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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Using Microorganisms to Increase Crop Productivity and Sustainability
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Using Microorganisms to Increase Crop Productivity and Sustainability

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Microbe Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 2448

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cristina Cruz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C2, Piso 5, Sala 2.5.03 Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; biological properties; mycorrhiza; soil fungi
Dr. Teresa Dias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C2, Piso 5, Sala 2.5.03 Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: plant ecology; plant nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and protists, have long been recognized as vital components of soil ecosystems. They play essential roles in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, plant growth promotion, and ecosystem services. This Special Issue, titled "Using Microorganisms to Increase Crop Productivity and Sustainability", will offer a comprehensive exploration of the pivotal role that microorganisms play in modern agriculture.

This Special Issue will emphasize diverse strategies for leveraging microorganisms and the products of their activitiy and interactions, such as biofertilizers, biopesticides, and microbial inoculants. These microbial tools can enhance nutrient availability, protect crops from pests and diseases, and improve soil structure and health. Importantly, they offer sustainable alternatives to conventional agricultural inputs, reducing the reliance on synthetic chemicals and their associated environmental drawbacks.

Overall, the Special Issue provides valuable insights into how harnessing microorganisms can contribute to more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.

Dr. Cristina Cruz
Dr. Teresa Dias
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. Microorganisms 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 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

  • microorganism
  • agriculture
  • soil
  • plant
  • ecosystem

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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0 pages, 2607 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria’s Effects on Alfalfa Growth at the Seedling and Flowering Stages under Salt Stress
by Xixi Ma, Cuihua Huang, Jun Zhang, Jing Pan, Qi Guo, Hui Yang and Xian Xue
Microorganisms 2024, 12(3), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12030616 - 19 Mar 2024
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a forage legume known for its moderate salt–alkali tolerance, offers notable economic and ecological benefits and aids in soil amelioration when cultivated in saline–alkaline soils. Nonetheless, the limited stress resistance of alfalfa could curtail its productivity. This study [...] Read more.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a forage legume known for its moderate salt–alkali tolerance, offers notable economic and ecological benefits and aids in soil amelioration when cultivated in saline–alkaline soils. Nonetheless, the limited stress resistance of alfalfa could curtail its productivity. This study investigated the salt tolerance and growth-promoting characteristics (in vitro) of four strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that were pre-selected, as well as their effects on alfalfa at different growth stages (a pot experiment). The results showed that the selected strains belonged to the genera Priestia (HL3), Bacillus (HL6 and HG12), and Paenibacillus (HG24). All four strains exhibited the ability to solubilize phosphate and produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. Among them, except for strain HG24, the other strains could tolerate 9% NaCl stress. Treatment with 100 mM NaCl consistently decreased the IAA production levels of the selected strains, but inconsistent changes (either enhanced or reduced) in terms of phosphate solubilization, ACC deaminase, and exopolysaccharides (EPS) production were observed among the strains. During the various growth stages of alfalfa, PGPR exhibited different growth-promoting effects: at the seedling stage, they enhanced salt tolerance through the induction of physiological changes; at the flowering stage, they promoted growth through nutrient acquisition. The current findings suggest that strains HL3, HL6, and HG12 are effective microbial inoculants for alleviating salt stress in alfalfa plants in arid and semi-arid regions. This study not only reveals the potential of indigenous salt-tolerant PGPR in enhancing the salt tolerance of alfalfa but also provides new insights into the mechanisms of action of PGPR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microorganisms to Increase Crop Productivity and Sustainability)
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Review

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29 pages, 1553 KiB  
Review
Production of a Rich Fertilizer Base for Plants from Waste Organic Residues by Microbial Formulation Technology
by Sai Shiva Krishna Prasad Vurukonda, Vasileios Fotopoulos and Agnieszka Saeid
Microorganisms 2024, 12(3), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12030541 - 07 Mar 2024
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Abstract
This review explores different methods of sustainably introducing nutrients from agro-industrial waste into the soil. The focus is on sustainable agriculture and how the soil system can be modified by introducing secondary raw materials and beneficial microorganisms. Soil is a nexus between plants [...] Read more.
This review explores different methods of sustainably introducing nutrients from agro-industrial waste into the soil. The focus is on sustainable agriculture and how the soil system can be modified by introducing secondary raw materials and beneficial microorganisms. Soil is a nexus between plants and microorganisms that must be balanced. The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining the microbiological balance when supplying nutrients. This review is focused on the possible techniques involved in the production of biofertilizers and their mode of application into the soil system and on plants. We addressed several advantages concerning the use of beneficial microorganisms in waste management by microbial formulation techniques. Not only the advantages but several limitations and challenges were also discussed in regard to the large scale production of microbial products. Therefore, the proper treatment of industrial waste is essential so that we can preserve the environment and human safety and also achieve sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Microorganisms to Increase Crop Productivity and Sustainability)
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