Inoculation with a microbial consortium increases soil microbial diversity and improves agronomic traits of tomato under water and nitrogen deficiency.

Microbial-based biostimulants, functioning as biotic and abiotic stress protectants and growth enhancers, are becoming increasingly important in agriculture also in the context of climate change. The search for new products that can help reduce chemical inputs under a variety of field conditions is the new challenge. In this study, we tested whether the combination of two microbial growth enhancers with complementary modes of action, 76A and T22, could facilitate tomato adaptation to a 30% reduction of optimal water and nitrogen requirements.

Enzymes for Degradation of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A.

The contamination of agricultural products with mycotoxins causes risks to animal and human health and severe economic losses. Mycotoxicoses can be reduced by preventing fungal infection using chemical and biological approaches. The chemical strategies can release toxic molecules; therefore, strategies for biological control are being evaluated, such as using nontoxic fungi and their metabolites.

Mineral Biofortification and Growth Stimulation of Lentil Plants Inoculated with Strains and Metabolites.

Biofortification of crops via agricultural interventions represents an excellent way to supply micronutrients in poor rural populations, who highly suffer from these deficiencies. Soil microbes can directly influence plant growth and productivity, e.g.

Applications on Strawberry Plants Modulate the Physiological Processes Positively Affecting Fruit Production and Quality.

Many spp. are successful plant beneficial microbial inoculants due to their ability to act as biocontrol agents with direct antagonistic activities to phytopathogens, and as biostimulants capable of promoting plant growth. This work investigated the effects of treatments with three selected strains (T22, TH1, and GV41) to strawberry plants on the productivity, metabolites and proteome of the formed fruits.

(L.) DC. Yield and Quality as Influenced by Cropping Season, Protein Hydrolysates, and Applications.

Increasing attention is being given to plant biostimulants as a sustainable farming practice aimed to enhance vegetable crop performance. This research was conducted on greenhouse-grown perennial wall rocket ( (L.) DC.

Effect of Bioactive Metabolite Treatments on the Production, Quality, and Protein Profile of Strawberry Fruits.

Fungi of the genus produce secondary metabolites having several biological activities that affect plant metabolism. We examined the effect of three bioactive metabolites (BAMs), namely, 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP), harzianic acid (HA), and hydrophobin 1 (HYTLO1), on yield, fruit quality, and protein representation of strawberry plants. In particular, 6PP and HA increased the plant yield and number of fruits, when compared to control, while HYTLO1 promoted the growth of the roots and increased the total soluble solids content up to 19% and the accumulation of ascorbic acid and cyanidin 3--glucoside in red ripened fruits.

Metabolites of a sp. endophyte with potential as biocontrol and bioremediation agent.

Endophytic fungi have several well-established beneficial effects on plant health and growth, and are a huge source of bioactive compounds. The endophyte sp. strain 678, isolated from the roots of an Australian native grass , demonstrated efficacy against four plant pathogens (, , , ).

Application of Trichoderma Strains and Metabolites Enhances Soybean Productivity and Nutrient Content.

Trichoderma fungi are effectively marketed worldwide as biocontrol agents and plant biostimulants on numerous crops due to their demonstrated effects in direct antagonism against fungal pathogens and plant growth promotion. Here, we examined the effects of single and combined applications of Trichoderma strains and their bioactive metabolites (BAMs) harzianic acid (HA), 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP), and hydrophobin1 (HYTLO1) on the growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of soybean plants. Significant promotion of plant growth (up to 39%), as well as an increase in mineral content, was achieved with BAMs, used alone or combined with T.

Modulation of Tomato Response to by and Its Secondary Metabolite Harzianic Acid.

The present study investigated the transcriptomic and metabolomic changes elicited in tomato plants ( cv. Micro-Tom) following treatments with the biocontrol agent strain M10 or its purified secondary metabolite harzianic acid (HA), in the presence or the absence of the soil-borne pathogen . Transcriptomic analysis allowed the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that play a pivotal role in resistance to biotic stress.

-Based Biostimulants Modulate Rhizosphere Microbial Populations and Improve N Uptake Efficiency, Yield, and Nutritional Quality of Leafy Vegetables.

Microbial inoculants such as -based products are receiving great interest among researchers and agricultural producers for their potential to improve crop productivity, nutritional quality as well as resistance to plant pathogens/pests and numerous environmental stresses. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to assess the effects of -based biostimulants under suboptimal, optimal and supraoptimal levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization in two leafy vegetables: Iceberg lettuce ( L.) and rocket ( Mill.

Biochars from olive mill waste have contrasting effects on plants, fungi and phytoparasitic nematodes.

