34 research outputs found
Iron Biofortification of Greenhouse Soilless Lettuce: An Effective Agronomic Tool to Improve the Dietary Mineral Intake
The present experiment addressed the effects of different iron (Fe) concentrations in the nutrient solution supplied as Fe-HBED, i.e., 0.02 (Fe0, control), 1.02 (Fe1), and 2.02 mmol L-1 (Fe2) on lettuce ('Nauplus' and 'Romana') yield and compositional traits. This experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using an open soilless cultivation system, at the experimental farm of the University of Catania (Sicily, Italy: 37 degrees 24'31.5 '' N, 15 degrees 03'32.8 '' E, 6 m a.s.l.). The addition of Fe-HBED reduced the plants' aboveground biomass (-18%, averaged over Fe1 and Fe2), but promoted their dry matter content (+16% in Fe2). The concentration of chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidants peaked at Fe2, along with the antioxidant capacity and concentration of stress indicators in leaves. The Fe content in leaves was promoted in the Fe-treated plants (+187% averaged over Fe1 and Fe2). 'Romana' showed the highest Fe accumulation (reaching 29.8 mg kg(-1) FW in Fe1), but 'Nauplus' proved a higher tolerance to the Fe-derived oxidative stress. The Fe2 treatment maximized leaf N, P, K, S, and Zn contents, while those of Ca, Mg, Mn, and B peaked at Fe1. Overall, our study revealed the effectiveness of Fe-HBED in increasing the Fe content and improving the nutritional quality of lettuce grown in soilless cultivation systems
Yield, quality, alternate bearing and long-term yield index in pecan, as a response to mineral and organic nutrition
The pecan nut is produced in 57 countries in the world. Alternate bearing is one of the main biological
problems that affect pecan cultivation. Mineral and organic fertilization is a good strategy to maintain and
increase pecan nut production. In this study, several mineral and organic doses of fertilization were tested using
a factorial arrangement 56 bounded to 25 treatments was used in structure Taguchi L25: nitrogen (N) 0 - 240
kg ha-1, phosphate (P2O5) 0 - 120 kg ha-1, potassium (K2O) 0 - 100 kg ha-1, calcium (CaO) 0 - 400 kg ha-1, liquid
humus 0 - 3600 L ha-1 and solid humus 0 - 8000 kg ha-1. The study was carried out in Aldama city, Chihuahua
(Mexico). An average yield of 2.4 t ha-1 was obtained, 157 nuts per kilogram and 58.9% of edible nut. The
average alternate bearing intensity was 31.58%, and the long-term yield index (IRLP) was 9.59%. It is concluded
that the factors whit the greatest impact on the analyzed variables were N and P2O5. In addition, it was found
these mineral and organic fertilization systems help to reduce alternate bearing in pecan and simultaneously
improve production and long-term productivity index. Optimal fertilization doses were defined: 181.4 kg ha-1
of N, 93.5 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 3287.2 L ha-1 of liquid humus. Finally, the mineral fertilization complemented
with organic fertilization is considered a good fertilization strategy for pecan trees, to increase production and
with lower environmental impact
Application of an Enzymatic Hydrolysed L-alpha-Amino Acid Based Biostimulant to Improve Sunflower Tolerance to Imazamox
Herbicides, commonly used in agriculture to control weeds, often cause negative effects
on crops. Safeners are applied to reduce the damage to crops without affecting the effectiveness of
herbicides against weeds. Plant biostimulants have the potential to increase tolerance to a series of
abiotic stresses, but very limited information exists about their effects on herbicide-stressed plants.
This study aims to verify whether the application of a potential safener such as Terra-Sorb®, an
L- -amino acid-based biostimulant, reduces the phytotoxicity of an Imazamox-based herbicide
and to elucidate which tolerance mechanisms are induced. Sunflower plants were treated with
Pulsar® 40 (4% Imazamox) both alone and in combination with Terra-Sorb®. Plants treated with the
herbicide in combination with Terra-Sorb® showed higher growth, increased acetolactate synthase
(ALS) activity, and amino acid concentration with respect to the plants treated with Imazamox
alone. Moreover, the biostimulant protected photosynthetic activity and reduced oxidative stress.
