Jul 2026· Works of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences University of Sarajevo· 0 citations· 12 references
Abstract
Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops globally and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where cereals are cultivated on 204,368 ha, of which 57% (116,490 ha) is dedicated to maize production. The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), such as the genera Pseudomonas and Bacillus, represents a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, particularly in phosphorus-deficient soils commonly found in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A field experiment with ten fertilization treatments, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications, was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed inoculation, organic fertilization, and mineral fertilization on silage maize production. Grain yield, ear characteristics, and nutrient concentrations in maize leaves and grain were determined using standard analytical methods. The highest grain yield (15.2 t ha⁻¹) was achieved with the combined application of organic fertilization (30 t ha⁻¹) and bacterial inoculation, with a statistically significant difference compared to the control treatment. The applied fertilization treatments improved nutrient uptake and increased the content of protein, nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium in the grain, while zinc concentration generally decreased, indicating an antagonistic relationship between phosphorus and zinc. The obtained results confirm the potential of combining rhizobacterial inoculation and organic fertilization to enhance maize productivity and improve plant nutrient status.
Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world's most important cereal crops, and improving its productivity while reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers has become a major goal of sustainable agriculture. The potential role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biofertilizer evolved as appropriate substitute to neutralize adverse environmental impacts wielded by manmade agrochemical.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis, individually and in combination, on the growth and yield of maize compared with conventional NPK fertilization.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the 2025 growing season at the Field Crops Research Station, College of Agriculture, University of Samarra, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Six treatments were evaluated: Untreated control (T1), Pseudomonas fluorescens (T2), Bacillus subtilis (T3), combined inoculation (P. fluorescens + B. subtilis) (T4), combined inoculation with NPK fertilizer (T5), and NPK fertilizer (20:20:20) only (T6). Vegetative growth and yield-related traits were recorded and statistically analyzed.
Results: Inoculation of plants with PGPR bacteria resulted in a significant improvement in both vegetative growth and yield compared to the untreated control group. Pseudomonas fluorescens (T2) exhibited the highest vegetative growth rate, recording the highest plant height (148.00 cm), leaf area (365.00 cm²), leaf area index (2.63), and number of grains per spike (688 grains) compared control group recorded (92.33 cm), (10.67 plant⁻¹), (151.73 cm²), (0.70) respectively. Bacillus subtilis (T3), achieved the highest productivity, producing the largest number of spikes per plant (2.67 spikes) and the highest spike weight (283.50 g) compared control group recorded (2.00) and (161.60 g).
Conclusion: The use of PGPR, and especially Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis as potential biofertilisation agents is a promising sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisation that can enhance maize growth and production, while decreasing dependence on mineral fertilisers.
Waser saad Khalaf, Ahmed waleed Abdulrahman· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
Evaluating biological strategies for reducing fertilizer use in grain sorghum through the application of Trichoderma harzianum combined with varying rates of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers found higher dry grain mass was attributed to higher photosynthetic activity, greater plant height and stem diameter, and increased fresh stem and leaf mass.
Cintia da Silva de Oliveira, Rikelme Matheus dos Santos Relvas, Rithielly Machado Rodrigues de Araújo et al.· Frontiers in Agronomy· 0 citations
The intensive use of mineral fertilizers in horticultural systems has improved crop productivity but also increased concerns regarding soil degradation and environmental sustainability. In this context, vermicompost derived from buffalo manure may represent a sustainable alternative for nutrient management and organic waste valorization. This study evaluated the effects of four fertilization strategies on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in loam and clay soils: unfertilized control, mineral fertilization, vermicompost applied at an equivalent nitrogen rate, and the residual effect of vermicompost from a previous cauliflower crop. Agronomic performance, fruit quality, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and antioxidant-related traits were assessed. Mineral fertilization produced the highest marketable yield, reaching 9.68 and 7.69 kg m−2 in loam and clay soils, respectively, mainly through increased fruit number. Direct vermicompost application maintained substantial productivity, with yields of 7.55 and 5.18 kg m−2 in the two soils. The fertilization strategies also induced distinct changes in fruit composition. Mineral fertilization increased total free amino acids to approximately 160 mg g−1 DW, mainly through the accumulation of glutamine, glutamate, asparagine and γ-aminobutyric acid, but was associated with lower soluble solids and antioxidant activity. Vermicompost promoted the highest lycopene concentration, approximately 2.1 mg g−1 DW, in clay soil and maintained intermediate antioxidant activity and amino acid concentrations. Soil texture also influenced carbohydrate partitioning, with greater fructose accumulation in clay soil and greater starch accumulation in loam soil. The residual vermicompost treatment alone did not adequately sustain tomato productivity or metabolic activity, particularly in clay soil. Overall, vermicompost partially replaced mineral fertilization while maintaining satisfactory yield and modulating fruit metabolic quality, although its effectiveness depended strongly on soil texture.
