Biomechanical Response of the Root System in Tomato Seedlings under Wind Disturbance

Wind disturbance as a green method can effectively prevent the overgrowth of tomato seedlings, and its mechanism may be related to root system mechanics. This study characterized the biophysical mechanical properties of taproot and lateral roots of tomato seedlings at five seedling ages and seedling substrates with three different moisture content. The corresponding root system-substrate finite element (FE) model was then developed and validated. The study showed that seedling age significantly affected the biomechanical properties of the taproot and lateral roots of the seedlings and that moisture content significantly affected the biomechanical properties of the seedling substrate (p < 0.05). The established FE model was sensitive to wind speed, substrate moisture content, strong seedling index, and seedling age and was robust. The multiple linear regression equations obtained could predict the maximum stress and strain of the root system of tomato seedlings in the wind field. The strong seedling index had the greatest impact on the biomechanical response of the seedling root system during wind disturbance, followed by wind speed. In contrast, seedling age had no significant effect on the biomechanical response of the root system during wind disturbance. In the simulation, no mechanical damage was observed on the tissue of the seedling root system, but there were some strain behaviors. Based on the plant stress resistance, wind disturbance may affect the growth and development of the root system in the later growth stage. In this study, finite element and statistical analysis methods were combined to provide an effective approach for in-depth analysis of the biomechanical mechanisms of wind disturbances that inhibit tomato seedlings’ growth from the root system’s perspective.     

Metagenomic profiling of rhizosphere microbial community structure and diversity associated with maize plant as affected by cropping systems

International Microbiology - Soil microbial diversity is believed to be vital in maintaining soil quality and health. Limited knowledge exists on the impact of cropping systems (mono-cropping and...     

Exploring the potentialities of beneficial endophytes for improved plant growth

Pathogen affects plant growth, host health and productivity. Endophytes, presumed to live inside the plant tissues, might be helpful in sustaining the future of agriculture. Although recent studies have proven that endophytes can be pathogenic, commensal, non-pathogenic, and/or beneficial, this review will focus on the beneficial category only. Beneficial endophytes produce a number of compounds which are useful for protecting plants from environmental conditions, enhancing plant growth and sustainability, while living conveniently inside the hosts. The population of endophytes is majorly controlled by location, and climatic conditions where the host plant grows. Often the most frequently isolated endophytes from the tissues of the plant are fungi, but sometimes greater numbers of bacteria are isolated. Beneficial endophytes stand a chance to replace the synthetic chemicals currently being used for plant growth promotion if carefully explored by researchers and embraced by policymakers. However, the roles of endophytes in plant growth improvement and their behavior in the host plant have not been fully understood. This review presents the current development of research into beneficial endophytes and their effect in improving plant growth.