Interactive effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and a seaweed extract on the growth and physiology of Allium cepa L. (onion)

0547994 - ÚEB 2022 RIV PT eng J - Journal Article
Gupta, S. - Stirk, W. A. - Plačková, Lenka - Kulkarni, M. G. - Doležal, Karel - Van Staden, J.
Interactive effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and a seaweed extract on the growth and physiology of Allium cepa L. (onion).
Journal of Plant Physiology. Roč. 266, JUL (2021), č. článku 153512. ISSN 0176-1617. E-ISSN 1618-1328
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) EF16_019/0000827
Institutional support: RVO:61389030
Keywords : Biostimulants * Microbes * Seaweed
OECD category: Biochemistry and molecular biology
Impact factor: 3.686, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Open access
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153437

Detrimental effects caused by the overuse of synthetic agrochemicals have led to the development of natural biostimulants such as seaweed extracts and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) being used as an alternative, environmentally-friendly technology to improve crop growth and increase agricultural yields. The present study aimed to investigate the interactions between PGPR and a commercial seaweed extract on the growth and biochemical composition of onion (Allium cepa). A pot trial was conducted under greenhouse conditions where onion plants were treated individually with the two PGPR, namely Bacillus licheniformis (BL) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF) and a seaweed extract Kelpak (R) (KEL) and combinations of KEL + BL and KEL + PF. Growth and yield parameters were measured after 12 weeks. KEL-treated plants showed the best growth response and overcame the inhibitory effects of BL treatment. KEL-treated plants also had the highest chlorophyll content. PGPR application improved the mineral nutrition of onion with these plants having the highest mineral content in the leaves and bulb. All biostimulant treatments increased the endogenous cytokinin and auxin content with the highest concentrations generally detected in the PF-treated plants. These results suggest that co-application of different biostimulant classes with different modes of action could further increase crop productivity with an improvement in both growth and nutrition content being achieved in onion with the co-application of a seaweed extract and PGPR.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0324130