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Agriculture
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Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production
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Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2024) | Viewed by 6790

Special Issue Editor

Dr. María Daniela Artigas Ramírez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Iriomote Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 870 Uehara, Yaeyama, Taketomi, Okinawa 907-1541, Japan
Interests: plant-microbe interactions; mechanisms under stress; plant growth-promoting microorganisms; stress mitigation; nutrient solubilization or mobilization; crop production improvement and the production of bioproducts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental changes and political conflicts threaten crop production at the local or international level. In this view, abiotic stresses and addressing the advances in plant–microbe interactions are major problems for the mitigation, improvement, or development of more resilient crops. Plant growth is promoted through different microorganisms by identifying their interactions, such as symbiosis, mutualism, and competitiveness. Likewise, taking advantage of the understanding of their mechanisms will lead to increased crop production without causing any threat or losses in agriculture. Therefore, it is essential to improve crops from seed to mature plants. At the same time, it can also help to enhance soil fertility post-harvest in different environments.

This Special issue focuses on beneficial microorganisms used to develop and improve crop production, crop quality, and stability under different environments or abiotic stresses, including beneficial microorganisms and their mechanisms. This issue will include studies from growth chamber to field studies, containing advanced techniques from molecular to ecology or other biological disciplines. This will lead to a multidisciplinary understanding of crops such as vegetables, cereals, legumes, and others. All types of articles are welcome, from original research, opinion, and reviews.

Dr. María Daniela Artigas Ramírez
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. Agriculture 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

  • crop quality
  • plant growth promotion
  • beneficial microorganisms
  • solubilization
  • nutrient uptake
  • abiotic stress
  • biofertilizer
  • inoculant
  • enhancements
  • biostimulants

