Submit to Agronomy Review for Agronomy Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 March 2023) | Viewed by 42135

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Land Management and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszow, ul. Zelwerowicza 8B, 35-601 Rzeszów, budynek D7, Poland
Interests: diatoms; water quality; algal diversity; aquatic ecology; algology; biodiversity; RDC; physicochemical and soil properties; soil microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Yiqiang Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Marine Agriculture Research Center, Tobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
Interests: soil microbiology; soil contamination; organic matter; farming systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical-based agricultural practices have substantially increased crop yield in the past. However, indiscriminate use of agrochemicals also causes environmental pollution and harms human health. A growing worldwide concern regarding these issues has motivated researchers to seek alternatives to chemical-based, conventional agriculture. Microorganisms have shown great promise in the agriculture environment, with benefits including their ability to break down organic materials, produce high-quality organic amendments, enhance and improve soil fertility, suppress disease-causing organisms, and increase crop yield. They can also be used for soil bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and pest and disease management.

In this Special Issue, we invite articles thematically related to the development of biotechnology in agriculture and the possibilities and threats related to the introduction of modifications; the use of unconventional fertilizers, e.g., sewage sludge and ashes, and their influence on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil and on the yield; possibilities of using biotechnology to assess the condition of the soil environment, in particular the role of microorganisms in the soil environment as bioindicators of soil quality; the impact of use of plant protection products and unconventional fertilizers on the development of microorganisms; microbiological and enzymatic processes in soil; and the use of microbiological biotechnology for, e.g., soil bioremediation.

Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska
Prof. Dr. Yiqiang Li
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

soil microbiology
biotechnology
agrobiotechnology
soil contamination
sewage sludge
microorganisms
organic matter
farming systems

Published Papers (14 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 3349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Successful Formulation and Application of Low-Temperature Bacterial Agents for Corn Stover Degradation

by Sainan Zhang, Shengcai Han, Xiaofang Yu, Julin Gao, Shuping Hu, Naoganchaolu Borjigin, Qinggeer Borjigin, Jiangan Guo, Jianfei Bai, Bizhou Zhang, Zhiyuan Huang and Yong Lei

Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 1032; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13041032 - 31 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1289

Abstract

Solid bacterial agents are required to accelerate stover degradation in low-temperature areas. However, the laboratory-to-practice translation of bioprocessing techniques is hindered by high cost, poor practicality, and short shelf life. Using corn stover powder, starch, and bran as additives, we screened Pseudomonas putida and Acinetobacter lwoffii, which effectively degrades corn stover at low temperatures, to develop a sustainable and low-cost bacterial agent formula that ensures bacterial viability in low-temperature soil and storage. The optimal formulation included precipitates and additives at a 1:4 ratio, including corn stover powder, starch, and bran at a 4:3:9 ratio. The viable bacterial count with this formulation reached 7.5 × 10¹⁰ colony-forming units/g, with high lignocellulase activities. The degradation effect of the optimal formulation on stover and its components, in both lab soil culture simulation and the field environment, was significantly higher than that without bacterial agent application. This formulation had an outstanding effect on lignin. The optimal storage conditions included vacuum packing under 10% water content at 4 °C; the survival rate of viable bacteria reached 85.33% after 180 d. Given the global value of stover-return agriculture, our results offer a valuable strategy for application in low-temperature soils where stover degradation rates are otherwise low. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 837 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Sustainable Agriculture: Rare-Actinomycetes to the Rescue

by Oghoye P. Oyedoh, Wei Yang, Dharumadurai Dhanasekaran, Gustavo Santoyo, Bernard R. Glick and Olubukola O. Babalola

Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 666; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13030666 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2214