G. M. Fusco, I. Mola, E. Cozzolino et al.· Agriculture· 0 citations
Partial replacement of chemical fertilizers, particularly nitrogen fertilizers, with biological fertilizers is considered an effective strategy for reducing the negative environmental impacts associated with excessive fertilizer use. This study aimed to optimize N use through the application of bacterial-based biofertilizer, specifically plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in different maize cultivars under semi-arid conditions. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) arranged in a split-plot arrangement was used, with the three hybrids (Shahkar, Bumbus and DK 7024) assigned to the main plots and different N treatments allocated to sub-plots. The field experiment was conducted during two consecutive spring seasons (Feb to June 2024 and 2025). The N treatments were defined as follows: control, 100% recommended N (200 kg/ha), 100% N with Pseudomonas stutzeri, 100% N with Bacillus subtilis, 100% N with Enterobacter sp., 50% N with Pseudomonas stutzeri, 50% N with Bacillus subtilis, 50% N with Enterobacter sp., 100% Pseudomonas stutzeri, 100% Bacillus subtilis, and 100% Enterobacter sp. The N treatments included synthetic fertilizer alone at the 100% recommended N rate and a combination of 100%, 50% and 0% of recommended levels with three N-fixing bacterial strains. Among the hybrids, DK 7024 exhibited the highest 1000-grain weight (349 g and 362.5 g), grain yield (6756 and 6971 kg ha−1) and total dry matter (17,500 and 18,368 kg ha−1) in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Among N levels, maximum 1000-grain weight, grain yield and total dry matter were noticed in 100% N with Enterobacter sp.: 402 g, 8446 kg ha−1 and 21,656 kg ha−1 in 2024 and 421 g, 8684 kg ha−1 and 22,237 kg ha−1 in 2025. Nitrogen application increased grain yield and total dry matter production; however, the treatment combined with 100% recommended synthetic N fertilizer with biofertilizer (Enterobacter sp.) showed superior performance compared with 100% N applied through only the synthetic fertilizer. The interaction between maize hybrids and N levels was statistically non-significant, suggesting that 100% N plus biofertilizers could be an effective strategy for achieving higher yields across different maize cultivars. Additionally, the beneficial effects of PGPR may contribute to sustainable agricultural practices. Further research is recommended to evaluate strategies involving reduced-N inputs combined with biological fertilizer, including the application of 100% N with biofertilizer. The present study suggests that N application in combination with biofertilizers has the potential to improve crop growth while promoting sustainable crop production.
Sajjad Hussain, S. Qaisrani, Muhammad Mubeen et al.· Nitrogen· 0 citations
Abstract The soil used is sandy in texture, low in nutrients, and low in organic matter, and therefore has low cation exchange capacity. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of improving their physicochemical and biological properties by inoculating the roots with a solution of Methylobacterium and liquid compost in cauliflower cultivation, as well as integrating a treatment through an automated drip irrigation system. This biostimulant, biofertilizer, and biocontrol agent solution was used, which has applications in agriculture to improve soil health and crop productivity. The experiment was set up under a completely randomized block design with four treatments (T0, T1, T2, and T3), corresponding to doses of 0, 250, 333, and 400 mL per 200 L of water, respectively. The results indicated that treatment T3 significantly optimized the plant's physiological response to salt stress, increasing both its antioxidant capacity and chlorophyll α concentration. Likewise, physical characterization revealed significant differences in the morphological parameters of cauliflower, suggesting greater metabolic resistance and improved nutritional quality. Finally, ultrastructural analysis of the epidermis and stomata using microscopy showed that, while the control treatment (T0) had a collapsed surface, treatment T3 showed a functional and turgid ultrastructure. This demonstrates that the inoculation applied mitigates the phytotoxic impact of the substrate and optimizes the metabolic potential of the crop.
J. A. Legua Cárdenas, E. Macavilca Ticlayauri, M. S. Sánchez Calle et al.· Brazilian Journal of Biology· 0 citations
The use of inorganic fertilizers in rice farming has led to increased production costs, reduced nutritional value, and it results in major ecological damage. Harnessing plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offers a promising eco‐friendly alternative to conventional fertilization strategies. This study evaluates the potential of Pseudomonas mosselii PR5 as a bioinoculant to enhance rice growth under reduced fertilizer inputs in a pot experiment. Two application methods, seed priming (B1) and seed priming combined with bacterial culture filtrate (BCF) foliar spray (B2), were evaluated across four fertilizer regimes: 0% (F0), 50% (F1), 75% (F2), and 100% (F3) of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF). Application of PR5 significantly enhanced rice growth, yield, and yield‐related traits across all fertilizer levels and application methods. At 100% RDF, the combination of seed priming with foliar application of PR5 resulted in marked increases in plant height (4.3%), biomass (64.4%), chlorophyll content (47.4%), grain yield (48%), and benefit–cost ratio (67.6%) compared to the 100% RDF alone. Notably, the combined PR5 application at 75% RDF showed similar agronomic performance and yield as in the 100% RDF treatment, indicating 25% less fertilizer requirement for maintaining crop profitability. Multivariate analysis also confirmed a strong association of grain and soil nutrients with the combined application of PR5 at 75% and 100% RDF. PR5 application also boosted both grain nutrient content and post‐harvest soil nutrient levels. Thus, this research showed that PR5 application increased crop productivity while improving grain nutritional quality and lowering the need for chemical fertilizers towards sustainable agriculture.
Sourav Biswas Shuvo, R. Sultana, Shah Mohammad Naimul Islam et al.· Plant-Environment Interactio...· 0 citations