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Agronomy
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Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between...
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Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 October 2020) | Viewed by 29134

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lambert Brau

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science Engineering & Built Environment, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
Interests: plant microbe interactions; molecular microbiology; microbial ecology; biological nitrogen fixation; agro-ecology; sustainable agriculture; soil microbiology; plant growth promoting rhizobacteria; microbial molecular biology; environmental microbiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Globally, agriculture relies on supplementing cropped soils with macro and micronutrients sourced from mined ores or industrially produced through energy intensive processes. The major outcome of supplementing crops with these fertilizers is a consistent yield, however, as global demand for fertilizers increases, the costs associated with the production for each of these major nutrients increase. There are also numerous, well-characterized, negative impacts of chemical fertilizer use, including pollution, eutrophication and soil depletion.

Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB), which naturally occur in soils and aggressively colonize around plant roots, have been shown to promote plant growth by various direct and indirect mechanisms. The potential of PGPB to reduce dependence on high levels of fertilizer inputs has gained significant increase in interest over recent years.

Sustainably improving agricultural production by plant growth-promoting microorganisms is a promising field of research; however, there still exist significant gaps in the understanding of the actual mechanism of plant growth promotion. This Special Issue of Agronomy is dedicated to PGPB with a particular focus on their mode of action, examples of innovative methodologies for their characterization of the mode of action and analysis of their interaction with the host plant.

Dr. Lambert Brau
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB)
  • plant-microbe interactions
  • PGPB method of action
  • plant-microbe signalling
  • secondary metabolites
  • rhizosphere interactions
  • plant microbiome
  • siderophores
  • micorbial genomics
  • agroecosystems

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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36 pages, 1818 KiB  
Article
Selection of the Root Endophyte Pseudomonas brassicacearum CDVBN10 as Plant Growth Promoter for Brassica napus L. Crops
by Alejandro Jiménez-Gómez, Zaki Saati-Santamaría, Martin Kostovcik, Raúl Rivas, Encarna Velázquez, Pedro F. Mateos, Esther Menéndez and Paula García-Fraile
Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111788 - 15 Nov 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4837
Abstract
Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important crop worldwide, due to its multiple uses, such as a human food, animal feed and a bioenergetic crop. Traditionally, its cultivation is based on the use of chemical fertilizers, known to lead to several negative [...] Read more.
Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important crop worldwide, due to its multiple uses, such as a human food, animal feed and a bioenergetic crop. Traditionally, its cultivation is based on the use of chemical fertilizers, known to lead to several negative effects on human health and the environment. Plant growth-promoting bacteria may be used to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, but efficient bacteria in controlled conditions frequently fail when applied to the fields. Bacterial endophytes, protected from the rhizospheric competitors and extreme environmental conditions, could overcome those problems and successfully promote the crops under field conditions. Here, we present a screening process among rapeseed bacterial endophytes to search for an efficient bacterial strain, which could be developed as an inoculant to biofertilize rapeseed crops. Based on in vitro, in planta, and in silico tests, we selected the strain Pseudomonas brassicacearum CDVBN10 as a promising candidate; this strain produces siderophores, solubilizes P, synthesizes cellulose and promotes plant height in 5 and 15 days-post-inoculation seedlings. The inoculation of strain CDVBN10 in a field trial with no addition of fertilizers showed significant improvements in pod numbers, pod dry weight and shoot dry weight. In addition, metagenome analysis of root endophytic bacterial communities of plants from this field trial indicated no alteration of the plant root bacterial microbiome; considering that the root microbiome plays an important role in plant fitness and development, we suggest this maintenance of the plant and its bacterial microbiome homeostasis as a positive result. Thus, Pseudomonas brassicacearum CDVBN10 seems to be a good biofertilizer to improve canola crops with no addition of chemical fertilizers; this the first study in which a plant growth-promoting (PGP) inoculant specifically designed for rapeseed crops significantly improves this crop’s yields in field conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota)
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25 pages, 3893 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Capacity of Beneficial Bacterial Inoculants to Enhance Canola (Brassica napus L.) Growth under Low Water Activity
by Dasun Premachandra, Lee Hudek, Aydin Enez, Ross Ballard, Steve Barnett, Christopher M.M. Franco and Lambert Brau
Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091449 - 22 Sep 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4169
Abstract
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is the third largest crop produced in Australia after wheat and barley. For such crops, the variability of water access, reduced long-term annual rainfall and increasing water prices, higher overall production costs, and variability in production quantity and [...] Read more.
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is the third largest crop produced in Australia after wheat and barley. For such crops, the variability of water access, reduced long-term annual rainfall and increasing water prices, higher overall production costs, and variability in production quantity and quality are driving the exploration of new tools to maintain production in an economical and environmentally sustainable way. Microorganisms associated with the rhizosphere have been shown to enhance plant growth and offer a potential way to maintain or even increase crop production quality and yield in an environmentally sustainable way. Here, seven bacterial isolates from canola rhizosphere samples are shown to enhance canola growth, particularly in low water activity systems. The seven strains all possessed commonly described plant growth promoting traits, including the ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, and the capacity to solubilise nutrients (Fe2+/3+ and PO43−). When the isolates were inoculated at the time of sowing in pot-based systems with either sand or clay loam media, and in field trials, a significant increase in dry root and shoot biomass was recorded compared to uninoculated controls. It is likely that the strains’ plant growth promoting capacity under water stress is due to the combined effects of the bacterial phenotypes examined here. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota)
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12 pages, 971 KiB  
Article
Effect of Co-Inoculation of Bradyrhizobium and Trichoderma on Growth, Development, and Yield of Arachis hypogaea L. (Peanut)
by Ravi Teja Kumar Reddy Neelipally, Ambrose O. Anoruo and Shad Nelson
Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091415 - 17 Sep 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5358
Abstract
Cultivation of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on the same land contributes to the accumulation of root exudates, leading to increased soil pathogens and decreased yield. Trichoderma harzianum is a naturally occurring endophytic biocontrol fungus that can enhance plant growth, nutrient uptake, [...] Read more.
Cultivation of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on the same land contributes to the accumulation of root exudates, leading to increased soil pathogens and decreased yield. Trichoderma harzianum is a naturally occurring endophytic biocontrol fungus that can enhance plant growth, nutrient uptake, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Separately, Bradyrhizobium spp. is a biological nitrogen-fixing (BNF) bacterium favoring nodule formation in peanut roots which promotes nitrogen fixation. The dynamics of the symbiotic association between these two organisms were evaluated in the laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Peanuts were cultivated in pots inoculated with either Bradyrhizobium or Trichoderma or both to evaluate growth, development, and yield. The in vitro study results showed that seeds treated with Trichoderma had better germination and seedling biomass (p = 0.0008) compared to the other treatments. On the other hand, the results of greenhouse studies showed that seeds inoculated with both microbes, and those inoculated with Bradyrhizobium alone had higher dry biomass (p < 0.0001) as well as higher chlorophyll content (p < 0.0001) compared to the other treatments. Understanding of the interactive effects of fungal endophytes and rhizobial bacteria on plant growth and development will help in both the nutrient and disease management of Arachis hypogaea L. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota)
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14 pages, 1166 KiB  
Article
Arbuscular Mycorrhizas Traits and Yield of Winter Wheat Profiled by Mineral Fertilization
by Roxana Vidican, Florin Păcurar, Sorin Daniel Vâtcă, Anca Pleșa and Vlad Stoian
Agronomy 2020, 10(6), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060846 - 13 Jun 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2688
Abstract
Our aim is to evaluate the changes in arbuscular mycorrhiza characteristics of winter wheat in a three-year experiment. Study results show that fertilizers produce strong variations in arbuscular mycorrhiza extension, with colonization frequency values within 76–98%. The intensity of colonization is only 12% [...] Read more.
Our aim is to evaluate the changes in arbuscular mycorrhiza characteristics of winter wheat in a three-year experiment. Study results show that fertilizers produce strong variations in arbuscular mycorrhiza extension, with colonization frequency values within 76–98%. The intensity of colonization is only 12% when phosphorus (P) exceeds nitrogen (N) in autumn, but reaches 38% when the N:P ratio is equal. Root colonization shows no consistency from one experimental year to another, with the largest fluctuations recorded in colonization intensity (22–65%) and arbuscules abundance (0–5%). Arbuscules are maintained below 1% by fertilizer with more P than N. Colonization forecasting models indicate P as a factor for the reduction of symbiosis. Each kg of applied P can reduce the colonization frequency by 0.28% and intensity by 0.37%. The maximum of the colonization degree is 61% due to the synergy of equal N and P doses in autumn and ammonium nitrate applied in spring. The application of multiple moderate doses acts as a stimulant for the development of a large root-fungal interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota)
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Review

