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Agronomy
Special Issues
Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress
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Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 15951

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mengting Maggie Yuan

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
Interests: soil microbial ecology; terrestrial nutrient cycle; rhizosphere biology; climate change
Dr. Javier A. Ceja-Navarro

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Interests: soil microbiome; trophic interactions; protists; host microbiome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Intensive and dynamic plant–soil–microbe interactions occur in the soil zone directly adjacent to the root, and their impacts extend beyond the rhizosphere to larger volumes of soil. These multiparty interactions influence plant performance through regulating resource availability, causing and controlling disease, and secondary metabolite signaling. Plants are reported to utilize one or several of these mechanisms in combination to deal with environmental stresses such as drought or invasive plants by actively regulating the soil environment and recruiting beneficial microbes. However, the puzzle is far from complete by lacking pieces of information including, but not limited to, 1) the identity of microorganisms in the interplay with plants and other microbes in association with plants; 2) the dynamics of plant–microbe interactions in relation to soil conditions and plant growth; 3) the ecological and evolutionary basis of plant–soil–microbe interactions; and 4) the broader impact of plant–soil–microbe interactions on ecosystems or agricultural productivity. Answers to these questions are of great interest to agricultural and conservation management.

For this Special Issue, we invite researchers to submit reviews, regular research papers, communications and short notes that aim to answer these or related questions. Studies based on field, potting or lab experiments that involve metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metabolomics are welcome. Meta-analysis, data synthesis and modeling studies are also welcome.

Dr. Mengting Maggie Yuan
Dr. Javier A. Ceja-Navarro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant–soil–microbe interaction
  • root
  • rhizosphere
  • detritusphere
  • exudate
  • metabolite
  • decomposition
  • symbiosis
  • pathogenesis
  • stress
  • tolerance
  • stability
  • phenology
  • arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
  • ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM)
  • plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB)
  • network
  • nutrient availability
  • soil organic matter (SOM)

