Browsing by Subject "Pflanzenernährung"

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Alternative phosphorus resources from urban waste as fertilization
(2023) You, Yawen; Müller, Torsten
Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for plants. Plant roots assimilate P in soil mainly in the form of orthophosphates as H2PO4- and HPO42-. Due to the high reactivity, orthophosphates generally exist at low concentrations in soils that have high P sorption capacity. Besides the indigenous P in soil, fertilizers manufactured from phosphate rock are the main source of P to ensure a satisfactory yield in agricultural production. However, phosphate rock is a limited reserve with uneven quality and is geographically restricted. Technologies for recovering and reusing the P from waste streams were therefore developed to alleviate the dependency on this critical raw material and to promote sustainable solutions. Sewage sludge, which contains most of the P from wastewater, has great potential to produce P-rich products. However, the evaluation of their P availabilities to plants by simple chemical extraction of the product is difficult because they often contain different P species that do not easily dissolve in water. In the first chapter, three types of recycled P fertilizers derived from sewage sludge were tested first in the greenhouse using maize in two different substrates and were incubated in soil for 0, 22, and 56 days. Untreated sewage sludge ash (SSA), Na-treated SSA, and struvite were tested here. Untreated SSA failed to promote the growth of young maize, while Na-treated SSA and struvite achieved similar biomass as mineral P fertilizer. The pre-incubation time had a negative impact on the P use efficiency of recycled fertilizers. Although the P availability of untreated SSA was very low, it might be a potential substitute for phosphate rock to produce fertilizers. In Chapter II, the P availability and heavy metal contamination risk of superphosphate produced with untreated SSA in the lab were investigated. It was found that the superphosphate produced with the mixture of 25% SSA and 75% rock phosphate had a similar P use efficiency as the superphosphate produced with 100% rock phosphate, indicating untreated SSA could be a suitable substitution of rock phosphate in the P fertilizer production. Despite the heavy metal accumulations in soil and plant being minimal, the Pb and Cu concentration in untreated SSA exceeded the maximum limit according to the EU regulation on fertilizers and therefore its use is restricted in fertilizer production. The separation of industrial and municipal sludge before incineration is recommended to obtain SSAs with high P concentrations but less heavy metal. In Chapter III, the P availability of granulated struvite as affected by fertilizer application methods in comparison to di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) was investigated under field conditions. The experiment was conducted in one field in 2020 and repeated in an adjacent field in 2021. Two-year maize results showed an increase of 30% in maize yield and P content when struvite was placed, indicating that fertilizer placement enhanced the efficiency of granulated struvite. Struvite-placed had similar P use efficiency as DAP-placed, and both treatments led to significantly higher yield and P content of maize than no-P control. The residual effect of fertilizer treatment was evaluated with faba bean (Vicia faba) and triticale (Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus.) as subsequent crops after maize. No significant difference in yield and P content was found between struvite-placed and DAP-placed. Nevertheless, this chapter demonstrated that placed struvite can replace DAP as P fertilizer in maize cultivation. In Chapter IV, the sensitivity of three P extraction methods to different P species was investigated to provide insights into the characterization of current soil P tests to plant P availability. Three soil P tests were compared: calcium acetate-lactate (CAL), Olsen, and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). Results showed that a portion of added orthophosphates was immediately fixed in the soil and cannot be extracted by any of the methods. The acidic CAL method may overestimate immediately plant-available P of insoluble calcium phosphate like Ca3(PO4)2. The most suitable method to determine immediately available P might be the Olsen and DGT method. To conclude, this dissertation demonstrated the P availability of recycled P fertilizers derived from sewage sludge and possible strategies to enhance their P use efficiencies. It provided agronomic evidence on the feasibility of replacing phosphate rock-derived P fertilizers with recycled fertilizers and insight into its land application. With the recently revised EU regulation on fertilizing products, it can be expected that recycled fertilizers will soon share the market with mineral fertilizers and help develop sustainable agriculture.
Bedarfsgerechte Stickstoffernährung von Hopfen (Humulus lupulus L.) durch Düngesysteme mit Fertigation
(2021) Stampfl, Johannes; Ebertseder, Thomas
In terms of quantity, nitrogen is the most important and most yield limiting plant nutrient in hops (Humulus lupulus L.), whereby excess nitrogen not taken up by the hop plant is subject to various loss processes. Despite that, little is known about the exact effects of an N supply varying in rate and timing for the hop varieties and cultivation systems currently used in the Hallertau, the worlds most important hop-growing region. In the Hallertau, the required amount of nitrogen is largely supplied by surface spreading of granulated N fertilizers, whereas in semi-arid growing regions, high proportions are applied via irrigation water (fertigation). The aim of this thesis was to examine nitrogen fertilization systems with fertigation under the conditions in the Hallertau region with regard to a nitrogen nutrition that is based on the hop plant’s needs. Therefore, four research questions with different sub-aspects have been formulated, as explained below. From 2017 to 2019 the experimental research and the acquisition of empirical data has been conducted in various field trials consisting of three trial series examining the most important hop varieties at different locations. Apart from a variation in rate and timing of N fertilization, different fertilizer application forms (surface application of granulated fertilizer and above- or below-ground fertigation) have also been examined. In addition to the determination of yield, quality and N-uptake at the time of harvest, further analysis methods such as the 15N-Tracer-Technique, chlorophyll value measurements (SPAD-Meter) or passive reflection measurements were used in individual field trials to depict the N-uptake and N-distribution in