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
Analyzing Single and Combined Cultures of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Isolates from Afghanistan as a Potential Biofertilizer for Rice Growth and Development
by Safiullah Habibi, Tadashi Yokoyama, Mohammad Daud Haidari, Akihiro Torii, Michiko Yasuda and Naoko Ohkama-Ohtsu
Agriculture 2023, 13(12), 2252; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13122252 - 7 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1257
Abstract
Developing multi-functional, environmentally friendly biofertilizers can help reduce chemical fertilizer usage. This study examined single and combined application effects of four plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains: AF124 (Rhizobium daejeonense), AF74 (Enterobacter cloacae), AF96 (Pseudomonas putida), and AF42 [...] Read more.
Developing multi-functional, environmentally friendly biofertilizers can help reduce chemical fertilizer usage. This study examined single and combined application effects of four plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains: AF124 (Rhizobium daejeonense), AF74 (Enterobacter cloacae), AF96 (Pseudomonas putida), and AF42 (Enterobacter cloacae), isolated from alkaline salt-stressed soils from Afghanistan. Physiological features such as nitrogen (N2) fixation, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), organic acid production, and P and K solubilization of bacteria in single or combined cultures in vitro were examined. A single application of AF124 and AF74 showed significantly higher IAA production than the combined application of dual, triple, and quadruple PGPR treatments. Regarding acetylene reduction activity, an N2-fixation activity indicator, a single application of AF124 showed the highest value, followed by a triple application of AF124 + AF96 + AF42. The P-solubilization activity and organic acid production were lower in the single application of AF124 but higher with other strains in the combined applications, which resulted in the secretion of multiple organic acids into the medium. The highest solubilized K value was obtained from the quadruple application compared to other treatments. In the rice inoculation test, all single and combined PGPR treatments increased its growth parameters, such as root length and root and shoot dry biomass. The present results indicate that these four PGPR strains can potentially contribute to developing multi-functional bio-fertilizer formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production)
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20 pages, 1853 KiB  
Article
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Colonization of Jatropha curcas Roots and Its Impact on Growth and Survival under Greenhouse-Induced Hydric Stress
by Laura Yesenia Solís-Ramos, Antonio Andrade-Torres, Martin Hassan Polo-Marcial, Marysol Romero-Ceciliano, Cristofer Coto López, Carlos Ávila-Arias and Keilor Rojas-Jiménez
Agriculture 2023, 13(12), 2197; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13122197 - 25 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1642
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide benefits to host plants by enhancing nutrition and overall fitness. In this study, AMF species were isolated from the soil rhizosphere of Jatropha curcas and were identified and evaluated for their potential in fostering the development of Jatropha [...] Read more.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide benefits to host plants by enhancing nutrition and overall fitness. In this study, AMF species were isolated from the soil rhizosphere of Jatropha curcas and were identified and evaluated for their potential in fostering the development of Jatropha seedlings within a controlled greenhouse environment. The first experiment assessed the interplay between hydric stress and AMF inoculation on mycorrhizal colonization. The next experiment examined the impact of quercetin on mycorrhizal colonization. Out of 204 glomerospores corresponding to 28 species spanning 10 genera, Acaulospora (14) and Scutellospora (5) were the most abundant taxa. Six new records of AMF for Costa Rica are reported. Mycorrhizal colonization was observed in 43.2% of Jatropha plants (34.7% by AMF typical hyphae; arbuscules 8.9%; coils 5.6%; and vesicles 5.4%). Significant survival effects due to AMF inoculation under hydric stress were observed. On day 85, non-mycorrhizal plants subjected to hydric stress showed a mere 30% survival rate, whereas their mycorrhizal counterparts under hydric stress exhibited survival rates of 80% and 100% with and without irrigation, respectively. Furthermore, plants with irrigation and mycorrhizas showed greater hydric stress tolerance and superior growth. The inoculated plants, irrespective of irrigation, demonstrated mycorrhizal colonization rates of 63% and 72%, respectively. Quercetin did not affect Jatropha’s growth, but there were differences in AMF root colonization. In summary, these findings accentuate the viability of a native consortium in augmenting Jatropha survival, warranting consideration as a potent biofertilizer within greenhouse settings. The AMF described can be used for Jatropha propagation programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production)
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19 pages, 5326 KiB  
Article
Improvement in Wheat Productivity with Integrated Management of Beneficial Microbes along with Organic and Inorganic Phosphorus Sources
by Nadia, Amanullah, Muhammad Arif and Dost Muhammad
Agriculture 2023, 13(6), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13061118 - 25 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) unavailability in agricultural soils is a primary cause of the poor development and yield of field crops in arid and semiarid regions. The primary goal of this research project was to investigate the influence of integrated management of beneficial microbes or [...] Read more.
Phosphorus (P) unavailability in agricultural soils is a primary cause of the poor development and yield of field crops in arid and semiarid regions. The primary goal of this research project was to investigate the influence of integrated management of beneficial microbes or biofertilizers (BF), organic P-fertilizers, and inorganic P-fertilizers on wheat productivity in a wheat–maize cropping system. Field experiments were carried out during the two consecutive seasons of 2020/2021 (Y1) and 2021/2022 (Y2) according to the two-factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. Factor one consisted of twenty-one treatments of organic and inorganic P-fertilizer combinations, while factor two consisted of two different BF (PSB and Bioaab). One overall control where no P or BF was applied was also included in each replication for comparison. The experiment consisted of six treatments of sole P sources (sheep manure (SM), cattle manure (CM), legume residues (LR), non-legume residues (NLR), single super phosphate (SSP) and rock phosphate (RP)), each applied at a rate of 90 kg P ha−1. Different combinations of organic and inorganic P sources (giving 15 treatments) were applied at a rate of 50% P from each source (i.e., 45 kg P ha−1 applied from different sources in combination). The results revealed that the combined application of SSP+SM produced a significantly higher number of grains spike−1 (23.9%), spikes m−2 (4.5%), and grain yield (40.9%) over the control. Application of PSB produced the maximum number of grains spike−1 (23.9%), spikes m−2 (4.5%), thousand-grain weight (8.3%), grain yield (40.9%), and biological yield (17%) in the wheat crop as compared to Bioaab. It was concluded from the two-year study that integrated use of organic P-fertilizers (animal manures) plus inorganic P-fertilizer (SSP) along with PSB ranked first in terms of higher wheat productivity in a wheat–maize cropping system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production)
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17 pages, 5912 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Biological Activity and Whole Genome Sequencing of Bacillus cereus CDHWZ7 Isolated from the Rhizosphere of Lycium ruthenicum on the Tibetan Plateau
by Xue Yang, Yongli Xie, Youming Qiao, Lan Chen, Tian Wang, Lingling Wu, Junxi Li and Ying Gao
Agriculture 2023, 13(5), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13051041 - 11 May 2023
Viewed by 1589
Abstract
This study examined the biological activity and genome of Bacillus cereus CDHWZ7 isolated from the root of Lycium ruthenicum in the Dachaidan saline area, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. The results revealed that B. cereus CDHWZ7 exhibited strong inhibition activity against the pathogenic [...] Read more.
This study examined the biological activity and genome of Bacillus cereus CDHWZ7 isolated from the root of Lycium ruthenicum in the Dachaidan saline area, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. The results revealed that B. cereus CDHWZ7 exhibited strong inhibition activity against the pathogenic fungi Fusarium graminearum, F. acuminatum, and F. oxysporum. CDHWZ7 also demonstrated cellulose-degrading activity, nitrogen-fixing activity, and the ability to secrete indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 55.00 mg∙L−1. The strain CDHWZ7 can grow at a salt concentration of 3–11%, a pH range of 5–11, and a temperature of 4 °C–18 °C, and shows good salt tolerance, acid and alkaline tolerance, and low-temperature fitness. The genome of strain CDHWZ7 was sequenced using Illumina HiSeq + PacBio, revealing a circular structure of 5,648,783 bp in length, containing two intact plasmids with an average GC content of 35.2%, and a total number of 5672 encoded genes. It contained 106 tRNA genes, 42 rRNA genes, and 134 sRNA genes. A total of 137 genes were annotated as carbohydrases, with a total base length of 3,968,396,297 bp. The numbers of coding sequences assigned to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of Proteins, and Gene Ontology Databases were 4038, 4133, and 2160, respectively. Further analysis of the genome identified genes encoding chitinase activity, cellulases, secondary metabolites, phytohormone production, volatile compounds, nitrogen and phosphate metabolism, and resistance responses to biotic stresses (glycine betaine transporter protein, catalase, superoxide dismutase, low-affinity potassium transporter protein, cold-shock protein, heat-shock protein), as well as genes related to proliferation, stress response, and resistance to pathogenic fungi. Therefore, this study determined that strain CDHWZ7 has several excellent biological traits, such as antagonism to pathogenic fungi, nitrogen-fixation ability, cellulose-degradation ability, and IAA-production ability. The genome sequence of strain CDHWZ7 and several biodefense functional genes were also analyzed, revealing the potential use of strain CDHWZ7 in the development of biological agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Microorganisms and Crop Production)
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