Abstract

The failure of sustainable and agricultural intensifications in saving the ecosystem/public health has caused a paradigm shift to microbiome resource engineering through sustainable approaches. As agricultural intensification systems prioritize synthetic input applications over environmental health, sustainable intensification fails to define the end point of intensification, giving room for the application of “intensification” over “sustainability” to suit farmers’ needs. However, sustainable agricultural practices through microbiome resource services have been well harnessed and appreciated for their significant role in plant health and disease management due to their ability to secret agroactive metabolites with notable functionalities in a cooperative manner or as bioinoculants. The complexity of a cooperative microbiome and the uncontrollable nature of its numerous influencing parameters as well as the non-specificity associated with bioinoculant application, results in the direct utilization of agroactive compounds to obtain greater preventive efficiency. In this regard, the known bacterial trove has been seriously ransacked, yet there exists an inexhaustible bank of unknown compounds, which are conserved in Actinomycetes. However, the rare Actinomycetes group has received less attention than other plant growth-promoting bacteria; thus, the possibility exists that the Actinomycetes may encode novel useful metabolites. To unravel the possible uses of these metabolites for phytoprotection, smart culture-based techniques and genometabolomics technology have been applied. Hence the aim of this review is to express the sustainable nature of agro-antibiotics or biopesticide from these bacterial resources for the resolution of phytopathogenic havoc that reduces crop productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3104 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Organic Fertilizer Application to Soil Microorganisms and Forage Biomass in Grass–Legume Mixtures

by Huilin Yan, Xueli Zhou, Kaifu Zheng, Songsong Gu, Hao Yu, Kun Ma, Yangan Zhao, Yingcheng Wang, Hua Zheng, Hanjiang Liu, Dejun Shi, Guangxin Lu and Ye Deng

Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 481; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13020481 - 07 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2279

Abstract

It has been widely recognized that organic fertilizer (OF) application under monoculture and continuous cropping can change the microbial community and increase forage biomass in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. However, as a commonly used grassland planting pattern, the way in which grass–legume mixtures respond to OF application remains unclear. To clarify application effects of organic fertilizer in the grass–legume mixtures, we conducted a field experiment at the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and collected the rhizospheric and bulk soils to reveal their microbial community by using high-throughput sequencing and molecular ecological networks. It was found that OF application changed the microbial community and increased the forage biomass under monoculture. However, in grass–legume mixtures, we found that OF application did not promote the increase of forage (Gramineae) biomass (Student t-test: p > 0.05). By analyzing both prokaryote and fungal communities, it was found that OF application had a greater impact on bulk soil microorganisms than on those of the rhizosphere in grass–legume mixtures. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that the rhizosphere and bulk soil networks of grass–legume mixtures were significantly more vulnerable under OF treatment (vulnerability of prokaryotes in grass: 0.1222; vulnerability of prokaryotes in legumes: 0.1730; fungal vulnerability in grass: 0.0116; fungal vulnerability in legumes: 0.0223) than non-OF treatment (vulnerability of prokaryotes in grass: 0.1015; vulnerability of prokaryotes in legumes: 0.1337; fungal vulnerability in grass: 0.0046; fungal vulnerability in legumes: 0.0126), which indicated that OF application did not provide favorable conditions for microbial interactions in grass–legume mixtures. In addition, structural equation modeling showed that OF application had some significant negative impacts on soil physicochemical properties and the robustness of the prokaryote community. The robustness of fungi had a significant negative (p < 0.001) impact on forage biomass, but OF application had no significant (p > 0.05) direct impact on the forage biomass, which indicated that the OF did not promote forage biomass in grass–legume mixtures. These results suggest that the application of organic fertilizer is unnecessary for grass–legume mixtures, because it does not promote the interactions between rhizospheric microbes and forage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1905 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Bacillus subtilis for the Alleviation of Salinity Stress in Different Cultivars of Wheat (Tritium aestivum L.)

by Saboor Gul, Sadia Javed, Muhammad Azeem, Amreen Aftab, Nazima Anwaar, Tahir Mehmood and Basit Zeshan

Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 437; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13020437 - 01 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2602