different parts of the plant. a) Which effects have different nitrogen treatments varied in rate and timing? These studies found that the hop plant absorbs more than two thirds of the total amount of nitrogen over a period of 7 to 8 weeks between early June and end of July - during formation of main biomass. Despite the fact that only a low amount of nitrogen is accumulated in the plant prior to this stage, the varieties Perle and Tradition showed that a nitrogen deficit in early growth stages until end of May already leads to a decrease of yield potential. This is due to a change in the variety-characteristic formation of lateral shoots (side arms) - the later the application of nitrogen, the greater the formation of side arms was reduced, starting from the bottom to higher plant sections. Consequently, a nitrogen fertilization solely based on the hop plant’s N uptake curve cannot be recommended, neither regarding yield formation nor nitrogen utilization. Instead, an early application of the first nitrogen treatment in April is of vital importance for early maturing varieties such as Perle and Tradition. Late maturing varieties like Herkules show a higher potential of compensation due to prolonged growth phases which enables a higher adaption of N-Fertilization to the plant’s N uptake curve. The ideal amount of nitrogen fertilization with regard to yield optimization has been determined by the growth pattern - depending on variety, weather conditions and location - and therefore by the N uptake, the supply of mineral nitrogen in the soil as well as the location-specific N mineralization potential. A reduction of the nitrogen fertilization to a level significantly below the plant’s N uptake not necessarily led to a limitation of biomass and yield formation in the same year, however, it resulted in an accelerated ripening and a negative impact on external cone quality. Furthermore, it showed that the storage of nitrogen in specific storage roots declines if N levels are significantly reduced, leading to lower vitality as well as limited plant development and yield formation in the following year. With regard to the hop plant’s perennial properties as well as the goal to achieve a demand-oriented nitrogen nutrition of the hop plant it is also necessary to supply the storage roots with enough nitrogen. With respect to valuable contents of alpha acid it has been found that high N supply levels during the stage of alpha acid synthesis (starting from early August) can result in a reduction of alpha acid concentration in the variety Herkules. This decrease can be caused by late and excessive N fertilization as well as by high mineral N contents in the soil. However, this effect has not been observed in the aroma varieties Perle and Tradition. b) Is it possible to determine the current nitrogen nutritional status through non-invasive methods? The measurement of the chlorophyll value with a SPAD-Meter on the lower leaves of the main shoot generally reflected the N content and N supply status of the hop plant. However, short-term changes in the N nutritional status could not be recorded with sufficient accuracy at this measuring point, especially not during the stage of main biomass formation, since increased proportions of the applied nitrogen were transported to higher plant sections, as was shown by the use of 15N. Regarding the determination of threshold values a classification of the plant development into before, during and after main biomass formation independent of the measuring point, is considered appropriate, since the chlorophyll value correlates with the plant’s development stage. Vegetation indices, calculated on the basis of reflectance spectra, represent not only the N content but also the actual N uptake of the crop, which is why passive reflectance measurement methods have a higher informative value with regard to the current N supply status of the plant compared to chlorophyll value measurements. Therefore, this technology could be used to achieve a site-specific optimization of rate and timing of N fertilization and thus a more demand-oriented nitrogen nutrition of the hop plant in the future. c) What are the effects of surface and subsurface drip irrigation? In the period from 2017 to 2019, additional irrigation of the aroma variety Perle on sandy soil led to a stabilization of the agronomic parameters cone yield and alpha acid content every year. In addition, irrigation also achieved an improvement of nitrogen utilization. Compared to subsurface systems, surface drip irrigation achieved a higher efficiency if the horizontal water distribution was limited by hydraulic soil properties. It was shown that this is due to the fact that the majority of the hop plant’s fine root system is located in the hill formed along the hop rows and the soil layers beneath it. d) What are the effects of a nitrogen nutrition via irrigation water? A system comparison was made between N fertilization systems with fertigation and a solely granulated N application. The use of fertigation resulted not only in an improvement of cone yield and alpha acid content, but also in an increase of the plants nitrogen uptake and a reduction of Nmin content in the soil, which is also associated with a reduction of the risk of nitrate leaching into the groundwater. Fertilization systems with fertigation achieved a higher nitrogen utilization especially at low N-fertilization rates. If two thirds of the total amount of nitrogen were applied via irrigation water, the concentration over a 6-week period proved to have a positive impact on all analyzed varieties, especially under conditions of a limited N supply, since a higher proportion of N has been applied during main biomass formation and the stage of lateral shoot growth. For an efficient N-fertilization with fertigation the application should take place between mid-June and late July while no significant amounts of nitrogen should be applied after early August. For early maturing varieties such as Perle and Tradition, there is a risk of a late N application as it is hardly possible to lay out the drip tubes before the 25th week of the year. Therefore, in early maturing varieties, a higher proportion of N should be applied in earlier growth stages while the amount of N applied via fertigation should be less than two-thirds of the total amount of N fertilizer. A substantial advantage of fertilization systems with fertigation is that nitrogen applied via the irrigation water is immediately absorbed by the plants, which allows an effective short-term intervention in the plant’s nitrogen nutrition. On the basis of a reliable recording of the current N supply status with sensors during the main growth stage, fertigation could be used to adjust the N fertilization in order to achieve a site-specific and demand-oriented nitrogen nutrition of the hop plant.
