Working Towards Sustainable Agriculture With Biostimulants And Biocides: From Chemical Structure to Application Methods

Editorial

31 July 2024

Editorial: Working towards sustainable agriculture with biostimulants and biocides: from chemical structure to application methods

Ágnes Szepesi

Cristiano Soares

and

Fernanda Fidalgo

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0 citations

Editors

Ágnes Szepesi

University of Szeged

Cristiano Fortuna Soares

University of Porto

Fernanda Fidalgo

University of Porto

Impact

Original Research

09 January 2024

CeO2NP priming enhances the seed vigor of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under salt stress

Jinzhu Gao

, 6 more and

Xueqing He

Soil salinization is a common environmental problem that seriously threatens crop yield and food security, especially through its impact on seed germination. Nanoparticle priming, an emerging seed treatment method, is receiving increasing attention in improving crop yield and stress resistance. This study used alfalfa seeds as materials to explore the potential benefits of cerium oxide nanoparticle (CeO₂NP) priming to promote seed germination and improve salt tolerance. CeO₂NPs at concentrations up to 500 mg/L were able to significantly alleviate salt stress in alfalfa seeds (200 mM), with 50 mg/L of CeO₂NP having the best effect, significantly (P< 0.05) increasing germination potential (from 4.0% to 51.3%), germination rate (from 10.0% to 62.7%), root length (from 8.3 cm to 23.1 cm), and seedling length (from 9.8 cm to 13.7 cm). Priming treatment significantly (P< 0.05) increased seed water absorption by removing seed hardness and also reducing abscisic acid and jasmonic acid contents to relieve seed dormancy. CeO₂NP priming increased α-amylase activity and osmoregulatory substance level, decreased reactive oxygen species and malonaldehyde contents and relative conductivity, and increased catalase enzyme activity. Seed priming regulated carotenoid, zeatin, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways, among other metabolic pathways, while CeO₂NP priming additionally promoted the enrichment of α-linolenic acid and diterpenoid hormone metabolic pathways under salt stress. In addition, CeO₂NPs enhanced α-amylase activity (by 6.55%) in vitro. The optimal tested concentration (50 mg/L) of CeO₂NPs was able to improve the seed vigor, enhance the activity of α-amylase, regulate the osmotic level and endogenous hormone levels, and improve the salt tolerance of alfalfa seeds. This study demonstrates the efficacy of a simple seed treatment strategy that can improve crop stress resistance, which is of great importance for reducing agricultural costs and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

2,606 views

3 citations

Original Research

05 December 2023

The Bio-herbicidal potential of some wild plants with allelopathic effects from Tabuk Region on selected local weed species

Amjad R. Alanaz

, 6 more and

Basmah M. Alharbi

2,416 views

2 citations

Original Research

12 June 2023

Isolation and Identification Antagonistic Bacterium Paenibacillus tianmuensis YM002 against Acidovorax citrulli

Young Mo Koo

, 1 more and

Hyong Woo Choi

In this study, we aimed to screen antagonistic microorganisms against Acidovorax citrulli, the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch, which is known to induce sever diseases in cucurbit crops. From 240 bacterial strains isolated, only one unknown bacterial isolate, named YM002, showed significant antagonistic activity against A. citrulli KACC17909. Further experiments revealed that YM002 shows antagonistic activity against all tested A. citrulli strains, including KACC17000, KACC17001 and KACC17005, to different degrees. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences identified YM002 as Paenibacillus tianmuensis. Importantly, pretreatment of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) leaves with YM002 enhanced disease resistance as observed by significantly reduced necrotic symptom development and bacterial growth. YM002-induced resistance accompanied by enhanced expression of defense-related genes, such as PAL1, PR1-1a and CTR1. Importantly, culture filtrate of YM002 significantly suppressed biofilm formation and swimming motility of A. citrulli, which is indispensable for its full virulence. In addition to its antagonistic activity, YM002 showed a various plant growth promotion (PGP)-related traits, such as production of ammonia production, amylase production, ACC deaminase production, inodole-3-acetic acid production, extracellular protease production, siderophore production, and zinc solubilization activities. Indeed, treatment of cucumber roots with YM002 significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, such as fresh and dry weight of leaves or roots. This study suggests the potential of YM002 as an effective PGPR with biological control activity against Acidovorax citrulli in cucumber plants.

3,670 views

3 citations

Original Research

05 April 2023

Assessment of transcriptional reprogramming of lettuce roots in response to chitin soil amendment

Leilei Li

, 7 more and

Joël F. Pothier

Chitin soil amendment is known to improve soil quality, plant growth and stress resilience, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we monitored chitin’s effect on lettuce physiology every two weeks through an eight-week growth period, analyzed the early transcriptional reprogramming and related metabolomic changes of lettuce, in response to crab chitin treatment in peat-based potting soil. In commercial growth conditions, chitin amendment still promoted lettuce growth, increased chlorophyll content, the number of leaves and crop head weight from week six. The flavonoid content in lettuce leaves was altered as well, showing an increase at week two but a decrease from week six. Transcriptomic analysis showed that over 300 genes in lettuce root were significantly differentially expressed after chitin soil treatment. Gene Ontology-term (GO) enrichment analysis revealed statistical overrepresentation of GO terms linked to photosynthesis, pigment metabolic process and phenylpropanoid metabolic process. Further analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed that the flavonoid pathway was mostly upregulated whereas the bifurcation of upstream phenylpropanoid pathway towards lignin biosynthesis was mostly downregulated. Metabolomic analysis revealed the upregulation of salicylic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid in chitin-treated lettuce seedlings. These phenolic compounds (PCs) mainly influence the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and may play important roles in plant defense reactions. Our results suggest that chitin soil amendments might activate induced resistance by priming lettuce plants and promote lettuce growth via transcriptional changes.

3,450 views

3 citations