Abstract

Salinity has a negative impact on the agricultural production of crops. It adversely affects the physiochemical properties of the soil and ecological balance of the area. Plant growth-promoting bacteria play a key role in the biological control of phyto-pathogens and abiotic stress including salinity. Four varieties of wheat crop (V1: Akbar 2019, V2: Dilkash 2021, V3: Faisalabad 2008, and V4: Subhani 2020) were compared for their salinity stress tolerance and response towards Bacillus subtilis NA2. A completely randomized design (4 wheat varieties × 3 salt stress levels × 3 replicate × 2 control and bacterial treatments = 72 pots) was adopted using distilled water as a control. Stress negatively affected the plant growth. However, plants primed with Bacillus subtilis NA2 showed improved growth (plant lengths 29.45% and increased biomass 33.23%). Overall, bacterial strain enhanced the levels of carotenoids (45.53%), anthocyanin (32.51%), ascorbic acid (41.53%), total soluble proteins (59.21%), chlorophyll contents (49.65%), and peroxidase activity (31.76%). Levels of malondialdehyde (27.42%) and hydrogen peroxide (20.37%), catalase (16.48%), and ascorbate peroxidase (19.24%) decreased. With commensurable benefits, it can be inferred from the above study that the Bacillus subtilis NA2 strain is beneficial for the better yield of wheat under salinity stress by improving the plant defense mechanism and may be adopted in future by farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 7041 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidants, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Activities of Purified Chitinase of Talaromyces funiculosus Strain CBS 129594 Biosynthesized Using Crustacean Bio-Wastes

by Hossam S. El-Beltagi, Omima M. El-Mahdy, Heba I. Mohamed and Abeer E. El-Ansary

Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2818; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12112818 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1848

Abstract

Talaromyces funiculosus strain CBS 129594 was optimized to promote chitinase activity under solid state fermentation using crustacean bio-wastes. The aim of the study was to use purified chitinase as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. The results showed that the maximum enzyme yield (2.98 ± 0.2 U/g substrate) was obtained at 1:2 crab shell chitin with the inoculation size (2.5 × 10⁶v/v) after seven days of incubation, pH 6.5, using 0.20% of soybean meal, malt extract, and yeast extract and 100% cane and beet molasses as supplementation. The enzyme was purified with an overall yield of 7.22 purification fold with a specific activity of 9.32 ± 0.3 U/mg protein. The molecular mass of the purified chitinase was 45 kDa. The highest chitinase activity was detected at pH 6.5 and 40 °C. The purified chitinase was activated by Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Na⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mg²⁺. On the other hand, the enzyme activity was inhibited in the presence of Hg²⁺, Ag²⁺, and Li⁺ at 10 mM, while Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺ caused no effect compared to media without any metals. The scavenging of 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and 2.2-pheny-l-1-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) increased with increasing the concentrations of the purified chitinase enzyme (100, 200, 300, and 400 µg/mL) which ranged from 48.7% to 57.8% and 8.87% to 63.73%, respectively. The IC50 value of DPPH radicals and ABTS of purified chitinase produced by T. funiculosus strain CBS 129594 was 199 and 306 μg/mL concentration, respectively. The purified chitinase inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli), Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), and fungi (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans). The highest concentrations of purified chitinase (1000 µg/mL) caused the higher toxicity of cancer cell line MCF7 (97%), HCT116 (88.2%), and HepG2 (97.1%). In conclusion, we can conclude that chitinase can be produced from marine waste and can be used as an antioxidant, antibacterial activity, cancer therapy, and ecofriendly biocontrol agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Fungicides on Bayberry Decline Disease by Modulating Rhizosphere Soil Properties, Microflora, and Metabolites

by Haiying Ren, Hongyan Wang, Qi Wang, Xingjiang Qi, Shuwen Zhang, Zheping Yu, Munazza Ijaz, Muchen Zhang, Temoor Ahmed, Mohamed El-Sharnouby, Mohamed M. Hassan, Zhenshuo Wang and Bin Li

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 677; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030677 - 11 Mar 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2479

Abstract

Decline disease causes serious damage to bayberry, but the reasons behind this disease are not completely understood, although fungal pathogenicity factors have been proposed. Our past studies have identified that the adversity of this disease is linked to the application of soil fungicide. The objective of this study is to explore the mechanism and alleviation effect of the use of the fungicide prochloraz in this disease by investigating the plant and soil parameters. The results of the current study reveal that the application of prochloraz could improve the tree vigor and fruit quality of decline-diseased bayberry. The beneficial effect of prochloraz on plant growth and fruit quality may be associated with its influence on the rhizosphere soil properties and soil microbiota. Indeed, the application of prochloraz was shown to significantly affect the relative abundance and diversity of the rhizosphere soil microbiota, with it having a greater effect on bacteria than on fungi. Furthermore, the community composition of rhizosphere soil bacteria and fungi at the genus level was found to be significantly affected by the pH, available phosphorus, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and exchangeable magnesium, which exhibited a greater effect on bacteria than on fungi. In addition, prochloraz significantly affected the metabolic pathways of pyrimidine, galactose, butanoate, arginine, and proline and changed the contents of 58 metabolites, with an 18.59–149.48% increase seen in 51 metabolites and a 31.52–95.21% reduction seen in 7 metabolites. Interestingly, these metabolites were found to be significantly correlated with the rhizosphere soil microbiota at the levels of phylum, order, and genus. Overall, the results of this study provide an alternative choice for protecting bayberry from the damage caused by decline disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cellulolytic Properties of a Potentially Lignocellulose-Degrading Bacillus sp. 8E1A Strain Isolated from Bulk Soil