Bioeffector products for plant growth promotion in agriculture : modes of action and the application in the field
(2021) Weber, Nino Frederik; Neumann, Günter
Modern agriculture faces a conflict between sustainability and the demand for a higher food production. This conflict is exacerbated by climate change and its influence on vegetation, ecology and human society. To reduce land use, the reduction of yield losses and food waste is crucial. Moreover a sustainable intensification is necessary to increase yields, while at the same time input of limited resources such as drinking water or fertilizer should be kept as low as possible. This might be achieved by improving nutrient recycling and plant resistance to abiotic or biotic stress. Bioeffectors (BE) comprise seaweed or plant extracts and microbial inoculums that may stimulate plant growth by phytohormonal changes and increase plant tolerance to abiotic stress (biostimulants), solubilize or mobilize phosphorus from sparingly soluble sources such as Al/Fe or Ca-phosphates in the soil, rock phosphates, recycling fertilizer or organic phosphorus sources like phytate (biofertilizer), or improve plant resistance against pathogens by induced-systemic resistance (ISR) or antibiosis (biocontrol). For this study, in total 18 BE products were tested in germination, pot and field experiments for their potential to improve plant growth, cold stress tolerance, nutrient acquisition and yield in maize and tomato. Additionally, a gene expression analysis in maize was performed using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) after the application of two potential plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), the Pseudomonas sp. strain DSMZ 13134 “Proradix” and the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain FZB42. Seaweed products supplemented with high amounts of the micronutrients Zn and Mn were effective in reducing detrimental cold stress reactions in maize whereas microbial products and seaweed extracts without micronutrient supplementation failed under the experimental conditions. At optimal temperature the product containing the Pseudomonas sp. strain was repeatedly able to stimulate root and shoot growth of maize plants whereas in tomato only in heat-treated soil substrate significant effects were observed. Results indicate that the efficacy of the product was mainly attributed to stimulation or shifts in the soil microbial community. Additionally, the FZB42 strain was able to stimulate root and plant growth in some experiments whereas the effects were less reproducible and more sensitive to environmental conditions. Fungal BE products were less effective in plant growth stimulation and showed detrimental effects in some experiments. Under the applied experimental conditions BE-derived plant growth stimulation mainly was attributed to biostimulation but aspects of biofertilization or biocontrol cannot be excluded, as all experiments were conducted in non-sterile soil substrates. Root and shoot growth are stimulated in response to hormonal shifts. In the gene expression analysis only weak responses to BE treatments were observed, as previously reported from other studies conducted under non-sterile conditions. Nevertheless, some plant stress responses were observed that resembled in some aspects those reported for phosphorus (P) deficiency in others those reported for ISR/SAR. Especially the activation of plant defence mechanisms, such as the production of secondary metabolites, ethylene production and reception and the expression of several classes of stress-related transcription factors, including JA-responsive JAZ genes, was observed. It also seems probable that in plants growing in PGPR-drenched soils, especially at high application rates, a sink stimulation for assimilates triggers changes in photosynthetic activity and root growth leading to an improved nutrient acquisition. Nevertheless, due to the complexity of interactions in natural soil environments as well as under practice conditions, a designation of a distinct mode of action for plant growth stimulation by microbial BEs is not realistic. A comparison of the overall results with those reported in literature or other working groups in a common research project (“Biofector”) supported the often-reported low reproducibility of plant growth promotion effects by BE products under applied conditions. Factors that influenced BE efficacy were application time and rates, temperature, soil buffer capacity, phosphorus sources and nitrogen fertilization, light conditions and the soil microbial community. Results indicate that in maize cultivation seed treatment is the most economic application technique for microbial products whereas for vegetable or high-value crops with good economic benefit soil drenching is recommended. For seaweed extracts foliar application seems to be the most economic and efficient choice. Furthermore, results emphasize the importance of a balanced natural soil microflora for plant health and yield stability.
Boron foliar fertilization: impacts on absorption and subsequent translocation of foliar applied Boron
(2012) Will, Silke; Müller, Torsten
Foliar fertilization is an agricultural practice to supply plants with a specific nutrient in times of low soil availability of the nutrient or low root activity, e.g. during generative growth. The focus of this study was placed on Boron (B). Boron is an essential micronutrient for higher plants and deficiency appears in many countries on numerous crops throughout the world. B fertilization is often applied as foliar fertilizer, but the efficiency is inconsistent. The possible physiological function of B in plants is described in Chapter 1 within the general introduction. The experiments were conducted on two disparate crop species (soybean and lychee) and the impact of different parameters on foliar B absorption and subsequent translocation was studied. The first study (Chapter 2) shows the impact of plant B status on foliar B absorption and subsequent translocation in soybean. The limited absorption of foliar applied B in B deficient plants was observed in soybean and in lychee. The physiological study was developed for soybean plants pre-treated with different B root supply, ranging from deficient to B intoxicated plants. In addition, different formulations were tested in order to increase the subsequent B translocation after foliar B absorption. For this reason polyols (mannitol, sorbitol) were added to the foliar formulations, as they form stable polyol borate ester with B and these compounds enable phloem mobility in some species. Lowest absorption was observed in plants with B deficiency and B intoxication, whereas the share of subsequent B basi translocation was highest. Results correlated with measurements on stomata opening and water potential. The interruption of the transpiration stream, indicated by high water potentials in B deficient and intoxicated plants, might facilitate B phloem translocation, as it was shown in recent publications. Absorption rates were increased in treatments with polyol supplementation, probably due to a humectants effect (lowering the DRH). Subsequent translocation could not be improved by the addition of polyols. In Chapter 3 the impact of leaf side of application and adjuvant supplementation on foliar B absorption and subsequent translocation was studied on lychee and soybean. The effect of the adjuvants CaCl2 and sorbitol as humectant adjuvants and mannitol and sorbitol as B-binding adjuvants were investigated. Both plant species differed greatly in total absorption rates. Boron absorption through the abaxial leaf side was more than three-fold (soybean) or seven-fold (lychee) higher than through the adaxial side The addition of adjuvants significantly enhanced the rate of B absorption in soybean, but had no effect on B absorption in lychee. The positive results of adjuvant supplementation in soybean might be attributed to the humectants effect. Subsequent translocation could not be increased in neither of the treatments. The results on foliar B absorption via the abaxial leaf surface in both species suggest a high demand for future research, e.g. techniques to spray the abaxial leaf surface. In Chapter 4 the focus was to assess the impact of different parameters on foliar B absorption and subsequent translocation in lychee. B solutions were applied on the adaxial versus the abaxial leaf surface of mature or immature leaves. In addition, nocturnal versus diurnal application was studied. Absorption was significantly increased after application to the abaxial leaf surface. The parameters leaf age and time of application did not affect absorption. Subsequent translocation of foliar absorbed B increased significantly after foliar application of B to mature in comparison to immature leaves. Nocturnal application of B resulted in significantly enhanced basipetal B translocation. The efficacy of foliar B fertilization can be limited in lychee, especially if only the adaxial leaf surface is targeted as it commonly occurs with the spraying techniques available in many lychee orchards. The practical implications of our results clearly show that B foliar sprays should be applied nocturnally to the abaxial leaf surface. In conclusion, absorption and subsequent translocation of foliar applied B can be increased by different parameters in lychee and soybean. Plant B status and leafside of application showed a strong impact on foliar B absorption. All results are discussed in Chapter 5.
