TY - JOUR
T1 - Engineered silicate-solubilizing bacterial community alleviates nutrient stress in field-grown maize by enhancing silicon uptake and optimizing rhizosphere microecology
AU - Wang, Chao
AU - Zhang, Chengkai
AU - Xie, Zhihong
AU - Wang, Dandan
AU - Meng, Yue
AU - Sun, Yajie
AU - Chen, Yinglong
AU - Li, Zhaoyu
AU - Kang, Yaowei
AU - Guo, Yizhu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2025/5/1
Y1 - 2025/5/1
N2 - Context: Silicon (Si), as a functional element, is known to benefit the development and growth of cereals, especially under stress conditions. Si biofortification in crops using silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) offers an eco-friendly biotechnique for enhancing crop resilience. Objective: This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a synthetic community of SSBs (SSB SynCom), isolated from across the country for high silica degradation capacity, in supporting competitive maize yields with reduced fertilizer application. Methods: A two-year field experiment was conducted to compare the effect of SSB SynCom on maize growth, yield and rhizosphere microecology with reduced fertilizer application. Results: The application of SSB SynCom significantly increased biomass and yield in maize under nutritional stress, particularly nitrogen (N) deficiency. Leaf photosynthetic capacity, Si concentration, and the expression levels of Si transporter genes were notably enhanced with SSB SynCom, along with significant changes in rhizosphere microecology. Notably, N and Si concentration in the shoots were strongly correlated. Additionally, several key microbial genera showed significant positive associations with the nutritional status of the host plant. Conclusion: The investigated SSB SynCom proved to be a highly effective microbial agent for improving yield via N-Si interactions in field-grown maize with reduced fertilizer input, offering new avenues for sustainable agricultural development.
AB - Context: Silicon (Si), as a functional element, is known to benefit the development and growth of cereals, especially under stress conditions. Si biofortification in crops using silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) offers an eco-friendly biotechnique for enhancing crop resilience. Objective: This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a synthetic community of SSBs (SSB SynCom), isolated from across the country for high silica degradation capacity, in supporting competitive maize yields with reduced fertilizer application. Methods: A two-year field experiment was conducted to compare the effect of SSB SynCom on maize growth, yield and rhizosphere microecology with reduced fertilizer application. Results: The application of SSB SynCom significantly increased biomass and yield in maize under nutritional stress, particularly nitrogen (N) deficiency. Leaf photosynthetic capacity, Si concentration, and the expression levels of Si transporter genes were notably enhanced with SSB SynCom, along with significant changes in rhizosphere microecology. Notably, N and Si concentration in the shoots were strongly correlated. Additionally, several key microbial genera showed significant positive associations with the nutritional status of the host plant. Conclusion: The investigated SSB SynCom proved to be a highly effective microbial agent for improving yield via N-Si interactions in field-grown maize with reduced fertilizer input, offering new avenues for sustainable agricultural development.
KW - Nutritional stress
KW - Rhizosphere microecology
KW - Silicate-solubilizing bacteria
KW - Synthetic community
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=86000365549&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109827
DO - 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109827
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:86000365549
SN - 0378-4290
VL - 326
JO - Field Crops Research
JF - Field Crops Research
M1 - 109827
ER -
