Cyanobacterial inoculation as resource conserving options for improving the soil nutrient availability and growth of maize genotypes
- 4 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Archiv für Mikrobiologie
- Vol. 203 (5), 2393-2409
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-021-02223-8
Abstract
Harnessing the benefits of plant–microbe interactions towards better nutrient mobilization and plant growth is an important challenge for agriculturists globally. In our investigation, the focus was towards analyzing the soil–plant–environment interactions of cyanobacteria-based formulations (Anabaena–Nostoc consortium, BF1–4 and Anabaena–Trichoderma biofilm, An–Tr) as inoculants for ten maize genotypes (V1–V10). Field experimentation using seeds treated with the formulations illustrated a significant increase of 1.3- to 3.8-fold in C–N mobilizing enzyme activities in plants, along with more than five- to six-fold higher values of nitrogen fixation in rhizosphere soil samples. An increase of 22–30% in soil available nitrogen was also observed at flag leaf stage, and 13–16% higher values were also recorded in terms of cob yield of V6 with An-Tr biofilm inoculation. Savings of 30 kg N ha−1 season−1 was indicative of the reduced environmental pollution, due to the use of microbial options. The use of cyanobacterial formulations also enhanced the economic, environmental and energy use efficiency. This was reflected as 37–41% reduced costs lowered GHG emission by 58–68 CO2 equivalents and input energy requirement by 3651–4296 MJ, over the uninoculated control, on hectare basis. This investigation highlights the superior performance of these formulations, not only in terms of efficient C–N mobilization in maize, but also making maize cultivation a more profitable enterprise. Such interactions can be explored as resource-conserving options, for future evaluation across ecologies and locations, particularly in the global climate change scenario. Graphic abstractKeywords
Funding Information
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (T12/122)
This publication has 66 references indexed in Scilit:
- Deciphering the biochemical spectrum of novel cyanobacterium-based biofilms for use as inoculantsBiological Agriculture & Horticulture, 2013
- Effect of indigenous cyanobacterial application on structural stability and productivity of an organically poor semi-arid soilGeoderma, 2007
- Nitrogen fertilizer split-application for corn in no-till succession to black oatsScientia Agricola, 2002
- Diurnal Regulation of Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase from CrassulaPlant Physiology, 1985
- A method for the extraction of chlorophyll from leaf tissue without macerationCanadian Journal of Botany, 1979
- A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye bindingAnalytical Biochemistry, 1976
- Multiple Range and Multiple F TestsBiometrics, 1955
- Effect of Nitrogen-fixing Blue-Green Algæ on the Growth of Rice PlantsNature, 1951
- COPPER ENZYMES IN ISOLATED CHLOROPLASTS. POLYPHENOLOXIDASE IN BETA VULGARISPlant Physiology, 1949
- AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEGTJAREFF METHOD FOR DETERMINING SOIL ORGANIC MATTER, AND A PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF THE CHROMIC ACID TITRATION METHODSoil Science, 1934