Novel Effects of Leonardite-Based Applications on Sugar Beet

Maria C. Della Lucia; Giovanni Bertoldo; Chiara Broccanello; Laura Maretto; Samathmika Ravi; Francesco Marinello; Luigi Sartori; Giovanni Marsilio; Andrea Baglieri; Alessandro Romano; Mauro Colombo; Francesco Magro; Giovanni Campagna; Giuseppe Concheri; Andrea Squartini; Piergiorgio Stevanato

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.646025

Frontiers in Plant Science (Mar 2021)

Novel Effects of Leonardite-Based Applications on Sugar Beet

Maria C. Della Lucia,
Giovanni Bertoldo,
Chiara Broccanello,
Laura Maretto,
Samathmika Ravi,
Francesco Marinello,
Luigi Sartori,
Giovanni Marsilio,
Andrea Baglieri,
Alessandro Romano,
Mauro Colombo,
Francesco Magro,
Giovanni Campagna,
Giuseppe Concheri,
Andrea Squartini,
Piergiorgio Stevanato

Affiliations

Maria C. Della Lucia: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Giovanni Bertoldo: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Chiara Broccanello: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Laura Maretto: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Samathmika Ravi: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Francesco Marinello: Department of Landscape and Agro-Forestry Systems, Agripolis, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Luigi Sartori: Department of Landscape and Agro-Forestry Systems, Agripolis, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Giovanni Marsilio: Department of Landscape and Agro-Forestry Systems, Agripolis, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Andrea Baglieri: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Alessandro Romano: Plant Protection and Certification Centre, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Lonigo, Italy
Mauro Colombo: Research Institute for Industrial Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economics, Rovigo, Italy
Francesco Magro: Sipcam Oxon S.p.A., Milan, Italy
Giovanni Campagna: Cooperativa Produttori Bieticoli (COPROB), Bologna, Italy
Giuseppe Concheri: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Andrea Squartini: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
Piergiorgio Stevanato: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Padua, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.646025
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12

Abstract

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The present study aimed to explore the effects of foliar application of a leonardite-based product on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) plants grown in the field. The approach concerned the evaluation of the community compositional structure of plant endophytic bacteria through a metabarcoding approach, the expression level of a gene panel related to hormonal metabolism and signaling, and the main sugar beet productivity traits. Results indicated that plants treated with leonardite (dosage of 2,000 ml ha–1, dilution 1:125, 4 mg C l–1) compared with untreated ones had a significant increase (p < 0.05) in (i) the abundance of Oxalicibacterium spp., recognized to be an endophyte bacterial genus with plant growth-promoting activity; (ii) the expression level of LAX2 gene, coding for auxin transport proteins; and (iii) sugar yield. This study represents a step forward to advance our understanding of the changes induced by leonardite-based biostimulant in sugar beet.

Published in Frontiers in Plant Science

ISSN: 1664-462X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Plant culture
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science

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