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Development of a new bacteria-based biostimulant for improved sessile oak seedling production

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Primary Data

Project title
Development of a new bacteria-based biostimulant for improved sessile oak seedling production
Project Coordinator
Participant Organization(s)
 
Status
Completed
Start date
15-05-2024
Expected Completion
15-05-2025
 
Co-Investigator(s)

Description

Abstract
Life on Earth is becoming increasingly challenging, with global warming, biodiversity loss, and pollution as the biggest threats. The excessive use of artificial fertilizers and chemical agents in agriculture and in forestry in the commercial production of seedlings has detrimental effects on the environment and ecosystems. The production of seedlings for afforestation is a globally important industry with a growing tendency. Current practices in nurseries could be significantly improved by reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals. How can that be achieved? By application of tailor-made bacterial consortia to promote seedlings growth and maintain the high productivity of healthy, robust seedlings. Where to find those plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB)? Plants live in an intimate relationship with many microorganisms, and both are constantly evolving together. Bacteria that live in the root zone of trees are able to promote plant growth, protect them from pathogens, and help them overcome stress. It can be exploited for application as a non-toxic, eco- and environmentally-friendly microbial biostimulant. With all of the above in mind, this Project aims to evaluate the suitability of five PGP bacterial strains for large-scale production. Specific objectives will be: 1) determining optimal growth conditions that ensure the highest cell yield in lab-scale experiments and 2) finding the most stable and efficient formulation of the five-member consortium for promoting sessile oak seedling growth. To achieve this, we will test different growth parameters during the cultivation of individual PGP strains, make five formulations, and examine their shelf-life and PGP efficacy after application in the sessile oak nursery. As a main result, we will recommend to interested companies for optimal mass production and formulation protocol, which would reduce the costs of the industrial-scale production of a biostimulant product.