This protective effect could be due to the glutathione S-transferase (GST) induction and antioxidant
systems dependent on glutathione (GSH). However, no effect of the biostimulant application was
observed regarding phenolic compound phenylalanine ammonium-lyase (PAL) activity. Therefore,
this study opens the perspective of using Terra-Sorb® in protecting sunflower plants against an
imazamox-based herbicide effect.PAI program (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion) AGR28
Improvement of the physiological response of barley plants to both Zinc deficiency and toxicity by the application of calcium silicate
V.P. Acknowledges Erasmus traineeship program by the University of Naples "Federico II". Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBUA.An adequate availability of Zinc (Zn) is crucial for plant growth and development given the essentiality of this
element. Thus, both Zn deficiency and Zn toxicity can limit crop yields. In plants, the responses to Zn imbalances
involve important physiological aspects such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, phytohormone
balance, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) metabolism, and organic acids (OAs) accumulation. However, a way to
improve tolerance to stresses such as those produced by nutritional imbalances is the application of beneficial
elements such as silicon (Si). In this study, we grew barley plants in hydroponics under Zn deficiency and toxicity
conditions, applying Si in the form of CaSiO3 in order to assess its effectiveness against Zn imbalances. Parameters
related to plant growth, oxidative stress, TCA enzyme activities, phytohormones and OAs accumulation
were analyzed. Both Zn deficiency and toxicity reduced leaf biomass, increased ROS accumulation, and affected
phytohormone and OAs concentrations and TCA enzyme activities. CaSiO3 treatment was effective in counteracting
these effects enhancing Zn accumulation under Zn deficient conditions and limiting its accumulation
under toxic conditions. In addition, this treatment decreased ROS levels, and improved ascorbate/glutathione
and phytohormonal responses, citrate synthase activity, and malate/oxalate ratio. Therefore, this study enhanced
the notion of the efficacy of CaSiO3 in improving tolerance to Zn imbalances.Universidad de Granada / CBU
Evaluation of the alkalinity stress tolerance of three Brassica rapa CAX1 TILLING mutants
Alkalinity is an important environmental factor that affects crop production and will be exacerbated in the
current climate change scenario. Thus, the presence of carbonates and high pH in soils negatively impacts
nutrient assimilation and photosynthesis and causes oxidative stress. A potential strategy to improve tolerance to
alkalinity could be the modification of cation exchanger (CAX) activity, given that these transporters are
involved in calcium (Ca2+) signaling under stresses. In this study, we used three Brassica rapa mutants (BraA.
cax1a-4, BraA.cax1a-7, and BraA.cax1a-12) from the parental line ‘R-o-18’ that were generated by Targeting
Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) and grown under control and alkaline conditions. The objective
was to assess the tolerance of these mutants to alkalinity stress. Biomass, nutrient accumulation, oxidative stress,
and photosynthesis parameters were analyzed. The results showed that BraA.cax1a-7 mutation was negative for
alkalinity tolerance because it reduced plant biomass, increased oxidative stress, partially inhibited antioxidant
response, and lowered photosynthesis performance. Conversely, the BraA.cax1a-12 mutation increased plant
biomass and Ca2+ accumulation, reduced oxidative stress, and improved antioxidant response and photosynthesis
performance. Hence, this study identifies BraA.cax1a-12 as a useful CAX1 mutation to enhance the
tolerance of plants grown under alkaline conditions.Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia, University of Granada awarde
Physiological Study of the Efficacy of Archer® Eclipse in the Protection against Sunburn in Cucumber Plants
Sunburn is an important issue affecting the yield of many crops, mainly in arid and semi-arid regions. Excessive solar radiation and high temperatures can reduce growth and cause leaf chlorosis, oxidative stress, and photosynthesis impairment. It is thus necessary to develop agricultural techniques to protect plants in a cost-effective and reproducible manner. A potential method is through the spray of protective compounds based on particulate films, such as those based on kaolin. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of spraying the protective product Archer((R)) Eclipse, created by Atlantica Agricola S.A. (Alicante, Spain), on sunburn damage in a sensitive species such as the cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.). To evaluate the effects of sunburn on the plants, parameters related to biomass, leaf temperature, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress were analysed. Plants sprayed with Archer((R)) Eclipse showed fewer sunburn symptoms and obtained 43% more shoot biomass than those that were not treated. In addition, plants sprayed with Archer((R)) Eclipse showed 3 degrees C lower leaf temperatures, higher photosynthesis performance, 88% more water use efficiency, and 21% more chlorophyll concentration. Finally, plants treated with Archer((R)) Eclipse presented 6% less accumulations of carotenoids and 67% less total phenols, but lower oxidative stress indicators. In conclusion, this study confirms the efficiency of Archer((R)) Eclipse in protecting a sensitive vegetable plant such as the cucumber from sunburn-inducing conditions.PAI programme (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion) AGR28
A New Calcium Vectoring Technology: Concentration and Distribution of Ca and Agronomic Efficiency in Pepper Plants
This work was supported by the PAI program (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion AGR282). The funders had no role in the design of the study, in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.Calcium (Ca) is an important macronutrient for plants, although its low mobility through
the phloem makes more difficult the translocation to growing tissues, including fruits. The blossom
end rot (BER) physiopathy occurs mainly in fruits and is associated with water stress, and especially
with low Ca levels, which has a very negative effect on the production of many crops. Currently,
through the vectoring process, it is possible to increase the transport of immobile elements to the
fruits. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of BRANDT® MANNI-PLEX® Ca, which
contains Ca with a vector (polyalcohols), provided by the company BRANDT EUROPE S.L. (Carmona,
Spain), on Ca accumulation and the production and quality of pepper fruits, both at harvest and
post-harvest stage. Pepper plants were grown in a shaded greenhouse and supplied with BRANDT®
MANNI-PLEX® Ca and parameters related to biomass, production, and fruit quality were analyzed.
