Impact of nitrogen fertilizer sustainability on corn crop yield: the role of beneficial microbial inoculation interactions.

BACKGROUND: Considering the challenges posed by nitrogen (N) pollution and its impact on food security and sustainability, it is crucial to develop management techniques that optimize N fertilization in croplands. Our research intended to explore the potential benefits of co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus subtilis combined with N application rates on corn plants. The study focused on evaluating corn photosynthesis-related parameters, oxidative stress assay, and physiological nutrient use parameters. Focus was placed on the eventual improved capacity of plants to recover N from applied fertilizers (AFR) and enhance N use efficiency (NUE) during photosynthesis. The two-year field trial involved four seed inoculation treatments (control, A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and A. brasilense + B. subtilis) and five N application rates (0 to 240 kg N ha-1, applied as side-dress). RESULTS: Our results suggested that the combined effects of microbial consortia and adequate N-application rates played a crucial role in N-recovery; enhanced NUE; increased N accumulation, leaf chlorophyll index (LCI), and shoot and root growth; consequently improving corn grain yield. The integration of inoculation and adequate N rates upregulated CO2 uptake and assimilation, transpiration, and water use efficiency, while downregulated oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the optimum N application rate could be reduced from 240 to 175 kg N ha-1 while increasing corn yield by 5.2%. Furthermore, our findings suggest that replacing 240 by 175 kg N ha-1 of N fertilizer (-65 kg N ha-1) with microbial consortia would reduce CO2 emission by 682.5 kg CO2 -e ha-1. Excessive N application, mainly with the presence of beneficial bacteria, can disrupt N-balance in the plant, alter soil and bacteria levels, and ultimately affect plant growth and yield. Hence, highlighting the importance of adequate N management to maximize the benefits of inoculation in agriculture and to counteract N loss from agricultural systems intensification.

Adoção de biotecnologias para revegetação mais eficiente por feijão-de-porco e crotalária em rejeito de minério de ferro / Adoption of biotechnologies for more efficient revegetation by jack beans and crotalaria in ironore tailings

Muitas vezes impossibilitadas de regeneração natural, áreas degradadas por rejeito de minério devem seguir medidas visando sua recuperação ambiental, como a revegetação por espécies corretas, cujo resultado pode ainda ser potencializado pelo uso de bioestimulantes, contribuindo para melhorias da fertilidade do solo através de uma adubação verde eficiente, favorecendo o aumento da produção de biomassa vegetal e logo a ciclagem de nutrientes no sistema solo-planta. Objetivou-se avaliar a produção de matéria seca, acúmulo e índices de exportação de nutrientes por plantas de feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformis) e Crotalaria juncea cv. IAC-KR-1 em função da aplicação de substâncias húmicas e bactérias diazotróficas. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação utilizando-se rejeito de minério de ferro como substrato. Foi empregado um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso (4x3x2) com quatro repetições, sendo quatro doses de substâncias húmicas, aplicadas em 3 diferentes épocas, com ou sem inoculação de bactérias diazotróficas. O fornecimento de substâncias húmicas e principalmente a inoculação em ambas espécies aumentaram a produção de matéria seca, atingindo 70% do incremento médio no feijão-de-porco. A inoculação em plantas de feijão-de-porco aumentou a absorção e fator de transferência de Fe e P, e reduziu o fator de transferência de K, Ca e Mg, e nas plantas de...(AU)

Many times prevented from natural regeneration, areas degraded by ore tailings must follow measures aimed at their environmental recovery, such as revegetation by correct species, whose result can still be enhanced by the use of bio-stimulants, contributing to improvements in soil fertility through efficient green manure, favoring increased production of plant biomass and then the cycling of nutrients in the soil-plant system. The objective was to evaluate the dry matter production, accumulation and nutrient export rates by pig bean plants (Canavalia ensiformis) and Crotalaria juncea cv. IAC-KR-1 as a function of the application of humic substances and diazotrophic bacteria. The experiment was conducted in a green house using iron ore tailings as substrate. An experimental design of random blocks (4x3x2) was used with four repetitions, four doses of humic substances, applied at 3 different times, with or without inoculation of diazotrophic bacteria. The supply of humic substances and mainly the inoculation in both species increased the dry matter production, reaching 70% of the average increase in pig beans. Inoculation in pig bean plants increased the absorption and transfer factor of Fe and P, and reduced the transfer factor of K, Ca and Mg, and in crotalaria plants increased the absorption of Mg, P and Mn, and reduced the absorption of Fe. The high content of Fe in mining...(AU)

Adoção de biotecnologias para revegetação mais eficiente por feijão-de-porco e crotalária em rejeito de minério de ferro / Adoption of biotechnologies for more efficient revegetation by jack beans and crotalaria in ironore tailings

Muitas vezes impossibilitadas de regeneração natural, áreas degradadas por rejeito de minério devem seguir medidas visando sua recuperação ambiental, como a revegetação por espécies corretas, cujo resultado pode ainda ser potencializado pelo uso de bioestimulantes, contribuindo para melhorias da fertilidade do solo através de uma adubação verde eficiente, favorecendo o aumento da produção de biomassa vegetal e logo a ciclagem de nutrientes no sistema solo-planta. Objetivou-se avaliar a produção de matéria seca, acúmulo e índices de exportação de nutrientes por plantas de feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformis) e Crotalaria juncea cv. IAC-KR-1 em função da aplicação de substâncias húmicas e bactérias diazotróficas. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação utilizando-se rejeito de minério de ferro como substrato. Foi empregado um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso (4x3x2) com quatro repetições, sendo quatro doses de substâncias húmicas, aplicadas em 3 diferentes épocas, com ou sem inoculação de bactérias diazotróficas. O fornecimento de substâncias húmicas e principalmente a inoculação em ambas espécies aumentaram a produção de matéria seca, atingindo 70% do incremento médio no feijão-de-porco. A inoculação em plantas de feijão-de-porco aumentou a absorção e fator de transferência de Fe e P, e reduziu o fator de transferência de K, Ca e Mg, e nas plantas de...

Many times prevented from natural regeneration, areas degraded by ore tailings must follow measures aimed at their environmental recovery, such as revegetation by correct species, whose result can still be enhanced by the use of bio-stimulants, contributing to improvements in soil fertility through efficient green manure, favoring increased production of plant biomass and then the cycling of nutrients in the soil-plant system. The objective was to evaluate the dry matter production, accumulation and nutrient export rates by pig bean plants (Canavalia ensiformis) and Crotalaria juncea cv. IAC-KR-1 as a function of the application of humic substances and diazotrophic bacteria. The experiment was conducted in a green house using iron ore tailings as substrate. An experimental design of random blocks (4x3x2) was used with four repetitions, four doses of humic substances, applied at 3 different times, with or without inoculation of diazotrophic bacteria. The supply of humic substances and mainly the inoculation in both species increased the dry matter production, reaching 70% of the average increase in pig beans. Inoculation in pig bean plants increased the absorption and transfer factor of Fe and P, and reduced the transfer factor of K, Ca and Mg, and in crotalaria plants increased the absorption of Mg, P and Mn, and reduced the absorption of Fe. The high content of Fe in mining...