Goรฑi et al., (2021) Frontiers in Plant Science 12:664682
Reducing Nitrogen Input in Barley Crops While Maintaining Yields Using an Engineered Biostimulant Derived From Ascophyllum nodosum to Enhance Nitrogen Use Efficiency
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.664682/full
Summary
Modern agricultural systems require significantly high nitrogen inputs, but a consequential issue has developed from this practice, being that a substantial amount of the nitrogen (N) fertilizer, as much as 65%, goes unused by crops and instead gets lost to the environment. This loss contributes to the degradation of water quality, the deterioration of soil ecology, and the emission of greenhouse gases. Consequently, this inefficiency in utilizing such an expensive and necessary nutrient proves to be a costly outcome for growers. Therefore, the challenge lies in finding ways to reduce nitrogen inputs while still maintaining crop yields, growers return, and minimizing environmental damage.
Brandon Bioscience has developed a product to address this challenge, which is proven to enhance nutrient use efficiency (NUE) under reduced nitrogen input, with the addition of the biostimulant, PSIยฎ362. To evaluate the impact of NUE under reduced nitrogen input, our researchers have studied various plant parameters related to N uptake and assimilation at different levels, including phenotypical, metabolic, enzymatic, and molecular levels.
The purpose of the experiments was to evaluate the impacts of various application methods, including root microphenotyping, controlled pot experiments, and open field experiments, on crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Different application forms, such as foliar spray and PSIยฎ362 coated CAN + S fertilizer, were employed to identify the most effective method of application.
The root microphenotyping experiments demonstrated a significant increase in nitrate content, ranging from 6.85% to 11.92%. The effectiveness of PSIยฎ362 in enhancing nutrient use efficiency was validated through barley pot experiments, where an increase of 14-17% in NUE was demonstrated. Additionally, when PSIยฎ362 was applied during the vegetative stage, it led to an increase in plant biomass, including shoots, roots, and tillers. Furthermore, the application of PSIยฎ362 coated fertilizer has been shown to stimulate higher levels of macromolecules, such as soluble proteins and chlorophylls.
In multi-year field trials, the use of PSIยฎ362 showed promising results in increasing NUE by 30-60% under 75% reduced N input. Furthermore, coordinated stimulation of N uptake and assimilation markers were observed. Barley shoot tissue analysis, conducted 22 days after N fertilizer application, demonstrated an increase in the expression of nitrate plasma membrane carriers. The carriers facilitated the accumulation of nitrate in shoot tissue, ranging from 17.9% to 72.2% increase over the control. This accumulation was linked to the upregulation of genes associated with root nitrate transporters (NRT1.1, NRT2.1, and NRT1.5). Simultaneously, the application of PSIยฎ362 coated fertilizer has been found to enhance the activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthase, as well as increase the content of free amino acids, soluble protein, and photosynthetic pigments. These biological changes, occurring during the stem elongation stage, have been observed to translate into improved NUE traits in harvested grain.
Remarkably, the foliar application of PSIยฎ362 has proven effective in maintaining or even increasing grain yield in barley, even when 25% less N fertilizer was used. Combining PSIยฎ362 with CAN coated fertilizer offers a more convenient and profitable solution for growers, allowing them to access greater amounts of N while simultaneously reducing their N application rates. Applying simultaneously with fertiliser adheres to the 4R nutrient framework for increasing crop NUE: right rate, right source, right timing, and right placement.
Overall, PSIยฎ362 has proven to be an effective biostimulant for enhancing NUE under reduced nitrogen input.
If you would like to know more about our research and our range of biostimulants, speak to us directly