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1218 KiB  
Article
Impact of Gypsum and Bio-Priming of Maize Grains on Soil Properties, Physiological Attributes and Yield under Saline–Sodic Soil Conditions
by Megahed M. Amer, Mohssen Elbagory, Sahar El-Nahrawy and Alaa El-Dein Omara
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2550; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102550 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2418
Abstract
In order to enhance soil qualities and boost crop output, gypsum, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and chitosan are all viable solutions. This study’s goal was to find out how different amounts of chitosan—0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L−1—in combination with [...] Read more.
In order to enhance soil qualities and boost crop output, gypsum, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and chitosan are all viable solutions. This study’s goal was to find out how different amounts of chitosan—0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L−1—in combination with gypsum and PGPR inoculation (Azospirillum lipoferum + Bacillus subtilis), affected the yield of maize plants growing in saline–sodic soil. Field tests were carried out in triplicate across two growing seasons, 2020 and 2021, using a split plot design. According to the findings, applying the gypsum + PGPR + 50 mg L−1 chitosan treatment (T8) considerably improved plant physiology (chlorophyll, carotenoids, and proline levels), nutrient indicators (N, K+ and K+/Na+ ratio), soil enzyme activity (dehydrogenase, urease, amylase, and invertase), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and porosity. On the other hand, we revealed positive effects on Na+, bulk density (BD), electrical conductivity (EC), and the proportion of exchangeable sodium (ESP), thus, enhancing the productivity compared to the alternative treatment. Therefore, it might be inferred that using gypsum, microbial inoculation, and 50 mg L−1 chitosan may be a key strategy for reducing the detrimental effects of salinity on maize plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress)
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15 pages, 1760 KiB  
Article
Co-Inoculation of Bradyrhizobium spp. and Bacillus sp. on Tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) in the High Andean Region of Peru
by Mariela Monroy-Guerrero, Miriam Memenza-Zegarra, Nataly Taco, Elvia Mostacero, Katty Ogata-Gutiérrez, Amelia Huaringa-Joaquín, Félix Camarena and Doris Zúñiga-Dávila
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2132; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092132 - 8 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2102
Abstract
Tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) is an Andean legume that has attracted international interest due to its high nutritional value. This has resulted in an increase in its conventional production, which leads to an ecological imbalance. In this context, the application of biotechnologies, [...] Read more.
Tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) is an Andean legume that has attracted international interest due to its high nutritional value. This has resulted in an increase in its conventional production, which leads to an ecological imbalance. In this context, the application of biotechnologies, based on the use of bacterial inoculants, is of utmost importance. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of a consortium of 2 strains of Bradyrhizobium spp. (BR) and 1 strain of Bacillus sp. (BA) on tarwi var. Andenes. The treatments tested were BR + BA, BR + Organic Matter, BR + Agrochemical (Azoxystrobin y Difenoconazole), and the control (without application). The crop was located in Marcara-Ancash (altitude 3254 masl), Peru. The experiment involved the inoculation of BR in the seeds and a re-inoculation 30 days later. BA was inoculated every 30 days in the neck of the plant and aerial part, 5 times during plant development. The inoculation with BR + BA significantly increased the aerial fresh weight (413.2%), plant height (13.5%), and diminished the anthracnose (38.4%) of plants 110 DAS (days after the sowing). Also, this treatment produced the best-harvested emergence percentage (97.9%), morpho-agronomic characteristics, and an increase in the yield (171%) compared to the control. In conclusion, the application of the Bacillus sp. strain and the Bradyrhizobium spp. consortia improved the productivity of tarwi var. Andenes. The interaction of these strains have the potential to be used in tarwi field planting programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress)
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17 pages, 2369 KiB  
Article
The Use of Agaricus subrufescens for Rehabilitation of Agricultural Soils
by Yuwei Hu, Asanka R. Bandara, Jianchu Xu, Pattana Kakumyan, Kevin D. Hyde and Peter E. Mortimer
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2034; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092034 - 27 Aug 2022
Viewed by 2033
Abstract
Globally, the quality of agricultural soils is in decline as a result of mismanagement and the overuse of agrichemicals, negatively impacting crop yields. Agaricus subrufescens Peck is widely cultivated as an edible and medicinal mushroom; however, its application in soil bioremediation and amendment [...] Read more.