Entwicklung innovativer Pflanzenschutzprodukte und -verfahren als umweltfreundliche Alternativen zur Bekämpfung von Mehltaupilzen : Bericht im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes: „Silizium als Aktivator bei Kulturpflanzen“
(2019) Raupp, Manfred G.; Weinmann, Markus; Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen „Otto von Guericke“ e. V. (AiF) Projekt GmbH, Berlin; Madora GmbH, Lörrach; Römheld, Volker; Neumann, Günter; Blaich, Rolf; Merkt, Nikolaus
Powdery mildews are among the most important diseases in many crop plants. In all sectors of crop production (agriculture, viticulture, horticulture and orchards) powdery mildew fungi can cause severe damage under field as well as greenhouse conditions. Although organic synthetic fungicides have been used to combat powdery mildews in conventional and integrated agriculture for decades, organic farming lacks effective alternatives to the ecologically questionable sulfur fungicides. Yet, also for integrated or conventional crop production, alternatives or supplements for a reduction and more effective use of synthetic fungicides would be desirable to optimize the production of high quality food with the help of environmentally friendly means. Objective of the present work was the development of innovative crop protection products and application strategies to combat powdery mildew fungi with respect to the knowledge on resistance-enhancing effects of an improved silicon (Si), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) supply to the plants. Furthermore, various plant extracts have recently received renewed attention. Among other active natural agents, garlic (Allium sativum L.) is known for its fungitoxic effect and at the same time high Mn and Zn contents. With the present work, an overview of possible approaches to control powdery mildew in grapevine by use of Si, Mn, Zn and plant extracts from garlic has been elaborated in greenhouse experiments. In this regard, the physiological significance of Si, Mn and Zn for the expression and strengthening of plant own resistance mechanisms was distinguished from the effectiveness of spray applications for forming passive silicate crusts as mechanical infection barriers. The physiological Si status of the plants could be clearly improved only by soil rather than foliar application of silicates. Regarding the soil application of silicates, however, no practical applications are known, how silicon fertilizers can be distributed under field conditions in the soil and brought into the rhizosphere to continuously ensure high rates of Si uptake. There is also still considerable uncertainty whether the soil application of silicates in non-Si accumulators, such as grapevines, can result in sufficient Si uptake for an effective expression of resistance mechanisms. The most impressive effects in the control of powdery mildew were achieved with the spray application of potassium silicate in combination with wetting agents to form silicate crusts on the leaf surface. The positive influence of Mn and Zn on the effectiveness of spray applications of potassium silicate and the adequate compatibility of Mn and Zn chelates with potassium silicate suggest that the interactions between Si, Mn and Zn should be considered for further product development. The application of garlic extract did not result in sufficient efficiency, although protective and curative properties could be observed. Allicin, supposed to be the active ingredient of garlic extract, has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and is one of the few agents for which no development of resistance has been found in microorganisms so far. Therefore, the interest in this agent for the development of biological plant protection products is expected to increase.