by Jakub Dobrzyński, Barbara Wróbel and Ewa Beata Górska

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 665; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030665 - 09 Mar 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2294

Abstract

Cellulolytic enzymes produced by spore-forming bacteria seem to be a potential solution to the degradation of lignocellulosic waste. In this study, several dozen bacterial spore-forming strains were isolated from soil and one of them was selected for further studies. The studied bacterial strain was identified to genus Bacillus (strain 8E1A) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacillus sp. 8E1A showed an activity of carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) with visualization with Congo Red-25 mm (size of clear zone). To study CMCase, filter paper hydrolase (FPase), and microcrystalline cellulose Avicel hydrolase (Avicelase) production, three different cellulose sources were used for bacterial strain cultivation: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), filter paper (FP), and microcrystalline cellulose Avicel. The highest CMCase (0.617 U mL⁻¹), FPase (0.903 U mL⁻¹), and Avicelase (0.645 U mL⁻¹) production of Bacillus sp. 8E1A was noted for using CMC (after 216 h of incubation), Avicel cellulose (after 144 h of incubation), and CMC (after 144 h of incubation), respectively. Subsequently, the cellulases’ activity was measured at various temperatures and pH values. The optimal temperature for CMCase (0.535 U mL⁻¹) and Avicelase (0.666 U mL⁻¹) activity was 70 °C. However, the highest FPase (0.868 U mL⁻¹) activity was recorded at 60 °C. The highest CMCase and Avicelase activity was recorded at pH 7.0 (0.520 and 0.507 U mL⁻¹, respectively), and the optimum activity of FPase was noted at pH 6.0 (0.895 U mL⁻¹). These results indicate that the cellulases produced by the Bacillus sp. 8E1A may conceivably be used for lignocellulosic waste degradation in industrial conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4494 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Route for Double-Layered Encapsulation of Streptomyces fulvissimus Uts22 by Alginate–Arabic Gum for Controlling of Pythium aphanidermatum in Cucumber

by Roohallah Saberi Riseh, Mojde Moradi Pour and Essaid Ait Barka

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 655; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030655 - 08 Mar 2022

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 2898

Abstract

Damping-off disease due to Pythium aphanidermatum is one of the most harmful diseases of cucumber. One of the critical issues in the field of biological control is the establishment of a link between the beneficial bacteria screened in the laboratory and its industrial application. Therefore, when developing biocontrol agents, it is necessary to study the optimization of mass production conditions and to select a suitable carrier for their final formulation. In this study, an attempt was made to provide a suitable formulation for a Streptomyces fulvissimus Uts22 strain based on alginate–Arabic gum and nanoparticles (SiO₂ and TiO₂) with a layer-by-layer technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies showed that when Arabic gum was added to the composition, an electrostatic interaction occurred between alginate and Arabic gum. The scanning electron microscope image of beads show a cubic shape and good dispersion of microcapsules. The encapsulation efficiency in the prepared formulation was reported to be 94%. The maximum release of bacteria from the capsule was recorded on the 35th day of storage, about 109 CFU/gr. The greenhouse experiments showed that encapsulated bacteria resulted in a 95% reduction in damping-off disease of cucumber and showed more potential effects on increasing plant growth traits than free bacteria. This encapsulation strategy can be considered as a suitable alternative for future applications in the agricultural field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Response of Soil Microbial Diversity and Community Composition Influenced by Cover Crops and Fertilizer Treatments in a Dryland Soybean Production System

by Nisarga Kodadinne Narayana, William L. Kingery, Mark W. Shankle and Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 618; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030618 - 01 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2971