The results showed that the product increased shoot biomass, photosynthesis performance, Ca
accumulation and quality of pepper fruits both at harvest and post-harvest, while reducing the
incidence of Ca physiopathies by 70%. Therefore, this study proves the BRANDT® MANNI-PLEX®
Ca efficacy in a crop with a high incidence of Ca physiopathies, such as pepper.PAI program (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion) AGR28
Calcium silicate ameliorates zinc defciency and toxicity symptoms in barley plants through improvements in nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis
This work was supported by the PAI programme (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion AGR282). V. P. Acknowledges Erasmus traineeship program by the University of Naples "Federico II". The results presented in this paper are based on the PhD Thesis by Paradisone ( 2018).Zinc (Zn) deficiency causes serious issues to plant growth and development, negatively affecting crops in many world regions. On the other hand, Zn toxicity impairs plant growth, producing physiological alterations, and even cell death. In plants, two of the processes that most determine growth are nitrogen (N) metabolism and photosynthesis. In the last decades, several authors proved that silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca) mitigate the effects of various abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. The objective of this research is to study the effect of Si application to barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Nure) plants grown under Zn deficiency and Zn toxicity. Hence, barley plants were grown in hydroponics and supplied with a low Zn dose (0.01 mu M ZnSO4) and a high Zn dose (100 mu M ZnSO4) and were supplied with CaSiO3. Parameters related to Zn accumulation, N metabolism, and photosynthesis were measured. Zn stress affected leaf Zn concentration and reduced biomass in barley plants. Both Zn toxicity and deficiency inhibited N metabolism and enhanced photorespiration, increasing stress symptoms. CaSiO3 mitigated Zn stress effects, probably regulating Zn levels in plant cells and enhancing N metabolism and photosynthesis. We conclude that CaSiO3 could be beneficial to grow barley plants in soils with high or low availability of Zn.PAI programme (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion) AGR28
Analysis of RAZORMIN® as a Biostimulant and Its Effect on the Phytotoxicity Mitigation Caused by Fungicide Azoxystrobin in Pepper
Use of biostimulants for stimulating plant growth and mitigating the negative impacts
of biotic and abiotic stresses is a promising strategy to achieve higher crop yields. Fungicides such
as azoxystrobin are used to control several pests and fungal diseases in plants but at the cost of
altering various physiological processes; thereby, leading to reduced crop yields. The efficiency
of the compound RAZORMIN® as a biostimulant product while taking into account its role in
plant growth stimulation and fungicide azoxystrobin stress mitigation was evaluated in this study.
The efficacy of RAZORMIN® was assessed considering its impact on the stimulation of growthrelated
physiological processes and stress mitigation mechanism, e.g., reactive oxygen species (ROS)
detoxification. Application of RAZORMIN® significantly increased plant growth by improving fresh
weight, photosynthetic efficiency, net photosynthesis rate, gas exchange, nitrogen (N) metabolism
(with increases in soluble amino acids, foliar N concentration, and N use efficiency), growth hormone
concentrations (mainly gibberellins and cytokinins), nutritional status of plants (producing a greater
accumulation of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, molybdenum, iron, and
boron), and sugars concentration. Furthermore, the application of RAZORMIN® on plants under
fungicide azoxystrobin stress demonstrated its anti-stress and protective role by stimulating the
antioxidant defense system and improving photosynthetic efficiencyPAI program (Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Grupo de Investigacion) AGR28
Evaluation of Physiological and Quality Parameters of Green Asparagus Spears Subjected to Three Treatments against the Decline Syndrome
Green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a widely grown and consumed crop which
provides high-level nutritional interest. In recent years, the decline syndrome in asparagus plantations
has been rapidly augmenting. This syndrome causes the early death of whole plants, also negatively
affecting the new replanting. Decline causes notable economic losses in the sector. The objective of
this work was to verify the effect of different treatments against asparagus decline syndrome on the
physiological parameters and nutritional quality of the spears. To meet the objective, four different
treatments were applied to asparagus plots strongly affected by decline syndrome: (T1) untreated
control soil, (T2) biofumigation with Brassica pellets, (T3) biofumigation with chicken manure pellets,
and (T4) disinfestation of the soil with Dazomet. The cumulative yield and physiological and quality
parameters of green asparagus spears were studied. Thus, malondialdehyde (MDA), photosynthetic
pigments, glutathione (GSH), ascorbate (AsA), total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanin, antioxidant
test, mineral nutrients, and the amino acid profile were measured on asparagus spears. The results
showed that the Brassica pellets and Dazomet treatments were the most effective against the damage
caused by the decline syndrome. However, it would be necessary to monitor the evolution in the
following years.INIA and ERDF
2014-2020Project RTA2015-00008-C02,State Training
Subprogram of the State Program for the Promotion of Talent and its Employability, at the IFAPA.
Grant number [BES-2017-080123].ES