Environmental and farm management effects on food nutrient concentrations and yields of East African staple food crops
(2021) Fischer, Sahrah; Cadisch, Georg
Hidden hunger affects two billion people worldwide, particularly children and pregnant women. Human health and well-being are dependent on the quality and quantity of food consumed, particularly of plant-based foods. Plants source their nutrients from the soil. Essential nutrients for both, plants and humans, therefore, predominantly originate from the soil. Very little is known about the influence of environmental factors (e.g. soil types and abiotic factors, such as weather), or farm management choices (e.g. fertilisation or agrobiodiversity), on nutrient concentrations of edible crop parts. The main aim of this thesis was, therefore, to analyse the effects of soil fertility, farm management, and abiotic factors such as drought, on the quantity (yields) and quality (nutrient concentrations) of essential macro- (Mg, P, S, K, Ca) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu), of the edible parts of three East African staple food crops, i.e. maize (Zea mays L.), cassava (Manihot esculenta} Crantz), and matooke (East African Highland Banana (Musa acuminata Colla)), and discuss the resulting implications for food and nutrition security. Two research areas were selected in East Africa, one with a high fertility soil (Kapchorwa, Uganda - Nitisol) and one with a low fertility soil (Teso South, Kenya – Ferralsol). In each region, 72 households were randomly selected, and leaf and edible crop parts, and soil samples collected on three fields per household, organised by distance (closest, mid-distance, and farthest field). Maize and cassava were collected in Teso South, maize and matooke were collected in Kapchorwa. Yields, fertilizer usage and species richness (SR) and diversity (SD) were recorded per field. The total nutrient concentrations were measured in all samples collected (soils and plant parts). A drought occurring in the second rain season of 2016 provided the opportunity to analyse water stress effects on crop quantity and quality (Chapter 2). Edible part samples and yields collected in both seasons were compared. Soil chemical and physical properties, together with farm management variables, were compared to edible part nutrient concentrations and yields using a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) (Chapter 3). To understand the strength of association between the measurements routinely done by agronomists (leaf measurement) and nutritionists (edible part measurement), samples of each crop were collected, and were compared to each other and to yields, using a bivariate linear mixed model (Chapter 4). During the severe drought, nutrient concentrations in Kapchorwa decreased significantly from normal to drought season in both crops. In contrast, during the moderate drought in Teso South, nutrient concentrations increased significantly in both crops. Lacking nutrient phloem mobility is suggested to play a vital role in mobilisation of micronutrients (Fe, Mn, and Cu), as shown by their decreased concentration under severe drought in the yields of both crops in Kapchorwa (Chapter 2). Soil type had a very strong effect on food nutrient concentrations. Maize grain nutrient concentrations and yields, for example, were significantly higher for all nutrients measured on higher fertility soils. Maize grain had the highest correlations with soil factors. In contrast, corresponding correlations to management factors were much weaker (Chapter 3). Concerning the comparison of nutrient concentrations in different plant parts, low phloem mobile nutrients Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu showed the largest differences in correlations between leaves and edible parts. In the same comparison, perennial crops (matooke and cassava) showed lower correlations between leaves and edible parts, than annual crops (maize) (Chapter 4). Environmental factors, such as drought impacted food nutrient concentrations. Severe drought caused a potential “double-burden” for consumers, decreasing both yields and nutrient concentrations, particularly of micronutrients. Considering food nutrient concentrations, apart from yield, as response variables in agronomic trials (e.g. fertilisation or soil improvement strategies) would contribute towards discounting the notion that crops growing on fertile soils always produce healthy and high-quality foods. Leaves may provide information on plant health, however, do not provide enough information to gauge both yields and food quality, particularly regarding micronutrients. The results also showed that measuring the edible part is vital to assessing food quality, particularly due to the observed effects of nutrient mobility, affecting particularly micronutrients and Ca. Ending hunger and improving food and nutrition security for all, particularly when confronted with global change issues such as degrading soils and a changing climate, requires a collaborative effort by all disciplines concerned.
Fertilizer placement and the potential for its combination with bio-effectors to improve crop nutrient acquisition and yield
(2016) Nkebiwe, Peteh Mehdi; Müller, Torsten
Even when total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in most agricultural soils are high, the concentrations of plant-available N and P fractions are often inadequate for acceptable yield. In comparison to conventional fertilizer application by homogenous broadcast over the soil surface (with or without subsequent incorporation), fertilizer placement in defined soil areas/volumes close to seeds or crop roots is a more effective application method to enhance the plant-availability of applied fertilizers. Nevertheless, considerable root growth in subsurface nutrient patches or around concentrated fertilizer-depots (and/or improved nutrient influx rates in roots) is a prerequisite for improved uptake of placed nutrients. Furthermore, zones with intense rooting around placed fertilizer depots (“rhizosphere hotspots”) with high concentrations of organic nutrients released as root exudates may be favorable for the survival and establishment of inoculated plant-growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), which mobilize nutrients in soil to favor plant growth. In the last three decades, several published field studies comparing fertilizer placement to fertilizer broadcast arrived at different and often conflicting results regarding their effects on yield and nutrient status of various crops. For this reason, the first task was to conduct a Meta-analysis on data in published peer-reviewed field studies on fertilizer placement that met a set of pre-defined criteria for inclusion. We investigated the relative effect of fertilizer placement for specific fertilizer formulations (e.g. NH4+ and CO(NH2)2 without or in combination with soluble P (HPO42-; H2PO4-); soluble K; solid or liquid manure) in a precise restricted area on surface or subsurface soil in comparison to fertilizer broadcast on yield, nutrient concentration and content in above-ground plant parts. We utilized data from a total of 40 field studies published between 1982 and 2015 (85% of studies published from 2000) that met our criteria. We used the method of “baseline contrasts” to compare different fertilizer placement treatments to fertilizer broadcast as a common control or baseline treatment. Results showed that overall, fertilizer placement led to +3.7% higher yields, +3.7% higher concentrations of nutrients in above-ground plant parts and +11.9% higher contents of nutrients also in above-ground plant parts than fertilizer broadcast application. Placement depth had a strong effect of the outcome of fertilizer placement because relative placement effects increased with increasing fertilizer placement depth. Composition of fertilizer formulations was also an important factor. High yields of fertilizer placement relative to fertilizer broadcast application were obtained for CO(NH2)2 in combination with soluble P (HPO42-; H2PO4-) (+27%) or NH4+ in combination with HPO42-; H2PO4- (+15%) (Nkebiwe et al., 2016 a: Field Crops Research 196: 389–401). The next aim was to investigate the effect of fertilizer placement in subsurface soil in combination with application of bio-effectors (BEs) (PGPMs and natural active substances such as humic acids and seaweed extracts) on root growth of crop plants, establishment of inoculated PGPM in the rhizosphere, grain and biomass production as well as plant nutrient status for maize (Zea mays L) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L) cultures. Through various pot and rhizobox experiments, we observed that placement of a subsurface concentrated NH4+-fertilizer depot stabilized with the nitrification inhibitor DMPP (3,4-di-methylpyrazolphosphate) induced dense rooting around the depot contributing to more efficient