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In long-term cultivation of apple trees, replantation disease may occur, caused by a set of biotic and abiotic factors, occurring in the soil, e.g. the accumulation of pathogenic and harmful microorganisms. Beneficial microorganisms can be of great importance in limiting orchard replant disease. In our study, the Urea fertilizer was enriched with Aspergillus niger and Purpureocillium lilacinum fungi, while the Polifoska 6 and Super Fos Dar 40 fertilizers with strains of the bacteria Bacillus spp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Paenibacillus polymyxa. The aim of the three-year study was to determine what effects the application of mineral fertilizers enriched with beneficial microorganisms, applied in 100% doses and in doses lower by 40% had on the microorganisms in the rhizosphere of apple trees. The number of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas in the rhizosphere of apple trees was the highest in the combination with Urea 60% + fungi and Polifoska 60% + bacteria. These values were 2-3 times higher compared with the control. In the combination with Polifoska 60% + bacteria, the number of fluorescent Pseudomonas bacteria was five times higher compared to the control. The highest number of actinomycetes was observed in the third year of the study, in the combination with Polifoska 60% + bacteria. The use of this fertilizer increased the number of these bacteria more than five-fold compared with the control. The beneficial effect of Polifoska 60% + bacteria, Super Fos Dar 100% + bacteria, and Urea 60% + fungi on phosphate-solubilizing bacteria was observed in the third year of cultivation. The additional application of filamentous fungi together with Urea did not have a significant effect on this group of microorganisms. The obtained results show that in many cases the application of the selected fertilizers positively influenced the microorganisms inhabiting the apple-tree rhizosphere. Particularly noteworthy is Polifoska enriched with the selected bacteria, the use of which significantly increased the number of beneficial bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas.

The excessive use of chemicals in plant production, including mineral fertilizers has a harmful effect on the morpho- and physiological state of strawberry plants, their yielding, and the physicochemical properties of the fruit and soil. Increasing the effectiveness of beneficial microorganisms, i.e. filamentous fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and bacteria, is an essential method of reducing the amount of fertilizers used to fertilize the soil. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of beneficial soil microorganisms (filamentous fungi and bacteria) applied alone or together with mineral fertilizers on the morpho- and physiological state of 'Marmolada' strawberry plants, their yielding, and the physico-chemical properties of the fruit. The experiment included the application of fungi (Aspergillus niger and Purpureocillium lilacinum), bacteria (Bacillus sp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Paenibacillus polymyxa) alone or together with mineral fertilizers (Polifoska 6, Urea, Super Fos Dar 40). The study investigated the number of inflorescences and flowers, the intensity of the green colour of leaves, fruit yield and weight (g and %), pH, extract (°Brix), titratable acidity (g/100 g), fruit firmness (N), as well as the concentrations of macro-and microelements in the leaves of the plants. The obtained results depend on the type of fertilizer and its concentration. Strains of filamentous fungi or bacterial strains only (without fertilizer), increase the fruit yield by 60 and 35%, respectively. Reduced to 60% doses of Polifoska 6, Urea, and Super Fos Dar 40 combined with beneficial soil microorganisms influence the strawberry fruit yield more beneficially than the fertilizers applied in standard doses (100%). The mineral fertilizers enriched with soil beneficial fungi and bacteria increase the mean fruit weight by 25-30%. Both Super Fos Dar 40 enriched with bacterial strains and Polifoska 6 at 100% positively affect the physical and chemical properties of strawberry fruits. The application of reduced to 60% doses of Fos Dar 40 and Polifoska 6 enriched with beneficial bacterial strains increase the nitrogen and potassium contents in the leaves, respectively. Urea and Super Fos Dar 40 at 100% enriched with beneficial bacteria positively affect magnesium content in the leaves. Application of Polifoska 6 and NPK enriched with bacteria beneficially influences the iron content in the leaves. The calcium content in strawberry leaves decreases due to fertilization.

One-year-old 'Florida Prince' cultivar peach trees grafted on a 'Nemaguard' rootstock were planted in the early spring of 2018 at the Centre of Agricultural Research and Experiments, Minia University, located in southwest Egypt. The trees were planted 5 × 5 m in a randomised complete block design with four replicates, with ten trees in each replicate. In the late spring, two different pruning systems were applied; traditional open centre (OC) and de-branched top trees (DBT). The OC trees were headed at 80 cm above the ground. DBT is a modification of the OC, but no heading was undertaken and the new shoot growth arising from the 20 cm at the top of the plant were removed. Before the winter pruning took place, measurements were taken on the upper two opposite branches. The average length and diameter values of the upper two opposite branches at the top of the trees trained to the OC were higher than those trained with the DBT. In contrast, the distance between the upper two branches (25 cm) at the top of the DBT trees was significantly higher. Likewise, the values of the crotch angles (48°) and the number of branches (81 of 100 branches) that showed desired crotch angles (more than 40°) were remarkably higher in the trees trained with the DBT. After the winter pruning took place, the DBT trees were higher than the OC trees. Additionally, the trees trained with the DBT had low pruning costs and took less time. Moreover, the pruning wood weight of the DBT trees was about half of the pruning wood weight of the OC trees. In conclusion, the DBT training system showed the desired impact on the crotch angles and the tested pruning characteristics.

