Warming and rainfall reduction alter soil microbial diversity and co-occurrence networks and enhance pathogenic fungi in dryland soils.

In this 9-year manipulative field experiment, we examined the impacts of experimental warming (2 °C, W), rainfall reduction (30 % decrease in annual rainfall, RR), and their combination (W + RR) on soil microbial communities and native vegetation in a semi-arid shrubland in south-eastern Spain. Warming had strong negative effects on plant performance across five coexisting native shrub species, consistently reducing their aboveground biomass growth and long-term survival. The impacts of rainfall reduction on plant growth and survival were species-specific and more variable.

Effects of inorganic and compost tea fertilizers application on the taxonomic and functional microbial diversity of the purslane rhizosphere.

Introduction: Soil fertility is a major determinant of plant-microbial interactions, thus, directly and indirectly affecting crop productivity and ecosystem functions. In this study, we analysed for the first time the effects of fertilizer addition on the cropping of purslane () with particular attention to the taxonomic and functional characteristics of their associated soil microbiota.

Methods: We tested the effects of different doses of inorganic fertilization differing in the amount of N:P:K namely IT1 (300:100:100); IT2 (300:200:100); IT3 (300:200:200); and IT4 (600:100:100) (ppm N:P:K ratio) and organic fertilization (compost tea) which reached at the end of the assay the dose of 300 ppm N.

Agronomical Practices and Management for Commercial Cultivation of as a Crop: A Review.

Soil is an essential resource, and its degradation is challenging modern agriculture, while its impact is expected to increase in the near future. One of the strategies to address this issue is to incorporate new alternative crops able to tolerate arduous conditions, as well as for the use of sustainable agricultural practices in order to recover and/or improve soil health. Additionally, the increasing market for new functional/healthy natural foods promotes the search for potential alternative crop species with promising bioactive compounds content.

Interactions of the Fungal Community in the Complex Patho-System of Esca, a Grapevine Trunk Disease.

Worldwide, Esca is a complex and devastating Grapevine Trunk Disease (GTD), characterized by inconstant foliar symptoms and internal wood degradation. A large range of fungal taxa have been reported as causal agents. We applied both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods (Illumina Technology and q-PCR) to investigate this concerning disease.