Plant-Microbe Interactions and Microbial Application for Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Protection, Diseases, Pests and Weeds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 4527

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle, Research Unit AGHYLE UP2018.C101, Team Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France
Interests: soil microbial ecology; soil functions; soil microbiological indicators; microbial soil diagnostic tools; agricultural management practices; soil microbial diversity; structure and the functions relationship; legumes crops performance

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Guest Editor
Agroecology, Hydrogeochemistry, Environments and Resources (AGHYLE), UniLaSalle, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Interests: soil microbial ecology; soil fertility; soil quality; organic matter; soil bioindicators; soil functions; agricultural practices
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable agriculture involves maximizing beneficial plant–microorganism interactions, which are complex, dynamic, and continuous processes. The objective is to decrease the usage of chemical inputs, boost plant development, and improve plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic challenges through agricultural approaches that improve plant–microorganism interactions. In truth, multiple approaches might be used to achieve the goals of sustainable agriculture. It is necessary to investigate the potential of the soil microbiome/rhizospheric microbiome in plant health and nutrition.

The primary focus of this issue is to investigate research studies that explore the role of the soil microbiome in plant nutrition, resistance, and health. Manuscripts should provide insights into plant–microbe interactions and the application of microbial techniques in sustainable agriculture, with a specific emphasis on their potential to enhance crop productivity and improve soil health. The aim of this Special Issue is to call for papers with a focus on plant pathology, agronomy, agricultural practices, enhancing resistance to abiotic restrictions, the function of microorganisms in biotechnology, and any other related topics.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to encourage the submission of contributions that explore innovative approaches to minimizing reliance on chemical pesticides and mineral fertilizers while fostering sustainable agricultural practices for crop production. We invite you to submit research articles, review articles, and short communications related to state-of-the-art plant–microbe interaction research.

Dr. Wassila Riah-Anglet
Dr. Isabelle Trinsoutrot-Gattin
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant rhizosphere
  • soil microbes
  • plant growth
  • agricultural management
  • crop yields
  • soil functions
  • microorganisms’ diversity
  • PGPR
  • bio stimulant agent
  • biocontrol agent
  • biotic and abiotic stresses

