Brown Seaweed Extract (BSE) Application Influences Auxin- and ABA-Related Gene Expression, Root Development, and Sugar Yield in <i>Beta vulgaris</i> L.
Giovanni Bertoldo,
Claudia Chiodi,
Maria Cristina Della Lucia,
Matteo Borella,
Samathmika Ravi,
Andrea Baglieri,
Piergiorgio Lucenti,
Bhargava Krishna Ganasula,
Chandana Mulagala,
Andrea Squartini,
Giuseppe Concheri,
Francesco Magro,
Giovanni Campagna,
Piergiorgio Stevanato,
Serenella Nardi
Affiliations
Giovanni Bertoldo
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Claudia Chiodi
Crop Production and Biostimulation Laboratory, Interfacultary School of Bioengineers, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine CP 245, Bd du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Maria Cristina Della Lucia
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Matteo Borella
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Samathmika Ravi
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Andrea Baglieri
Dipartimento di Agricoltura Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), Università di Catania, Via S. Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
Piergiorgio Lucenti
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Bhargava Krishna Ganasula
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Chandana Mulagala
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Andrea Squartini
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Giuseppe Concheri
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Francesco Magro
Sofbey SA, Cso S. Gottardo 34, 6830 Chiasso, Switzerland
Giovanni Campagna
CO.PRO.B—Cooperativa Produttori Bieticoli, Via Mora 56, 40061 Minerbio, Italy
Piergiorgio Stevanato
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Serenella Nardi
Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), Campus of Agripolis, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
The molecular and phenotypic effects of a brown seaweed extract (BSE) were assessed in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Transcript levels of BSE-treated and untreated plants were studied by RNA-seq and validated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis (RT-qPCR). Root morphology, sugar yield, and processing quality traits were also analyzed to better elucidate the treatment effects. RNA-seq revealed 1019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the BSE-treated and untreated plants. An adjusted p-value p p < 0.05) in the treated field plots compared with the control treatment, without impacting the processing quality. Our study unveiled the relevant effects of BSE application in regulating auxin- and ABA-related gene expression and critical traits related to sugar beet development and yield.