Abstract

The response of soil microbial communities to management practices is composite, as it depends on the various environmental factors which contribute to a shift in the microbial communities. In this study we explored the impact of combinations of soil management practices on microbial diversity and community composition in a dryland soybean production system. Soil samples were collected from the experimental field maintained under no till, cover crops, and fertility treatments, at Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station, MS, USA. Targeted amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS2 genes was used to study the bacterial and fungal community composition. Poultry litter amendment and cover crops significantly influenced soil bacterial diversity. Fertilizer sources had significantly different bacterial communities, as specific microbial taxa were strongly influenced by the changes in the nutrient availability, while cover crops influenced the soil fungal community differences. Differential enrichment of advantageous bacterial (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria) and fungal (Mortierellomycota) phyla was observed across the treatments. Soil pH and easily extractable glomalin-related soil proteins (EE-GRSP) were correlated with bacterial communities and aggregate stability (WSA) was influenced by the poultry litter amendment, thus driving the differences in bacterial and fungal communities. These findings suggest that a long-term study would provide more inferences on soil microbial community response to management changes in these dryland soybean production systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Effect of Fertilization with Ash from Wood Chips on Bacterial Community in Podzolic and Chernozem Soils for the Cultivation of Winter Oilseed Rape: A Preliminary Study

by Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska, Miłosz Pastuszczak, Ewa Szpunar-Krok, Miroslava Kačániová, Maciej Ireneusz Kluz, Ewa Antonina Czyż, Rafał Pieniążek, Karol Skrobacz and Karol Pietrzyk

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 576; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030576 - 25 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1830

Abstract

The aim of the research was to investigate whether different doses of ash from biomass combustion (Salix viminalis L. willow) have an impact on the number and community of soil bacteria. The experiment was carried out on podzolic and chernozem soils in a one-way field experiment (control, NPK, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 kg K₂Oha⁻¹). The ash from the biomass was characterized by pH 12.83 ± 0.68 and high content of macronutrients. Samples were taken from the 0–5 cm layer of soil under the cultivation of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. var. Napus) in April and September 2021. The plate count method with PCA solid medium was used to determine the number of microorganisms, and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to analyze the microbiological community. The research showed an increase in the number of microorganisms after the use of the biomass ash fertilizer in the variants with ash doses from 200 to 500 kg K₂Oha⁻¹. The highest amount of soil bacteria in both tested soils was determined in these variants. In total, 44 bacterial species of 5 genera were identified in all variants: Bacillus, Paenarthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Pseudomonas, and Rhodococcus. An important factor in the growth of the number of bacteria, in addition to the dose of biomass ash, was soil moisture, which in September was significantly higher than in April 2021 in both soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2864 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Organic Carbon and Enzymatic Activity

by Małgorzata Szostek, Ewa Szpunar-Krok, Renata Pawlak, Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska and Anna Ilek

Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 208; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12010208 - 15 Jan 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3116

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of conventional, simplified, and organic farming systems on changes in the content of soil organic carbon, organic matter fractions, total nitrogen, and the enzymatic activity. The research was conducted from 2016–2018 on arable land in the south-eastern part of Poland. The selected soils were cultivated in conventional tillage (C_Ts), simplified tillage (S_Ts), and organic farming (O_Fs) systems. The analyses were performed in soil from the soil surface layers (up to 25 cm depth) of the experimental plots. The highest mean contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and organic matter fractions were determined in soils subjected to the simplified tillage system throughout the experimental period. During the study period, organic carbon concentration on surface soil layers under simplified tillage systems was 31 and 127% higher than the soil under conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Also, the total nitrogen concentration in those soils was more than 40% and 120% higher than conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Moreover, these soils were characterised by a progressive decline in SOC and Nt resources over the study years. There was no significant effect of the analysed tillage systems on the C:N ratio. The tillage systems induced significant differences in the activity of the analysed soil enzymes, i.e., dehydrogenase (DH) and catalase (CAT). The highest DH activity throughout the experiment was recorded in the O_Fs soils, and the mean value of this parameter was in the range of 6.01–6.11 μmol TPF·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹. There were no significant differences in the CAT values between the variants of the experiment. The results confirm that, regardless of other treatments, such as the use of organic fertilisers, tillage has a negative impact on the content of SOC and organic matter fractions in the O_Fs system. All simplifications in tillage reducing the interference with the soil surface layer and the use of organic fertilisers contribute to improvement of soil properties and enhancement of biological activity, which helps to maintain its productivity and fertility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 3210 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Doses of Ash from Biomass Combustion on the Development of Diatom Assemblages on Podzolic Soil under Oilseed Rape Cultivation

by Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska, Małgorzata Szostek and Mateusz Rybak