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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22 pages, 2543 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Impact of Soil Prebiotics on Rhizospheric Microbial Functionality in Zea mays L.
by Abdelrahman Alahmad, Lucas Edelman, Mathilde Bouteiller, Lisa Castel, Wassila Riah-Anglet, Nadia Bennegadi-Laurent, Babacar Thioye, Aude Bernardon-Mery, Karine Laval and Isabelle Trinsoutrot-Gattin
Agriculture 2024, 14(7), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14071115 - 10 Jul 2024
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Abstract
Prebiotics, a subset of biostimulants, have garnered attention for their potential to enhance soil conditions and promote plant growth, offering a promising alternative to conventional agricultural inputs. This study explores how two commercial prebiotics, K1® and NUTRIGEO L® (SPK and SPN), [...] Read more.
Prebiotics, a subset of biostimulants, have garnered attention for their potential to enhance soil conditions and promote plant growth, offering a promising alternative to conventional agricultural inputs. This study explores how two commercial prebiotics, K1® and NUTRIGEO L® (SPK and SPN), impact soil functions compared to a control (SP). The experiment involved agricultural soil amended with organic wheat straws and cultivated with Zea mays L. Previous research demonstrated substantial effects of these prebiotics on plant biomass, soil parameters, and microbial community ten weeks after application. The present study delves deeper, focusing on soil microbial abundance, enzyme activities, and metabolic diversity. Analysis revealed that SPN notably increased the fungi-to-bacteria ratio, and both prebiotics elevated the activity of several key enzymes. SPN enhanced α-glucosidase and β-galactosidase activities, while SPK increased arylsulfatase, phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and urease activities. Enzymatic indexes confirmed the positive impact on soil functional diversity and fertility. Additionally, prebiotic treatments showed distinct metabolic profiles, with SPK degrading eleven carbon sources more rapidly across five groups and SPN accelerating the decomposition rate of four carbon sources from three groups. These findings highlight the ability of prebiotics to shape microbial communities and enhance soil fertility by modulating their functional activity and diversity. Full article
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24 pages, 51040 KiB  
Article
Microbial Activity and Diversity in Soil Sown with Zea mays and Triticosecale
by Dominika Komorek, Jadwiga Wyszkowska, Agata Borowik and Magdalena Zaborowska
Agriculture 2024, 14(7), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14071070 - 3 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1379
Abstract
The ongoing scientific debate on the selection of the best bioindicators to reflect the quality of arable soils indicates both their microbiome and biochemical parameters. Consideration has also been given to the fact that Zea mays has achieved the status of a crop [...] Read more.
The ongoing scientific debate on the selection of the best bioindicators to reflect the quality of arable soils indicates both their microbiome and biochemical parameters. Consideration has also been given to the fact that Zea mays has achieved the status of a crop used in the feed industry and for energy purposes, and Triticosecale is attracting increasing interest in this area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the wide range of effects of Zea mays and Triticosecale cultivation on soil microbial and biochemical activity. The assessment of these parameters was based on the determination of microbial abundance, colony development index (CD), ecophysiological index of microbial diversity (EP), soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenases, catalase, urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and arylsulfatase) as well as soil physicochemical properties. The innovative nature of the research was achieved by extending the pool of analyses to include both microbial biodiversity and analysis of soil samples at three depths: 0–20 cm; 21–40 cm; and 41–60 cm. It was found that the highest activities of soil enzymes and the abundance of organotrophic bacteria and fungi, as well as their colony development indices (CD), occurred within the rhizosphere and that their values decreased with increasing depth of the soil profile layers. Two phyla, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, representing the microbiome of arable soils, were identified independently of soil management practices. Unique bacterial genera in the soil under Triticosecale cultivation were Pseudonocardia, whereas Rhodoplanes, Nocardioides, and Rhodanobacter were found under Zea mays cultivation. The activity of all enzymes, especially urease and arylsulfatase, was significantly higher in the soil under Triticosecale. This was influenced by the more favorable physicochemical properties of the soil. Full article
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9 pages, 639 KiB  
Brief Report
What Is More Important to Host-Seeking Entomopathogenic Nematodes, Innate or Learned Preference?
by Alexander Gaffke, Maritza Romero and Hans Alborn
Agriculture 2023, 13(9), 1802; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13091802 - 13 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1381
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), small soil-dwelling non-segmented roundworms, are obligate parasites of insects and commonly used in agriculture for biological control of insect pests. For successful reproduction, EPNs must identify, move towards, and successfully infect a suitable insect host in a chemically complex soil [...] Read more.
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), small soil-dwelling non-segmented roundworms, are obligate parasites of insects and commonly used in agriculture for biological control of insect pests. For successful reproduction, EPNs must identify, move towards, and successfully infect a suitable insect host in a chemically complex soil environment. EPNs can have innate host insect preferences and can be attracted to semiochemicals associated with that host. They can also develop strong learned preferences for chemical signals associated with the presence of a host, such as herbivory-induced volatiles. We hypothesized that simultaneous manipulation of innate and learned preferences could result in increased biological control services of EPNs in agriculture. Separate cohorts of the EPN Steinernema diaprepesi were raised on two insect hosts, Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor, for multiple generations until the nematodes in a dual-choice olfactometer exhibited preference for the host they were reared on. Subsequently, the two strains of nematodes were imprinted on three plant-produced terpenoids of agricultural significance: pregeijerene, β-caryophyllene, and α-pinene. After exposure to one of the plant compounds, the behavior of the EPNs was assayed in an olfactometer where the two host insects were presented with and without the plant compounds. We found that plant volatile exposure increased the infection rate of the nematodes, and some host–compound combinations proved to be attractive, but other combinations appeared to become repellent. These results indicate that learned preference is neither subordinate nor superior to innate preference, and that infection efficiency can vary with compound exposure and insect host. Full article
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