice plants of the Batang Piaman variety compared to the administration of LOF banana stems by applying coconut fiber liquid organic fertilizer with a concentration of 100 mL/L, it is recommended to add coconut fiber LOF to rice fields to increase growth and yield.

Development and implementation of a novel mechanized planting method for ecological restoration of aquatic environments using degradable nutrition pots

Submerged plants play a significant role in the remediation and purification of polluted water bodies. Reconstruction of submerged plants has been considered as an important ecological method to restore aquatic ecosystems. However, large-scale and efficient plantation of submerged plants in water restoration is a huge challenge. This paper proposes a novel mechanized planting method for submerged plants utilizing nutrition pots as planting units. Firstly, the details of the mechanized planting method were introduced. The mechanized planting method involves pre-planting the reproductive bodies of submerged plants in degradable nutrition pots, and then implanting them into the underwater soil through a planting device. Secondly, the interaction force between the nutrition pot and the soil was measured. It was found that the implantation force of nutrition pots increases with planting velocity. The planting force shows a significant increase trend when the water content in the soil decreases. Thirdly, the deformation of the nutrition pot was studied through simulations. It was discovered that the deformation of the nutrition pot mainly occurs at the bottom and the side walls near the bottom, and the limited deformation ensures the integrity of the nutrition pot. Finally, a planting device with a linear motion mechanism was designed, and a typical submerged plant, Vallisneria natans was tested, using agricultural paper seedling containers as the nutrition pots. It was demonstrated that the mechanized device successfully planted submerged plant nutrition pots into the soil, and the submerged plants survived and showed a clear growth trend. The mechanized planting method of submerged plants proposed in this article is expected to provide a new and friendly technology for ecological restoration of water source.

Molecular docking of nano Zn capped by rhamnolipids

Rhamnolipids has been used as capping agent for ZnO nanoparticles to improving the plant micronutrition. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using co-precipitation method, and the prepared nanoparticles were capped with Rhamnolipids. The structural, morphological, optical, and particle stability characteristics of the chelated ZnO nanoparticles were investigated. UV–vis spectroscopy was used to investigate the optical properties of ZnO and Rhamnolipids capped ZnO nanoparticles. The stability of Rhamnolipids capped ZnO nanoparticles is higher (38.45 mV) than that of ZnO nanoparticles alone (32.3 mV). The Zn mineral nutrition in plants is improved by Rhamnolipids capped ZnO nanoparticles. In order to get a broad understanding of the binding of capped ZnO nanoparticles, a detailed molecular docking analysis was taken up. Molecular docking analysis reveals that the binding of Zn atom to LasI protein receptor has more neighboring group amino acid residues and greater binding affinity than the binding to LasR receptor.

Sonosynthetic Cyanobacteria Oxygenation for Self-Enhanced Tumor-Specific Treatment.

Photosynthesis, essential for life on earth, sustains diverse processes by providing nutrition in plants and microorganisms. Especially, photosynthesis is increasingly applied in disease treatments, but its efficacy is substantially limited by the well-known low penetration depth of external light. Here, ultrasound-mediated photosynthesis is reported for enhanced sonodynamic tumor therapy using organic sonoafterglow (ultrasound-induced afterglow) nanoparticles combined with cyanobacteria, demonstrating the proof-of-concept sonosynthesis (sonoafterglow-induced photosynthesis) in cancer therapy. Chlorin e6, a typical small-molecule chlorine, is formulated into nanoparticles to stimulate cyanobacteria for sonosynthesis, which serves three roles, i.e., overcoming the tissue-penetration limitations of external light sources, reducing hypoxia, and acting as a sonosensitizer for in vivo tumor suppression. Furthermore, sonosynthetic oxygenation suppresses the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, leading to reduced stability of downstream SLC7A11 mRNA, which results in glutathione depletion and inactivation of glutathione peroxidase 4, thereby inducing ferroptosis of cancer cells. This study not only broadens the scope of microbial nanomedicine but also offers a distinct direction for sonosynthesis.

Seaweed as Basis of Eco-Sustainable Plastic Materials: Focus on Alginate.

