Low input sustainable agriculture: A viable climate-smart option for boosting food production in a warming world

A majority of agricultural activities are conducted under fragile lands or set up. The growth and development of crops are negatively affected due to several biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current situation, research efforts have been diverted towards the short-term approaches that can improve crop performance under changing environments. Seed treatment or priming technology is in a transition phase of its popularity among the resource-poor farmers. Suitable policy intervention can boost low-cost techniques to implement them on a larger scale in the developing countries and harness the maximum benefits of sustainable food production systems. Primed seeds have high vigour and germination rate that helps in seedling growth and successful crop stand establishment under stress conditions. This review is attempted to assess different seed priming techniques in terms of resource use efficiency, crop productivity, cost-benefit balance, and environmental impacts. Moreover, an in-depth study of the mechanisms (physiological and biochemical) of seed priming is also elaborated. A comprehensive study of the applications of priming technology under diverse agro ecosystems can light our understanding of the adaptive management of natural resources.

/pdf/seed-priming-a-potential-supplement-in-integrated-resource-8jwfoyt3pf.pdf

Seed Priming: A Potential Supplement in Integrated Resource Management Under Fragile Intensive Ecosystems

Conventional agricultural practices and rising energy crisis create a question about the sustainability of the present-day food production system. Nutrient exhaustive crops can have a severe impact on native soil fertility by causing nutrient mining. In this backdrop, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of bio-priming intervention in red cabbage production considering nutrient uptake, the annual change in soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency, energy budgeting, and economic benefits for its sustainable intensification, among resource-poor farmers of Middle Gangetic Plains. The compatible microbial agents used in the study include Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis. Field assays (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) of the present study revealed supplementing 75% of recommended NPK fertilizer with dual inoculation of T. harzianum and P. fluorescens increased macronutrient uptake (N, P, and K), root length, heading percentage, head diameter, head weight, and the total weight of red cabbage along with a positive annual change in soil organic carbon. Maximum positive annual change in available N and available P was recorded under 75% RDF + P. fluorescens + B. subtilis and 75% RDF + T. harzianum + B. subtilis, respectively. Bio-primed plants were also higher in terms of growth and nutrient use efficiency (agronomic efficiency, physiological efficiency, apparent recovery efficiency, partial factor productivity). Energy output (26,370 and 26,630 MJ ha−1), energy balance (13,643 and 13,903 MJ ha−1), maximum gross return (US $ 16,030 and 13,877 ha−1), and net return (US $ 15,966 and 13,813 ha−1) were considerably higher in T. harzianum, and P. fluorescens treated plants. The results suggest the significance of the bio-priming approach under existing integrated nutrient management strategies and the role of dual inoculations in producing synergistic effects on plant growth and maintaining the soil, food, and energy nexus.

/pdf/optimizing-nutrient-use-efficiency-productivity-energetics-416nt6oujz.pdf

Optimizing nutrient use efficiency, productivity, energetics, and economics of red cabbage following mineral fertilization and biopriming with compatible rhizosphere microbes.

Nano-fertilizers of essential plant nutrients, including micronutrients, have the potential to improve nutrient use efficiency and productivity of field crops in deficient soils. The present study reports the comparative influence of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and bulk Zn salt (ZnSO4) on the growth, yield, and quality of fodder maize (Zea mays) (var. J-1006) cultivated under field conditions in the year 2019. Three levels (0, 20, and 40 mg L−1) of Zn fertilizers were used for seed priming and coating in triplicate following the randomized complete block design model. An increase in vegetative and yield parameters (number of plants, plant height, stover yield, plant biomass), acid detergent fiber (ADF%), and hemicellulose contents and shoot zinc (Zn) content on treatment of seeds with ZnONPs (20 mg L−1) concentration as compared to bulk ZnSO4 and control treatments was observed. The application of ZnONPs (40 mg L−1) significantly enhanced the total chlorophyll content, available soil nitrogen and phosphorus, neutral detergent fiber (NDF%), and cellulose contents and improved the total soil microbial counts and soil enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities), whereas a significant increase in available soil potassium and zinc contents was recorded under ZnONPs (20 mg L−1) treatments. These findings suggest an encouraging effect on the growth and yield attributing characteristics of fodder maize after ZnONPs seed coating at low concentration. Furthermore, ZnONPs seed coating can also be considered an effective tool for the delivery of Zn micronutrient to fodder maize crop.

Seed Priming and Coating by Nano-Scale Zinc Oxide Particles Improved Vegetative Growth, Yield and Quality of Fodder Maize (Zea mays)

The seed is the most primary requirement of agriculture. Hence, it is crucial to maintain the quality of the seeds through nature-based solutions having multiple benefits. Among the pre-sowing techniques, bio-priming has emerged out to be the most simple, economical, and eco-friendly delivery system of beneficial microorganisms in the agroecosystem. Therefore, comprehension regarding the applicability of bio-priming in restoring soil health, improving plant nutrition, and maintaining crop/seed quality has a major role in achieving the UN-Sustainable Development Goals such as no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, etc. Our efforts to minimize the nonrenewable energy sources and promote the use of microbial resources at the community level need to be re-emphasized. Identification of sustainability indicators like soil enzymes, growth hormones, organic acids, etc. under bio-priming based agroecosystems is imperative for utilizing the potential microbes in the best manner. This review highlights bio-priming as a pragmatic technological option in achieving the tripartite goal of food-nutritional security, environmental stewardship/quality, and agricultural profitability under different agroecosystems.

Seed bio-priming with microbial inoculants: A tailored approach towards improved crop performance, nutritional security, and agricultural sustainability for smallholder farmers

Priming techniques are gaining importance in agriculture with the increase in environmental stresses. Resource-poor farmers are in urgent need of such techniques as they are simple, economical, and value-added intervention associated with low-risk bearing factors. Seed enhancement methods are key to improve seed performance and achieve a good stand establishment. Worldwide beneficial effects of priming are recorded. But these technologies have still not reached most farmers. This review highlights the importance of on-farm priming strategies in modern crop production system to yield better productivity and obtain higher economic returns. Stimulation of the pre-germination metabolic changes by priming is necessary to overcome the environmental challenges that a plant can encounter. Thus, the study also focuses on mechanisms associated with priming-induced stress tolerance of crops. Various safe practical methods of seed priming can be easily adopted by the farming community to alleviate the levels of different stresses which can hamper productivity. Simultaneously they can produce good quality seeds and use them further for the next crop cycle cutting the costs of seed purchase.

http://ojs.aas.bf.uni-lj.si/index.php/AAS/article/download/789/301

On-farm seed priming interventions in agronomic crops

Soil health has existed as an integrative property that reveals the capability of soil to react to agricultural interference, so that it persistently supports mutually the agricultural production and the stipulation of other ecosystem services. The key confrontation within sustainable soil management is to safeguard the ecosystem service besides optimizing agricultural yields. It is anticipated that soil health is reliant on the preservation of four foremost functions: carbon alterations, biogeochemistry mediated nutrient cycles, soil structure continuance and the directive of pests and diseases controlled by cropping system. Every one of these functions is marked as a comprehensive of a variety of biological processes provided by a multiplicity of interacting soil organisms under the authority of the abiotic soil upbringing which dictate assessment and management of soil health.

Soil Health in Cropping Systems: An Overview

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On-farm seed priming interventions in agronomic crops

Soil Health in Cropping Systems: An Overview