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Agronomy
Special Issues
Soil Microbial Functional Groups and Plant Growth
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Soil Microbial Functional Groups and Plant Growth

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2017) | Viewed by 13574

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Robert J. Kremer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil, Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Interests: atmospheric sciences; plant science; soil; environmental

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the current interest in genetic manipulation and engineering for improving crop productivity, the variety and magnitude of beneficial soil microbial groups that influence plant growth are often overlooked. Biotechnology, in terms of the study and manipulation of soil microorganisms and their metabolic processes to improve plant productivity and soil resource management, continues to be important in not only modern agriculture, but also in sustainable, ecologically-based systems. As cropping systems transition with reduced chemical inputs, less reliance on genetically engineered plants, and management for improved soil productivity and soil health including longer crop rotation, cover cropping and organic amendments, more research on the impacts of soil functional groups is necessary. This Special Issue will focus on “Soil Microbial Functional Groups and Plant Growth”.

We welcome novel research, reviews and opinion papers covering related topics, including soil biochemistry, beneficial and detrimental microorganisms, rhizosphere microbial biology and ecology, soil borne pathogen antagonism and suppression, plant-growth promoting microorganisms, and plant-soil-microorganism interrelationships.

Prof. Dr. Robert J. Kremer
Guest Editor

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

  • Soil microbial community
  • Plant growth promoting microorganisms
  • Plant growth regulating compounds
  • Soil microbiology and biochemistry
  • Soil biotechnology

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

2595 KiB  
Article
Rhizoctonia solani and Bacterial Inoculants Stimulate Root Exudation of Antifungal Compounds in Lettuce in a Soil-Type Specific Manner
by Saskia Windisch, Sebastian Bott, Marc-Andreas Ohler, Hans-Peter Mock, Rico Lippmann, Rita Grosch, Kornelia Smalla, Uwe Ludewig and Günter Neumann
Agronomy 2017, 7(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy7020044 - 18 Jun 2017
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7217
Abstract
Previous studies conducted on a unique field site comprising three contrasting soils (diluvial sand DS, alluvial loam AL, loess loam LL) under identical cropping history, demonstrated soil type-dependent differences in biocontrol efficiency against Rhizoctonia solani-induced bottom rot disease in lettuce by two [...] Read more.
Previous studies conducted on a unique field site comprising three contrasting soils (diluvial sand DS, alluvial loam AL, loess loam LL) under identical cropping history, demonstrated soil type-dependent differences in biocontrol efficiency against Rhizoctonia solani-induced bottom rot disease in lettuce by two bacterial inoculants (Pseudomonas jessenii RU47 and Serratia plymuthica 3Re-4-18). Disease severity declined in the order DS > AL > LL. These differences were confirmed under controlled conditions, using the same soils in minirhizotron experiments. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling of rhizosphere soil solutions revealed benzoic and lauric acids as antifungal compounds; previously identified in root exudates of lettuce. Pathogen inoculation and pre-inoculation with bacterial inoculants significantly increased the release of antifungal root exudates in a soil type-specific manner; with the highest absolute levels detected on the least-affected LL soil. Soil type-dependent differences were also recorded for the biocontrol effects of the two bacterial inoculants; showing the highest efficiency after double-inoculation on the AL soil. However, this was associated with a reduction of shoot growth and root hair development and a limited micronutrient status of the host plants. Obviously, disease severity and the expression of biocontrol effects are influenced by soil properties with potential impact on reproducibility of practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Microbial Functional Groups and Plant Growth)
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1138 KiB  
Article
Effect of Long-Term Continuous Fumigation on Soil Microbial Communities
by Sadikshya R. Dangi, Rebecca Tirado-Corbalá, James Gerik and Bradley D. Hanson
Agronomy 2017, 7(2), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy7020037 - 24 May 2017
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5923
Abstract
High value crop producers in California rely heavily on soil fumigation to control a wide array of soil borne pests including nematodes, pathogens and weeds. Fumigants with broad biocidal activity can affect soil microbial communities that contribute to nutrient cycling and plant nutrient [...] Read more.
High value crop producers in California rely heavily on soil fumigation to control a wide array of soil borne pests including nematodes, pathogens and weeds. Fumigants with broad biocidal activity can affect soil microbial communities that contribute to nutrient cycling and plant nutrient uptake which can impact soil health. It is often thought that soil microbial communities make a relatively rapid recovery following fumigation. However, recently it has been found that repeated application of fumigants over time can have greater and longer lasting impacts on soil microorganisms than single fumigation events. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to determine the effect of long-term repeated application of fumigants on soil microbial communities and compare them with non-fumigated and organic sites. Soil samples were collected from fields in Watsonville, CA. Chronosequence sites were defined by number of years of annual fumigation (yaf) with methyl bromide (15, 26, 33, 39 yaf) at the time of sampling, and representative non-fumigated sites were also included for comparison. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used to analyze the samples. The canonical variate analysis showed that microbial communities in sites with a longer history of fumigation (33 and 39 yaf) were similar to one another; however, they differed significantly from 15 yaf site and further analysis concluded that non-fumigated sites were significantly different than fumigated sites. This study showed that the proportion of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was lower in all fumigated (15, 33 and 39 yaf) sites as compared to their non-fumigated counterparts, which could be a threat to sustainability since AMF plays a major role in soil health and quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Microbial Functional Groups and Plant Growth)
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