The influence of different methods of soil processing on the microbial communities composition

Modern agriculture faces the challenge of soil degradation due to improper land use and the development of erosion processes. Plowing technology profoundly transforms the surface soil horizon and makes it vulnerable to such negative processes. One of the technologies that reduce agricultural practices’ negative impact on the soil is direct sowing, which is much more environmentally friendly than disking and plowing. In this work, the influence of different tillage technologies on the soil microbial community structure was studied. It was found that the number of cellulolytic, ammonifying bacteria, actinomycetes, and soil fungi was significantly higher when using direct sowing technology compared to plowing. The intensity of mineralization processes was lower than during plowing, which indicates a shift in the balance towards the accumulation of soil organic matter. Thus, the technology of direct sowing contributes to an increase in the soil biological activity and can be an effective method for restoring soil fertility

Evaluation of the biological activity of meadow chernozem soils after the application of biochars with different pyrolysis temperatures in a model experiment

The paper aims to study the effect of fresh and aged biochar with different pyrolysis temperatures and metal resistant bacteria on the numbers of microorganisms and the dehydrogenase activity of meadow chernozem soils. The use of fresh biochar leads to an increase in the number of soil bacteria and suppression of dehydrogenase activity; after ageing biochar by incubation in the soil, dehydrogenase activity increases significantly

Influence of Heat Stress and Water Availability on Productivity of Silage Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) under Different Tillage and Fertilizer Management Practices in Rostov Region of Russia

The aridization of the climate negatively affects the growth and development of plants and their productivity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of heat stress and water availability on maize for silage under aridization and to find out the effectiveness of technological methods to maximize the use of available moisture. A long-term multifactorial experiment was performed during the period 1991–2020 in the region south of Rostov, Russia. The long-term multifactorial experiment is located in a zone of high heat supply and insufficient moisture, so the latter factor limits the yield of corn and dictates the need to find solutions to increase its environmental sustainability in extreme weather conditions. The values of the hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) were determined for the period of maize cultivation for each year of the study, ranked in ascending order and grouped into clusters. The results were mathematically processed by calculating the mean values (M) and their standard deviations (±SEM) with Statistica 13.3 software. The optimum conditions for silage maize development were found under the combination of 265 mm of rainfall and a 19.8 °C average temperature during the growing season. The maximum yield of silage maize was 33.8–45.2 t ha−1. In dry years (HTC = 0.3), tillage had an advantage: the yield increase was 0.2–1.6 t ha−1. In wet years, moldboard tillage was preferable: the yield increase was 0.3–2.9 t ha−1. The application of farmyard manure for fertilization increased the yield by 10.5–41.9%. Increasing the fertilizer rate by 1.5 times increased the yield by 21.0–59.8%. In drought, tillage and average fertilizer rate provided returns by increasing yields up to 7.7 kg/kg. Our study provides valuable recommendations in fodder production, promotes moisture conservation, preserves soil fertility on the slopes when cultivating corn for silage, and will be useful to specialists in improving the efficiency of agricultural production

Sustainable Approach and Safe Use of Biochar and Its Possible Consequences

Biochar is considered as a potential substitute for soil organic matter (SOM). Considering the importance of biochar, the present review is based on the different benefits and potential risks of the application of biochar to the soil. Biochar addition to low organic carbon soils can act as a feasible solution to keep soil biologically active for the cycling of different nutrients. The application of biochar could improve soil fertility, increase crop yield, enhance plant growth and microbial abundance, and immobilize different contaminants in the soil. It could also be helpful in carbon sequestration and the return of carbon stock back to the soil in partially combusted form. Due to the large surface area of biochar, which generally depends upon the types of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions, it helps to reduce the leaching of fertilizers from the soil and supplies additional nutrients to growing crops. However, biochar may have some adverse effects due to emissions during the pyrolysis process, but it exerts a positive priming effect (a phenomenon in which subjection to one stimulus positively influences subsequent stimulus) on SOM decomposition, depletion of nutrients (macro- and micro-) via strong adsorption, and impact on soil physicochemical properties. In view of the above importance and limitations, all possible issues related to biochar application should be considered. The review presents extensive detailed information on the sustainable approach for the environmental use of biochar and its limitations

Quorum-Sensing Inhibition by Gram-Positive Bacteria

The modern paradigm assumes that interspecies communication of microorganisms occurs through precise regulatory mechanisms. In particular, antagonism between bacteria or bacteria and fungi can be achieved by direct destruction of the targeted cells through the regulated production of antimicrobial metabolites or by controlling their adaptive mechanisms, such as the formation of biofilms. The quorum-quenching phenomenon provides such a countermeasure strategy. This review discusses quorum-sensing suppression by Gram-positive microorganisms, the underlying mechanisms of this process, and its molecular intermediates. The main focus will be on Gram-positive bacteria that have practical applications, such as starter cultures for food fermentation, probiotics, and other microorganisms of biotechnological importance. The possible evolutionary role of quorum-quenching mechanisms during the development of interspecies interactions of bacteria is also considered. In addition, the review provides possible practical applications for these mechanisms, such as the control of pathogens, improving the efficiency of probiotics, and plant protection