Olive mill waste (OMW), a byproduct from the extraction of olive oil, causes serious environmental problems for its disposal, and extensive efforts have been made to find cost-effective solutions for its management. Biochars produced from OMW were applied as soil amendment and found in many cases to successfully increase plant productivity and suppress diseases. This work aims to characterize biochars obtained by pyrolysis of OMW at 300 °C to 1000 °C using 13C NMR spectroscopy, LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy).

Inhibitory effect of trichodermanone C, a sorbicillinoid produced by associated to the green alga sp., on nitrite production in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

From the green alga sp. collected in Italy, the marine fungal strain A12 of was isolated, identified and characterized. LC-MS qTOF analysis was applied to perform a metabolic profile of the fungal culture.

Root Exudates of Stressed Plants Stimulate and Attract Trichoderma Soil Fungi.

Plant roots release complex mixtures of bioactive molecules, including compounds that affect the activity and modify the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome. In this work, we investigated the initial phase of the interaction between tomato and an effective biocontrol strain of Trichoderma harzianum (T22). We found that root exudates (RE), obtained from plants grown in a split-root system and exposed to various biotic and abiotic stress factors (wounding, salt, pathogen attack), were able to stimulate the growth and act as chemoattractants of the biocontrol fungus.

Deciphering genetic factors that determine melon fruit-quality traits using RNA-Seq-based high-resolution QTL and eQTL mapping.

Combined quantitative trait loci (QTL) and expression-QTL (eQTL) mapping analysis was performed to identify genetic factors affecting melon (Cucumis melo) fruit quality, by linking genotypic, metabolic and transcriptomic data from a melon recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of fruit from 96 RILs yielded a highly saturated collection of > 58 000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, identifying 6636 recombination events that separated the genome into 3663 genomic bins. Bin-based QTL analysis of 79 RILs and 129 fruit-quality traits affecting taste, aroma and color resulted in the mapping of 241 QTL.

Biochar As Plant Growth Promoter: Better Off Alone or Mixed with Organic Amendments?

Biochar is nowadays largely used as a soil amendment and is commercialized worldwide. However, in temperate agro-ecosystems the beneficial effect of biochar on crop productivity is limited, with several studies reporting negative crop responses. In this work, we studied the effect of 10 biochar and 9 not pyrogenic organic amendments (NPOA), using pure and in all possible combinations on lettuce growth ().

Litter chemistry explains contrasting feeding preferences of bacteria, fungi, and higher plants.

Litter decomposition provides a continuous flow of organic carbon and nutrients that affects plant development and the structure of decomposer communities. Aim of this study was to distinguish the feeding preferences of microbes and plants in relation to litter chemistry. We characterized 36 litter types by C-CPMAS NMR spectroscopy and tested these materials on 6 bacteria, 6 fungi, and 14 target plants.

Cremenolide, a new antifungal, 10-member lactone from Trichoderma cremeum with plant growth promotion activity.

Trichoderma based products are considered an alternative to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. These Trichoderma spp. are among the most studied and applied fungal BCAs in industry and agriculture and are known to secrete several secondary metabolites with different biological activities.

Multiple roles and effects of a novel Trichoderma hydrophobin.

Fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma are among the most active and ecologically successful microbes found in natural environments, because they are able to use a variety of substrates and affect the growth of other microbes and virtually any plant species. We isolated and characterized a novel type II hydrophobin secreted by the biocontrol strain MK1 of Trichoderma longibrachiatum. The corresponding gene (Hytlo1) has a multiple role in the Trichoderma-plant-pathogen three-way interaction, while the purified protein displayed a direct antifungal as well as a microbe-associated molecular pattern and a plant growth promotion (PGP) activity.

Trichoderma spp. alleviate phytotoxicity in lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) irrigated with arsenic-contaminated water.

The influence of two strains of Trichoderma (T. harzianum strain T22 and T. atroviride strain P1) on the growth of lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.

A novel fungal metabolite with beneficial properties for agricultural applications.

Trichoderma are ubiquitous soil fungi that include species widely used as biocontrol agents in agriculture. Many isolates are known to secrete several secondary metabolites with different biological activities towards plants and other microbes. Harzianic acid (HA) is a T.

Quantitative trait loci pyramiding for fruit quality traits in tomato.

Fruit quality is a major focus for most conventional and innovative tomato breeding strategies, with particular attention being paid to fruit antioxidant compounds. Tomatoes represent a major contribution to dietary nutrition worldwide and a reservoir of diverse antioxidant molecules. In a previous study, we identified two Solanum pennellii introgression lines (IL7-3 and IL12-4) harbouring quantitative trait loci (QTL) that increase the content of ascorbic acid (AsA), phenols and soluble solids (degrees Brix; °Bx) in tomato fruit.