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Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture
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Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 24429

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mariateresa Cardarelli

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Guest Editor
CREA-Centro di Ricerca Orticoltura e Florovivaismo, Pontecagnano Faiano, Italy
Interests: growth and quality of vegetable plants under different nutrient conditions or abiotic stress; studies on interactions between biostimulants and plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sheridan L. Woo

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, NA, Italy
Interests: use of beneficial microbes for biological control of plant pathogens and pests; increasing plant resistance to abiotic stress; plant growth promotion to improve crop production and quality; selection and development of bioformulations/biotechnologies for sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological seed applications include seed treatments that are based on beneficial microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi) or natural substances (e.g., plant extracts, protein hydrolysates, seaweeds, humic substances), with the objective to promote rapid and uniform seed germination, optimal plant establishment, and crop growth and protection resulting in improved plant health, production, and quality. Biological products can be applied to the seed in formulations as a powder or liquid, using different technologies such as seed priming, pelleting, film-coating, etc. The application of biological products directly to the seed is an efficient and cost-effective process for physiological seed conditioning and for assuring that the beneficial treatments are accessible in the spermosphere, endosphere, and rhizosphere at the critical ‘early germination’ stages to facilitate healthy and rapid development in addition to the improvement of nutrient uptake and tolerance to abiotic/biotic stresses. However, several fundamental and technical issues still need to be addressed in order to understand and promote the development of this technology, including (i) the identification of active substances and microorganisms for each crop, the method of application, and optimal growing conditions, (ii)  investigations on the molecular mechanisms underlying the biological activity of components alone or in combination with other agrochemicals (e.g., phytosanitary products, synthetic fertilizers, hormones) on the seed, as well as (iii) the development and implementation of new technologies for seed treatment.

This Special Issue invites submissions on topics related but not limited to seed enhancement technologies based on beneficial microorganisms/natural substances alone or in combination with other agrochemicals; studies on agronomic, physiological, and molecular characteristics of crops following seed treatments; effects of seed treatments on crop tolerance to abiotic stress; seed treatments for biological control of diverse pathogens and pests; and seed treatments with biostimulants and their impacts on the plant microbiome. This Special Issue also welcomes review articles that summarize and comprehensively discuss the recent findings and future directions in the field of biological seed treatments.

Dr. Mariateresa Cardarelli
Dr. Sheridan L. Woo
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • biopriming
  • seed coating
  • biostimulants
  • microbial inoculants
  • mycorrhizal fungi
  • Trichoderma
  • PGPR
  • seed germination
  • crop yield
  • nutrient uptake
  • crop stress resistance

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1185 KiB  
Article
Pre-Sowing Treatments Improve Germinability of South Texas Native Plant Seeds
by Kaitlynn Lavallee, Pushpa Gautam Soti, Hansapani Rodrigo, Rupesh Kariyat and Alexis Racelis
Plants 2021, 10(11), 2545; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112545 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2418
Abstract
The incorporation of native plant species is central to restoration efforts, but this is often limited by both the availability of seeds and the relatively low viability and germination rates of commercially available seeds. Although pre-sowing treatments are commonly used to improve germination [...] Read more.
The incorporation of native plant species is central to restoration efforts, but this is often limited by both the availability of seeds and the relatively low viability and germination rates of commercially available seeds. Although pre-sowing treatments are commonly used to improve germination rates of seeds, the efficacy of these treatments is found to vary across species. In this study, we tested how four pre-sow treatments (physical scarification, acid scarification, cold stratification, and aerated hydropriming) affected the viability and seed germination rates of 12 commercially available plant species native to south Texas and commonly used in restoration efforts. Our results show that the viability of the seeds have a wide range, from 78% to 1.25%. Similarly, the total germination rate ranged from 62% to 0%. We found that pre-sowing treatments accelerated the germination rate in 9 of 12 plant species tested, but the effect varied by treatment. Collectively, our results identify various methods to achieve the best germination rates for native plants of south Texas, to help improve restoration efforts across the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture)
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10 pages, 975 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Trichoderma spp. Isolates in Cocoa Seed Treatment and Seedling Production
by Willian Nogueira de Sousa, Nayane Fonseca Brito, Cristina Aledi Felsemburgh, Thiago Almeida Vieira and Denise Castro Lustosa
Plants 2021, 10(9), 1964; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091964 - 20 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3085
Abstract
Isolates of Trichoderma spp., a soil fungus, has been used to control diseases and promote plant growth, reducing the use of chemicals in the production of seedlings of different plant species. We evaluated the effect of some Trichoderma spp. isolates on seed treatment [...] Read more.
Isolates of Trichoderma spp., a soil fungus, has been used to control diseases and promote plant growth, reducing the use of chemicals in the production of seedlings of different plant species. We evaluated the effect of some Trichoderma spp. isolates on seed treatment and seedling production of Theobromacacao. Five isolates from the Amazon region were tested. In laboratory, the following variables were evaluated for seed treatments: germination, germination speed index, radicle and hypocotyl lengths, and fungi incidence. In nursery, the following forms of application were tested: via seeds; in the substrate at pre-planting; monthly in post-planting substrate, and also their combination. The following was evaluated: height, diameter, number of leaves, root length, leaf area, and shoot dry mass and root system. Inoculation with Trichoderma increased the length of the radicle and hypocotyl and showed no fungi in the seeds. In seedlings, some treatments increased height and plant root dry mass. The use of Trichoderma was beneficial for seeds and appeared favorable for T. cacao production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture)
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12 pages, 1860 KiB  
Article
A Non-Invasive Analysis of Seed Vigor by Infrared Thermography
by Liya Liu, Zhongsi Wang, Jing Li, Xi Zhang and Ruohan Wang
Plants 2020, 9(6), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9060768 - 19 Jun 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4456
Abstract
This paper establishes robust regression models for fast and efficient estimation of seed vigor based on high-resolution infrared thermography. High seed quality is of great significance for agricultural and silvicultural purposes, and seed vigor is a crucial agent of seed quality. In this [...] Read more.
This paper establishes robust regression models for fast and efficient estimation of seed vigor based on high-resolution infrared thermography. High seed quality is of great significance for agricultural and silvicultural purposes, and seed vigor is a crucial agent of seed quality. In this study, we used the non-invasive technology of infrared thermal imaging to analyze seed vigor of Ulmus pumila L. and Oryza sativa L. Temperatures of young age and aged seeds during thermal decay were monitored over time. We found that the thermal decay dynamics of U. pumila seeds were highly differential among seeds with differential vigor. Furthermore, a regression model was developed to estimate seed vigor based on its thermal decay dynamics. Similarly, a close relationship was also found between thermal decay processes and seed vigor in O. sativa. These results suggest that infrared thermography can be widely applied in non-invasive examination of seed vigor and allows fast and efficient seed screening for agricultural and silvicultural purposes in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture)
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Review