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2422; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122422 - 27 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1899

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of fertilization with various doses of ash from biomass combustion (balanced to the amount of K₂O introduced into the soil) on the growth of representatives of soil microorganisms, i.e., diatoms. In a one-factor field experiment (control, NPK, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 kg/ha), soil samples were collected from the 0–5 cm layer of podzolic soil under the cultivation of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. var. napus) at the end of August 2019 and 2020. The biomass combustion ash used for soil fertilization was characterized by an alkaline reaction (pH = 12.83 ± 0.68) and high levels of basic macroelements required for proper plant growth and development. The particle size distribution in each plot was identified as loamy silt (pgl). Before the experiment (autumn 2018), the soil exhibited an acidic reaction (pH_H₂O = 5.8), low conductivity (EC = 68 µS), and 19.09% moisture at the 0–5 cm level. In total, 23 diatom species were identified in the material collected from the topsoil in all variants of the experiment. Hantzschia amphioxys, Mayamaea atomus, Mayamaea permitis, Nitzschia pusilla, Pinnularia obscura, Pinnularia schoenfelderi, and Stauroneis thermicola were the most abundant populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 1621 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Microbial Community in the Composting Process and Its Positive Impact on the Soil Biota in Sustainable Agriculture

by Ana Aguilar-Paredes, Gabriela Valdés, Nicole Araneda, Emky Valdebenito, Felipe Hansen and Marco Nuti

Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 542; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13020542 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7741

Abstract

Conventional agriculture has important challenges to guarantee soil fertility and sustainable food production. Many agricultural soils in the world are degraded and multiple strategies are currently being developed to restore them. The study of beneficial soil microorganisms has attracted increasing interest due to their relevant role in sustainable agricultural development. The balance and maintenance of ecosystem services, such as biomass transformation, nutrient cycling, plant growth, and health, are directly dependent on soil microbial activity. Therefore, it is important to promote its establishment and propagation. An ancient technique that favors soil biodiversity is the production and application of compost. While numerous studies have focused on the benefits of plant cultivation, fewer studies have focused on the benefits for soil microbiota. The objective of this review was to elucidate the role of the microbiota in the composting process and its impact on soil microorganisms in agriculture. The review presents the advances in the knowledge and importance of microorganisms involved in the composting process and how compost promotes the maintenance and multiplication of beneficial microbial consortia and their ecosystem functions in agricultural soils, shifting towards a more sustainable and resilient agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 1172 KiB

Open AccessReview

Harnessing the Rhizosphere Soil Microbiome of Organically Amended Soil for Plant Productivity

by Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro, Chinenyenwa Fortune Chukwuneme, Modupe Stella Ayilara, Funso Raphael Kutu, Motlagomang Khantsi, Bartholomew Saanu Adeleke, Bernard R. Glick and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3179; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12123179 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4434

Abstract

Soil degradation remains an ongoing process that is exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Consequently, these processes decrease soil organic matter and nutrient contents, soil biological functions, and plant productivity. The addition of organic amendments (OAs) to the soil is a widespread practice to enhance soil quality and the health of agricultural soils. One of the most significant microbial hotspots controlling the processes, dynamics, and cycling of nutrients, carbon and water in terrestrial ecosystems is the rhizosphere. Understanding the continuing transformations of OAs and the distribution of different factors (C, nutrients, and microbial activities) across and along roots is crucial in the rhizosphere. The application of OAs to soil increases soil organic matter and nutrients, water holding capacity, improves soil structure and stimulates soil microbial activity and biomass. This review evaluates the role of the rhizosphere microbial community in organically amended soils for promoting plant growth and health. The diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome and the mechanisms used in plant protection are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnology of Microorganisms in the Agriculture Environment)

► Show Figures