Globally, the quality of agricultural soils is in decline as a result of mismanagement and the overuse of agrichemicals, negatively impacting crop yields. Agaricus subrufescens Peck is widely cultivated as an edible and medicinal mushroom; however, its application in soil bioremediation and amendment remains insufficiently studied. In order to determine if A. subrufescens can positively impact agricultural soils, we designed two experiments: the first, a glasshouse experiment investigating the ways in which A. subrufescens production alters soil nutrients and soil health; the second, a laboratory experiment investigating if A. subrufescens can degrade beta-cypermethrin (β-CY) and glufosinate ammonium (Gla), two widely used agrichemicals. The glasshouse experiment results indicated that the use of compost and compost combined with A. subrufescens led to increases in soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compared to the control treatments (sterilized soil). However, the incorporation of A. subrufescens with compost resulted in significantly greater levels of both available nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soils compared to all other treatments. Laboratory experiments determined that the mycelium of A. subrufescens were unable to grow at concentrations above 24.71 μg/mL and 63.15 μg/g for β-CY and Gla, respectively. Furthermore, results indicated that fungal mycelia were able to degrade 44.68% of β-CY within 15 days, whereas no significant changes were found in the concentration of Gla. This study highlights that cultivation of A. subrufescens may be a sustainable alternative for the rehabilitation of agricultural soils, whilst providing an additional source of income for farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress)
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11 pages, 667 KiB  
Article
Eucalyptus Field Growth and Colonization of Clones Pre-Inoculated with Ectomycorrhizal Fungi
by Lidiomar Soares da Costa, Paulo Henrique Grazziotti, Arley José Fonseca, Débora Cíntia dos Santos Avelar, Márcio José Rossi, Enilson de Barros Silva, Eliane Cristine Soares da Costa, Danielle Cristina Fonseca Santos Grazziotti and Carla Ragonezi
Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051204 - 17 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2008
Abstract
Ectomycorrhizae are classified as biotechnology to increase the sustainability of planted forests, and fieldwork is needed to confirm its effectiveness. The growth of rooted cuttings of Eucalyptus clones GG100 and GG680, which had been previously inoculated in the nursery with ectomycorrhizal fungi, was [...] Read more.
Ectomycorrhizae are classified as biotechnology to increase the sustainability of planted forests, and fieldwork is needed to confirm its effectiveness. The growth of rooted cuttings of Eucalyptus clones GG100 and GG680, which had been previously inoculated in the nursery with ectomycorrhizal fungi, was evaluated after planting them in the field. The ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) inoculated were: Pisolithus microcarpus, Hysterangium gardneri, or Scleroderma areolatum. Uninoculated rooted cuttings were used as controls. The inoculated treatments and the uninoculated controls (low P control) were grown in a nursery with reduced phosphate fertilization. Additionally, uninoculated controls were grown on a substrate with complete phosphate nursery fertilization (high P control). After two months, the plant height of clone GG100 inoculated with P. microcarpus was 16% taller and of clone GG680 13% higher than the low P control treatment. At the same time, the collar diameter of the plants inoculated with H. gardneri and P. microcarpus was the same as in the high P control. At 12 months, the growth of the inoculated and low P control plants was the same as in the high P control. For ectomycorrhizal colonization, after six months, the mean percentage of colonized root tips was highest in plants inoculated with S. areolatum, followed by those inoculated with P. microcarpus and of the low P control. After one year, ECM colonization was equal in all treatments and 4.3 times greater than it was at 6 months. Inoculation with ECM fungi in the nursery boosts early plant growth after transfer to the field, although the effect depends on the specific ectomycorrhizal fungus and the clone. Further ectomycorrhizal colonization of Eucalyptus occurs naturally and increases with tree development in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress)
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15 pages, 1543 KiB  
Article
Impact of Corn Cob-Derived Biochar in Altering Soil Quality, Biochemical Status and Improving Maize Growth under Drought Stress
by Liaqat Ali, Natasha Manzoor, Xuqing Li, Muhammad Naveed, Sajid Mahmood Nadeem, Muhammad Rashid Waqas, Muhammad Khalid, Aown Abbas, Temoor Ahmed, Bin Li and Jianli Yan
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2300; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112300 - 13 Nov 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5946
Abstract
Biochar enhances soil fertility by improving the soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of corn cob-derived biochar on soil enzymatic activity, organic carbon, aggregate stability and soil microbial biomass carbon under drought stress. [...] Read more.
Biochar enhances soil fertility by improving the soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of corn cob-derived biochar on soil enzymatic activity, organic carbon, aggregate stability and soil microbial biomass carbon under drought stress. Biochar was prepared from crushed corn cobs pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 400 °C and applied at a ratio of 1% (w/w) and 3% (w/w) filled in pots. In each pot, three field capacity (FC) levels, i.e., 100, 70 and 40%, were maintained gravimetrically. Results showed that biochar application improved the growth (plant height and root length) and relative water content in maize leaves under drought stress, while it reduced electrolyte leakage compared to a control treatment. Aggregate stability was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in biochar amended soil. Moreover, microbial biomass carbon and soil water also increased under drought stress at 70% FC and 40% FC, respectively, where 3% w/w (400 °C) biochar was applied. Among enzymes, β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activity were improved with biochar application. The maximum organic carbon (240%, 246% and 249%, 254% more than control) was calculated in soils where 3% biochar pyrolyzed at 400 °C and 300 °C was mixed with soil, respectively. Similarly, the carbon pool index (CPI) and carbon management index (CMI) were also higher in biochar-amended soil as compared to control treatment. Conclusively, biochar amendment could effectively improve soil quality and maize growth under drought stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant, Soil, Microbe Interactions in Response to Environmental Stress)
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