exploitation of the depot. For this, it was crucial the N persisted in the depot mainly as poorly mobile NH4+, in order to induce localized depot-zone root-growth as well as favorable chemical and biological changes in the rhizosphere to improve N and P uptake by crop plants. Through in vitro culture experiments on solid and liquid media, we could show that via acidification of the growth media, several selected microbial BEs were capable to solubilize sparingly soluble inorganic phosphates and also that these BEs showed considerable tolerance to high concentrations of NH4+ und DMPP. The latter indicated a potential for the BEs to colonize plant roots in NH4+-rich well rooted soil zones around a subsurface NH4+-fertilizer depot (Nkebiwe et al., 2016 c: Manuscript submitted). Through further pot experiments and four others experiments as Bachelor and Master theses conduction under my supervision, we observed that certain BEs that readily solubilized tri-calcium phosphates in vitro were able to mobilize rock phosphate (RP) applied in soil-based substrates when N was supplied as stabilized NH4++DMPP, thereby contributing to enhanced P uptake and growth of maize and wheat plants. The bacterial BE Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 and BE consortia products containing bacteria and fungi such as CombiFectorA were good candidates. BE-induced RP-solubilzation occurred mainly in substrates with low CaCO3 contents indicating low P sorption capacity for neutral and moderately alkaline soils. With CombiFectorA, maize P-acquisition from sewage sludge ash could be enhanced, thus increasing the efficiency of a sparingly soluble fertilizer based of recycled wastes. Possible explanations for the beneficial effects of best performing BEs to improve plant growth were enhanced solubility of sparingly soluble P fertilizers via acidification of the rhizosphere and release of nutrient-chelating substances as well as improvement of root growth for better spatial interception of nutrients (Nkebiwe et al., 2016 d: Manuscript in preparation). Alongside, more greenhouse and two field experiments (grain maize 2014 and maize silage 2015) were designed, planned, conducted and evaluated. A peer-reviewed paper from this work has already been published (Nkebiwe et al., 2016 b: Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 3:15). In the greenhouse and experiments, placement of a concentrated stabilized NH4+-fertilizer depot led to improved root and shoot growth, and increased shoot N and P contents. Through intense root growth of maize around the NH4+-depot, increased root-colonization by Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 close to seeds could be observed. In the field, many weeks after subsurface placement of the concentrated stabilized NH4+-depot, it could be shown that N considerably persisted in the depot-zone as NH4+, which strongly induced depot-zone root growth. Placement of the NH4+-depot led to +7.4 % increase in grain yield of maize (2014) and +5.8% increase in maize silage yield (2015) in comparison to fertilizer broadcast. Placement of Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 inoculum in the sowing row let to +7.1% increase in yield of maize silage (2015) in comparison to the non-inoculated control. In total, these results showed that precise placement of specific fertilizer formulations in combination with the application of selected PGPMs can lead to improved plant growth, improved N and P uptake with a potential to save resources.
Interactions between non-symbiotic N2-fixing bacteria and plant roots in plant-microbial associations
(2009) Calvo Alegre, Olga-Cristina; von Wirén, Nicolaus
The development of biofertilizers on the basis of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) may be a promising approach to partially substitute costly and energy-consuming mineral fertilizers in agricultural plant production and to support agriculture in developing countries. A successful and competitive rhizosphere colonization of PGPR strains has been identified as a prerequisite for the expression of plant growth promoting effects. Apart from a wide range of external factors with an impact on the colonization process, such as soil properties, temperature, soil moisture and fertilization levels, in particular plant-microbial interactions may play an important role for the successful establishment of compatible associations. In this context, certain plant root exudates may act as signals to mediate bacterial responses with importance for root colonisation (e.g. motility and chemotaxis, production of extracellular polysaccharides). On the other hand, the induction of bacterial plant growth promotion may also depend on ability of the host plant to respond to the presence and the activity of the associated bacteria. It was therefore the aim of this thesis to investigate the contribution of putative PGPR to growth and N uptake in wheat plants and characterize the underlying mechanisms in root-bacterial associations. In the first part of this thesis, the contribution of various non-symbiotic diazotrophic rhizobacteria to plant growth promotion and N nutrition has been studied in a series of greenhouse pot inoculation experiments with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Different bacterial inoculants, plant genotypes, soil properties, water regimes and N fertilization levels have been varied as factors with potential impact on plant growth promotion by diazotrophs. The contribution of biological nitrogen fixation was assessed by the 15N dilution method. Plant growth and grain yield were influenced by the different N fertilization levels but no stimulation of growth or N uptake was note upon bacterial inoculation. These observations suggested a high degree of specificity or limiting factors, determining a successful plant-microbial association. The second part describes possible mechanisms that may be involved in the establishment of diazotrophs in the rhizosphere of suitable host plants. As an initial step of the colonization process, a targeted movement of the bacteria to the root surface is required and root exudates may act as attractants. Since dicarboxylic acids are known to exert chemotactic activity on diazotrophic bacteria, seed and root exudates of two graminaceous crops (Triticum aestivum L. and Zea mays L.) and for comparison also of a non-graminaceous plant species (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were collected in hydroponic culture with and without N supply, and organic acid profiles in these root exudates were analysed. Bacterial motility assays were conducted with the major carboxylates detected in the root exudates of the selected plant species and compared to glucose and water, using Brevibacillus reuszeri as a model bacterium. Pure malate, which was found at high levels in root exudates of bean and wheat, and particularly malonate (bean) and t-aconitate (maize) stimulated the motility of Brevibacillus reuszeri as compared with glucose or water. A particularly intense promotion of bacterial motility was recorded in the presence of crude root exudates of wheat and maize plants grown under N limitation, which was not observed for root exudates of bean. However, this was not related with comparable changes of malate or t-aconitate concentrations in the root exudates. In wheat exudates, malate concentrations even decreased in response to N limitation. These findings suggest the presence of specific factors released in root exudates of N-deficient cereals, promoting the rhizosphere colonisation with B. reuszeri. For an identification of the respective factors, a more comprehensive profiling of the root exudates is necessary. In associations with diazotrophic bacteria, host plants are supplied with ammonium by the bacterial partner. This raised the question whether plant ammonium uptake systems have an impact on the efficiency of the association. To address this problem, an antisense approach was conducted with tomato, with characterised ammonium transporters (LeAMT1;1 and LeAMT1;2). The final goal was the inhibition of the ammonium transporters by production of LeAMT antisense lines to study their putative role in plant associations with diazotrophic bacteria. Northern blot analysis revealed a strong repression of LeAMT1;2 expression in three independent antisense lines associated with a lower ammonium uptake capacity under N-sufficient and N-deficient growth conditions. In contrast, LeAMT1,1 expression was only weakly repressed in antisense lines and there was no impact on N uptake. A faster decline of chlorophyll in older leaves indicates a physiological function of LeAMT1;1 and LeAMT1;2 in ammonium uptake and retrieval in shoot and root cells. The absence of consistent effects on N acquisition of the investigated antisense lines limited the suitability of this approach for studies on associations with diazotrophic bacteria.