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25 pages, 1790 KiB  
Review
Facing Climate Change: Application of Microbial Biostimulants to Mitigate Stress in Horticultural Crops
by Daniela Sangiorgio, Antonio Cellini, Irene Donati, Chiara Pastore, Claudia Onofrietti and Francesco Spinelli
Agronomy 2020, 10(6), 794; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060794 - 3 Jun 2020
Cited by 92 | Viewed by 10780
Abstract
In the current scenario of rapidly evolving climate change, crop plants are more frequently subjected to stresses of both abiotic and biotic origin, including exposure to unpredictable and extreme climatic events, changes in plant physiology, growing season and phytosanitary hazard, and increased losses [...] Read more.
In the current scenario of rapidly evolving climate change, crop plants are more frequently subjected to stresses of both abiotic and biotic origin, including exposure to unpredictable and extreme climatic events, changes in plant physiology, growing season and phytosanitary hazard, and increased losses up to 30% and 50% in global agricultural productions. Plants coevolved with microbial symbionts, which are involved in major functions both at the ecosystem and plant level. The use of microbial biostimulants, by exploiting this symbiotic interaction, represents a sustainable strategy to increase plant performances and productivity, even under stresses due to climate changes. Microbial biostimulants include beneficial fungi, yeasts and eubacteria sharing the ability to improve plant nutrition, growth, productivity and stress tolerance. This work reports the current knowledge on microbial biostimulants and provides a critical review on their possible use to mitigate the biotic and abiotic stresses caused by climate changes. Currently, available products often provide a general amelioration of cultural conditions, but their action mechanisms are largely undetermined and their effects often unreliable. Future research may lead to more specifically targeted products, based on the characterization of plant-microbe and microbial community interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microbes for Sustainable Agriculture: Understanding the Functional Relationship between Plants and Their Microbiota)
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