Seaweed, a diverse and abundant marine resource, holds promise as a renewable feedstock for bioplastics due to its polysaccharide-rich composition. This review explores different methods for extracting and processing seaweed polysaccharides, focusing on the production of alginate plastic materials. Seaweed emerges as a promising solution, due to its abundance, minimal environmental impact, and diverse industrial applications, such as feed and food, plant and soil nutrition, nutraceutical hydrocolloids, personal care, and bioplastics. Various manufacturing techniques, such as solvent casting, injection moulding, and extrusion, are discussed for producing seaweed-based bioplastics. Alginate, obtained mainly from brown seaweed, is particularly known for its gel-forming properties and presents versatile applications in many sectors (food, pharmaceutical, agriculture). This review further examines the current state of the bioplastics market, highlighting the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics. The integration of seaweed-derived bioplastics into mainstream markets presents opportunities for reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainability in material production.

SENTINEL-2, HERRAMIENTA EN LA SEGURIDAD AGROALIMENTARIA Y AGRICULTURA DE PRECISIÓN

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background&lt;/strong&gt;. Food production as the world population increases is an issue of global importance, resulting in uncertainty around agri-food security (AS). It is essential to apply new technology that monitors and makes crop management more efficient to achieve sustainable development (SD). One technology responsible for improving conventional farmers' practices is precision agriculture (PA) using tools such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence and geospatial analysis. In this sense, the monitoring of markers through satellite images requires knowledge for adequate interpretations. Some satellites have multispectral images, monitoring with these has demonstrated high precision in predicting crop yields. There are several satellites, Landsat 8 (L8) and Sentinel-2 (S2) are the most advanced and open access. &lt;strong&gt;Objective&lt;/strong&gt;. To present the spectrophotometric fundamentals and current state of remote sensing with S2 multispectral images in relation to problems facing agriculture. It is concluded that remote sensing is a tool that contributes to the proper management of agricultural production, showing high reliability. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology&lt;/strong&gt;. This review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), a systematic analysis of literature in the databases was carried out. MDPI, Springer Link, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis and Google Scholar were consulted. The key words were “Sentinel-2, R2, Salinity, Pest, Nitrogen, Drought”. Zotero (www.zotero.org) was used as a free access bibliography manager; articles that were not related to the research objectives were excluded. &lt;strong&gt;Results&lt;/strong&gt;. Articles related to the objective of this review were identified in the databases; the study was structured based on the needs of precision agriculture (PA). The importance of adequately managing the water demand of crops, salinity stress, pest detection and the movement of nitrogen (N) in the soil-plant-atmosphere interaction. &lt;strong&gt;Implications&lt;/strong&gt;. Remote perception of phenomena at the field level represents an area for improvement in crop management. Increasing resource efficiency is crucial to achieving agri-food security (AS) and thus part of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;. The S2 has multispectral images that, when processed, allow obtaining information about the crop, i.e. monitoring stress, humidity in plants and optimization of plant nutrition. With PA, decisions are made for crop management, costs are reduced by reducing losses due to crop stress, and resource efficiency increases.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Effects of Salinity on ‘Fino 95’ Lemon Trees Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

An experiment was conducted with two-year-old ‘Fino 95’ lemon plants (Citrus limon Burm. f. cv. Fino) grafted on C. macrophylla (Citrus macrophylla Wester) to study the effects of salinity on plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Half of the inoculated (+AM) and non-inoculated (−AM) plants were irrigated with half-strength Hoagland solution, and the remainder were inoculated with half-strength Hoagland solution + 30 mM NaCl. Ninety-eight days later, results showed that AMF had alleviated the negative effect of salinity on growth. Inoculation with AMF provided some protection against the damage that salinity caused on cellular membranes and improved the plant water status and turgor under saline conditions (Ψx and Π increased by 16% and 48%, respectively). The responses of mineral nutrition to salinity and AMF treatments were complex. P concentrations in the leaves and roots of +AM plants were lower than in those of −AM plants, but inoculation improved Ca2+ (by 20%), Mg2+ (24%), Fe2+ (21%), and Zn2+ (7%) nutrition in roots and also the Mg2+/Na+ ratio in leaves (33%), reducing the antagonistic effect of Na+ on Mg2+ nutrition in salt-treated plants. AMF could protect plants against salt stress through the maintenance of the gas exchange capacity and due to a better antioxidant response. All these positive effects of AMF contributed to mitigating the harmful effects of salinity stress on the plant growth performance of lemon trees grafted on C. macrophylla rootstock under salinity conditions.

Effect of gibberellic acid and plant nutrition on the growth and yield of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Cauvery Delta Zone

Effect of gibberellic acid and plant nutrition on the growth and yield of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Cauvery Delta Zone