Managing crop health by mineral nitrogen fertilization and use of different chemical nitrogen forms
(2023) Maywald, Niels Julian; Ludewig, Uwe
Maintaining plant health is one of the most difficult but crucial challenges in crop production to realize plants’ full genetic potential. It is lowered by a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses that are becoming more severe and unpredictable due to climate change and its consequences. In addition, the use of chemical synthetic pesticides is increasingly criticized for endangering sensitive natural resources and possible pesticide residues in food and environment. Avoiding or reducing the use of chemical synthetic plant protection products makes the control of phytopathogenic pests even more difficult. Therefore, in addition to optimizing various management measures such as tillage, sowing time, row spacing or crop rotation, mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization and the targeted application of N forms must be utilized to reduce abiotic stress factors and the infestation pressure of certain pests to ensure high yield performance. Consequently, several experiments were conducted to better understand how mineral nitrogen fertilization and forms can improve plant health by increasing plant resistance to abiotic stressors, particularly repeated drought stress and nutrient (P) deficiency, and to biotic stressors, such as relevant phytopathogenic fungi. It was found that with respect to repeated drought stress, maize plants receiving supplemental nitrogen during the recovery period after an early drought stress were better able to cope with late drought stress. In this context, N fertilization could help the plant to maintain its photosynthetic activity under drought stress. Additionally, plants repeatedly exposed to drought stress recovered faster with N fertilization due to transiently higher antioxidant levels and higher production of reactive oxygen species. A further experiment revealed that depending on the maize genotype, ammonium as a form of nitrogen has a positive effect on the availability and uptake of phosphorus compared to nitrate, depending on the maize genotype. This observation could be attributed not only to the acidifying effect on the pH of the rhizosphere, but also to the increased abundance of various phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under ammonium nutrition. Together this could provide an enhanced P availability, which ultimately reduces plant stress and improves physiologically resistance leading to a reduction in disease risk. Nevertheless, studies revealed that high N fertilization in most cases promotes disease attack and makes the plant more susceptible to pathogens. Scrutinization of this observation indicated that N fertilization enhances infestations of biotrophic pathogens, especially in wheat, while necrotrophic fungi were attenuated. Overall, the complex relationship between plant pathogens and nitrogen nutrition appears to be highly variable due to dynamic factors such as the soil, microorganisms in the rhizosphere, environmental factors, and the host plant, making it difficult to give definite statements about the effects of nitrogen nutrition on pathogen occurrence. Thus, the form of nitrogen could be a promising way to target nitrogen fertilization against individual pathogens. With regards to the previous research, experiments on the influence of N form on pathogen infection, revealed that wheat leaves inoculated with the foliar pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) were comparatively less infested when fertilized with nitrate or cyanamide compared to ammonium. After contact with the pathogen, an enhanced defense response in form of increased production of protective substances, indicated by increased concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide dismutase, and increased antioxidant potential, was detected. Further, it was observed that ammonium fertilization resulted in lower bacterial richness in the plant rhizosphere and higher fungal richness compared to nitrate supplementation. Additionally, a pronounced effect of ammonium fertilization on rootcolonization by important fungal pathogens such as Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) and Bgt was found. Regarding the experiment with maize under low P conditions, it appears that ammonium is able to promote both pathogenic and beneficial fungi in cereal crops. Thus, nitrate fertilization appears not only to suppress the occurrence of fungi, but may also promote pathogen-antagonistic bacteria, which in turn have a positive effect on fungal disease suppression.
