RESUMO
The current agricultural scenario faces diverse challenges, among which phytosanitary issues are crucial. Plant diseases are mostly treated with chemicals, which cause environmental pollution and pathogen resistance. In light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the biochar alternative use to chemical inputs fits into at least six of the proposed goals (2, 3, 7, 13, 15, and 17), highlighting the 12th, which explains responsible consumption and production. Biochar is valuable for inducing systemic resistance in plants because it is a practical and frequently used resource for improving physical, chemical, and biological soil attributes. This review assessed the beneficial and potential effects of applying biochar to agricultural soils on bacterial pathogen management. Such application is a recent strategy; therefore, this research evaluated 20 studies that used biochar to manage plant diseases caused by pathogens inhabiting the soil in different systems. The effectiveness of biochar application in controlling plant diseases has been attributed to its alkaline pH, which contributes to the growth of beneficial microorganisms and increases nutrient availability, and its porous structure, which provides habitat and protection for soil microbiome development. Therefore, the combined effect of improvements on soil attributes through biochar application aids pathogen control. Biochar application helps manage plant diseases through different mechanisms, inducing plant resistance, increasing activities and abundance of beneficial microorganisms, and changing soil quality for nutrient availability and abiotic conditions.
RESUMO
A cana-de-açúcar é uma cultura de grande importância agrícola, nacional e mundial, requerendo grandes quantidades de fertilizantes nitrogenados e fosfatados. Além disso, apresenta associação com bactérias que podem promover o desenvolvimento vegetal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi selecionar bactérias diazotróficas, associadas a plantas de cana-de-açúcar, capazes de solubilizar fosfato inorgânico e avaliar a variabilidade genética bacteriana. Para tanto, foram avaliadas 68 linhagens bacterianas diazotróficas, endofíticas de folha e raiz e do rizoplano, de plantas de três variedades de cana-de-açúcar. A seleção de bactérias solubilizadoras de fosfato inorgânico foi realizada em meio sólido suplementado com fosfato insolúvel, sendo avaliado o índice de solubilização. A análise da variabilidade genética foi realizada pela técnica de BOX-PCR. Os resultados revelaram que 74% das linhagens diazotróficas foram capazes de solubilizar fosfato, apresentando índices de solubilização diferentes. Foi observado que o tecido vegetal e a variedade de cana influenciaram a interação entre bactérias diazotróficas solubilizadoras de fosfato e plantas de cana. O BOX-PCR revelou alta variabilidade genética entre as linhagens analisadas. Logo, conclui-se que as bactérias diazotróficas associadas a plantas de cana-deaçúcar avaliadas expressam a capacidade de solubilizar fosfato inorgânico e que algumas bactérias avaliadas pela técnica de BOX-PCR apresentam alta variabilidade genética.
The sugarcane is a culture of great importance for the Brazilian agriculture. Every year this culture consumes great amounts of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. However, the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria can reduce the use of the chemical fertilizers, contributing to the economy and the environment conservation. So, the goal of this study was to select sugarcane-associated diazotrophic bacteria able to solubilize inorganic phosphate and to evaluate the genetic diversity of these bacteria. A total of 68 diazotrophic bacteria, leaf and root endophytic and rizoplane, of three sugarcane varieties. The selection of inorganic phosphate solubilizing diazotrophic bacteria was assayed by the solubilization index (SI) in solid medium containing insoluble phosphate. The genetic variability was analyzed by the BOX-PCR technique. The results showed that 74% of the diazotrophic strains were able to solubilize inorganic phosphate, presenting classes of different SI. The results showed that the vegetal tissue and the genotype plant influenced in the interaction between phosphate solubilizing diazotrophic bacteria and sugarcane plants. BOX-PCR revealed high genetic variability among the strains analyzed. So, sugarcane-associated diazotrophic bacteria express the capacity to solubilize inorganic phosphate and they present high genetic diversity.