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14 pages, 293 KiB  
Review
Seed Treatments with Microorganisms Can Have a Biostimulant Effect by Influencing Germination and Seedling Growth of Crops
by Mariateresa Cardarelli, Sheridan L. Woo, Youssef Rouphael and Giuseppe Colla
Plants 2022, 11(3), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11030259 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 8022
Abstract
Seed quality is an important aspect of the modern cultivation strategies since uniform germination and high seedling vigor contribute to successful establishment and crop performance. To enhance germination, beneficial microbes belonging to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Trichoderma spp., rhizobia and other bacteria can be [...] Read more.
Seed quality is an important aspect of the modern cultivation strategies since uniform germination and high seedling vigor contribute to successful establishment and crop performance. To enhance germination, beneficial microbes belonging to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Trichoderma spp., rhizobia and other bacteria can be applied to seeds before sowing via coating or priming treatments. Their presence establishes early relationships with plants, leading to biostimulant effects such as plant-growth enhancement, increased nutrient uptake, and improved plant resilience to abiotic stress. This review aims to highlight the most significant results obtained for wheat, maize, rice, soybean, canola, sunflower, tomato, and other horticultural species. Beneficial microorganism treatments increased plant germination, seedling vigor, and biomass, as well as overcoming seed-related limitations (such as abiotic stress), both during and after emergence. The results are generally positive, but variable, so more scientific information needs to be acquired for different crops and cultivation techniques, with considerations to different beneficial microbes (species and strains) and under variable climate conditions to understand the effects of seed treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture)

Other

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14 pages, 2560 KiB  
Brief Report
Regulation of Sixth Seminal Root Formation by Jasmonate in Triticum aestivum L.
by Alexey Pigolev, Dmitry Miroshnichenko, Sergey Dolgov and Tatyana Savchenko
Plants 2021, 10(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020219 - 23 Jan 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4170
Abstract
A well-developed root system is an important characteristic of crop plants, which largely determines their productivity, especially under conditions of water and nutrients deficiency. Being Poaceous, wheat has more than one seminal root. The number of grown seminal roots varies in different wheat [...] Read more.
A well-developed root system is an important characteristic of crop plants, which largely determines their productivity, especially under conditions of water and nutrients deficiency. Being Poaceous, wheat has more than one seminal root. The number of grown seminal roots varies in different wheat accessions and is regulated by environmental factors. Currently, the molecular mechanisms determining the number of germinated seminal roots remain poorly understood. The analysis of the root system development in germinating seeds of genetically modified hexaploid wheat plants with altered activity of jasmonate biosynthesis pathway and seeds exogenously treated with methyl jasmonate revealed the role of jasmonates in the regulation of sixth seminal root development. This regulatory effect strongly depends on the jasmonate concentration and the duration of the exposure to this hormone. The maximum stimulatory effect of exogenously applied methyl jasmonate on the formation of the sixth seminal root was achieved at 200 μM concentration after 48 h of treatment. Further increase in concentration and exposure time does not increase the stimulating effect. While 95% of non-transgenic plants under non-stress conditions possess five or fewer seminal roots, the number of plants with developed sixth seminal root reaches up to 100% when selected transgenic lines are treated with methyl jasmonate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Seed Treatments for Ecosustainable Agriculture)
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