Rhizosphere processes as determinants for glyphosate damage of non-target plants
(2010) Bott, Sebastian; Neumann, Günter
Due to low production costs and high herbicidal efficiency, glyphosate is the most widely used wide-spectrum herbicide. Glyphosate acts as a non-selective, total herbicide by inhibiting the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. Apart from glyphosate drift contamination, risks of glyphosate toxicity to crop plants and other non-target organisms are generally considered as marginal, because glyphosate is almost instantaneously inactivated by adsorption to the soil matrix and rapid microbial/chemical degradation in the soil solution. However, in the recent past, an increasing number of yet unexplained observations on significant damage of crop plants have been reported in the literature and by farmers, suggesting gaps in the risk assessment, with respect to the fate glyphosate in the rhizosphere and the interaction with rhizosphere processes. According to these observations, the aim of present study was a systematic evaluation of potential rhizosphere effects of glyphosate, including direct toxicity, risks of re-mobilisation by fertiliser application, potential role of pathogens and allelopathic compounds, and interactions with micronutrients, both in glyphosate-sensitive and transgenic glyphosate-resistant crops. A series of field trials in reduced soil tillage cropping systems as well as green-house experiments on soils with contrasting properties with sunflower, winter wheat and soybean, consistently revealed a close clausal relationship between crop damage and (a) short waiting times between glyphosate application on target weeds and subsequent sowing of crops and (b) the density and speed of decay of glyphosate-treated weeds. The results suggested that damage of crop plants is induced by a rhizosphere transfer of glyphosate from weeds to subsequently sown crops. This transfer might take place by contact contamination due to exudation of glyphosate from living roots of treated weeds and/or release during decomposition of the root residues. A comparison between phytotoxic effects of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) as major metabolite of glyphosate in soils, revealed high toxicity in case of root exposure to glyphosate, but not to AMPA. By contrast, a significant decline of germination was induced by seed exposure to AMPA, while germination was not affected by glyphosate treatments. The observed differences in sensitivity to glyphosate and AMPA in different stages of plant development may explain variable symptoms of crop damage under field conditions, ranging from growth depressions and chlorosis to reduced field emergence. The results of the present study further suggest that risks for crop damage associated with rhizosphere transfer of glyphosate are additionally influenced by a range of environmental factors, such as growth season (spring or fall application), temperature, soil moisture, redox potential of soils and soil microbial activity. These factors might shorten or prolongate the time window for crop damage of glyphosate contact contamination in the rhizosphere under field conditions. Model experiments investigating the sensitivity of different plant species to glyphosate root exposure, revealed significant differences between winter wheat, maize and soybean in terms of glyphosate-induced plant damage but also in their ability for recovery from glyphosate damage suggesting marked genotypic differences in the expression of damage symptoms also under field conditions. In agreement with previous investigations, results of the present study indicated a rapid inactivation of glyphosate by adsorption to the soil matrix. Glyphosate adsorption in soils seem to be mainly mediated by the phosphonate group of the molecule in a way similar to the adsorption of inorganic phosphate. Accordingly glyphosate re-mobilisation is possible via ligand exchange by phosphate application. The results of the present study have demonstrated for the first time that depending on soil properties also the application of fertiliser phosphate is able to re-mobilise glyphosate in sufficient quantities to mediate crop damage in pot experiments. This finding suggest, that re-mobilisation of glyphosate potentially by fertiliser P or root-induced chemical modifications for P and Fe mobilisation needs to be considered as additional potential rhizosphere pathway for glyphosate damage to non-target plants. Field trials and model experiments under soil and hydroponic conditions consistently revealed a significantly impaired nutritional status of glyphosate-sensitive but also glyphosate-resistant crops. However, depending on the culture conditions different mineral nutrients were affected by the glyphosate treatments and plant damage was not related with a certain nutrient deficiency. These findings suggest that damaged root growth, induced by glyphosate toxicity, rather than specific interactions with certain mineral nutrients are responsible for the observed impairment of nutrient acquisition. In conclusion, results of the present study highlight that risks for crop damage associated with glyphosate toxicity in the rhizosphere can be substantial and is influenced by factors such as waiting time after herbicide application, weed density, cropping systems, fertilizer management, genotypic differences, and probably also environmental factors including temperature, soil moisture, and soil microbial activity. The independency between these factors is so far not entirely clear but should be investigated in future studies. Nevertheless, results of present study suggest that risks could be minimized by simple management tools such as the consideration of waiting times between application of glyphosate and sowing of crops particularly in case of high weed densities and alternation of herbicides to reduce not only risk for remobilization of glyphosate but also problems associated to the selection of glyphosate-resistant weeds.
Transcriptional and proteomic responses towards early nitrogen depletion in Arabidopsis thaliana
(2016) Menz, Jochen; Ludewig, Uwe
Plant roots acquire nitrogen predominantly as ammonium and nitrate, which besides serving as nutrients, also have signaling roles. Re-addition of nitrate to starved plants rapidly and di-rectly transcriptionally re-programs the metabolism and induces root architectural changes, but the earliest responses to nitrogen deprivation are unknown. In this thesis, the early transcriptional response of developed roots to nitrate or ammonium deprivation were analyzed in two Arabidopsis ecotypes contrasting in their nitrogen use efficiency: the inefficient genotype Col-0 and the efficient Tsu-0. The rapid transcriptional repression of known nitrate-induced genes proceeded the tissue NO3- concentration drop, with the transcription factor genes LBD37/38 and HRS1/HHO1 among those with earliest significant change. Some transcripts were stabilized by nitrate, but similar rapid transcriptional repression occurred in loss-of-function mutants of the nitrate response factor NLP7. In contrast, an early transcriptional response to ammonium deprivation was almost completely absent. In Col-0, the analysis was extended with the proteome and phospho-proteome resulting in a rapid and transient perturbation of the proteome induced by ammonium deprivation and a differential phosphorylation pattern in proteins involved in adjusting the pH and cation homeostasis, plasma membrane H+, NH4+, K+ and water fluxes. Fewer differential phosphorylation patterns in transporters, kinases and other proteins occurred with nitrate deprivation. The deprivation responses are not just opposite to the resupply responses, identify NO3--deprivation induced mRNA decay and signaling candidates potentially reporting the external nitrate status to the cell. Transcrip-tome comparison revealed only few N-nutrition related genes between both ecotypes contributing the increased NUE of Tsu-0, which probably relies on higher biomass accumulation. Besides, Tsu-0 confirmed the transcriptional depletion response of Col-0.