Apple trees which grafted on M.M. 106 stocks were planted at the beginning of spring 2014 in pots at the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice, Poland. The used treatments in the experiment were: NPK fertilization and bioproducts: Fertigo (Manure), Micosat, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, BioFeed Quality, BioFeed Amin, Vinassa, Florovit Natura and Florovit Eko. In the spring, these treatments were applied to apple trees alone or enriched with Pantoea sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Klebsiella oxytoca and Rhizobium sp. bacterial strains. Growth, yield and fruit quality parameters were evaluated. The results revealed that photosynthetic rate was greatly improved by the addition of bacteria to Fertigo (Manure), Micosat, Humus UP and Humus Active + Aktywit PM as compared to NPK. Tree trunk thickness was significantly enhanced with Vinassa, Florovit Natura and Florovit Eko enriched with bacteria. The application of bacterial strains increased the effectiveness of Fertigo (Manure), Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, Biofeed Amin and Yeast in increasing significantly number and weight of fruits as compared to NPK.

A two-year (2020–2021) field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of particular nanoparticles and biofertilizers on the growth, yield, and biochemical attributes of peanuts (Cv. Giza 6). Before planting, the seeds were inoculated with two biofertilizers, mycorrhiza and phosphorine, and were considered the main plot. The subplot contained foliar sprays of nanoparticles, i.e., 200 ppm boron (B), 200 ppm calcium (Ca), their combination (Ca+B), and the control (no spray). The results revealed that mycorrhiza significantly increased 100-seed weight (70.45 g), seed yield (1.9 ton/ha), biological yield (7.5 ton/ha), crop growth rate (CGR) (2.9 g day−1 m−2), branching number (12.5), and protein content (22.96) compared with the control or phosphorine. Among the nanoparticles, Ca+B maximally improved plant height, CGR, 100-seed weight, shelling percentage, seed yield, oil content, and seed protein, while plants treated with B exhibited maximum seed nitrogen, pods per plant, and biological yield compared to other treatments. Overall, plants treated with Ca and B nanoparticles and mycorrhiza exhibited remarkable improvement in their growth, yield, and biochemical attributes, suggesting that nanotechnology and biofertilization are steps toward environmentally friendly, progressive farming. This study laid the basis for further elucidation of the molecular mechanism of plants in response to these nanoparticles and biofertilizers.

hese experiments began with the planting of maiden apple trees of cv. 'Topaz' in 2011. In springtime in 2012-2016, chemical fertilisation (NPK) and various natural bioproducts, namely Fertigo, Micosat, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, Aktywit PM, BioFeed Quality, BioFeed Amin, Vinassa, Florovit Natura and Florovit Eko were applied to the apple trees alone or enriched with Pantoea sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Klebsiella oxytoca and Rhizobium bacterial species. Growth, yield and fruit quality parameters were then evaluated. Our results reveal that the trunk cross-sectional area was greatly increased by the addition of the beneficial bacteria to Humus UP, Yeast, Vinassa and Micosat, as compared to NPK chemical fertilisation. Yeast, Vinassa, Micosat, Humus UP and BioFeed Amin enriched with the beneficial bacteria significantly increased fruit weight in kg and the number of fruits compared to the NPK control in 2015 and 2016.

Maiden apple trees of cv. Topaz were planted in 2011. In the spring of 2014, chemical fertilization (NPK) and various bioproducts: Fertigo, Micosat, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, Aktywit PM, BioFeed Quality, BioFeed Amin, Vinassa, Florovit Natura and Florovit Eko alone or enriched with Pantoea sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Klebsiella oxytoca and Rhizobium sp. bacteria species were applied to the apple trees to evaluate their effect on the growth, yield and fruit quality. Our results demonstrated that Yeast + beneficial bacteria gave the highest yield in terms of weight and number of fruits per tree in comparison to control and other treatments. Florovit Natura combined with beneficial bacteria significantly increased tree trunk thickness in July and in November 2014 over control. Photosynthetic rate was higher in July than in August 2014. It was improved by both Florovit Natura and Vinassa supplemented with beneficial bacteria over NPK in July and in August 2014, respectively.

The aim of the study was to evaluate selected bioproducts in terms of their effects on tree growth and the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in the roots of trees of two apple cultivars, ‘Topaz’ and ‘Ariwa’, grown under greenhouse conditions. The trees were planted in rhizoboxes and grown under the following fertilization regimes: 0 – control, NPK control, manure, Micosat F, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, BF Amin, BF Quality, Tytanit and Vinassa. The results showed that the biostimulants: Humus UP, Humus Active and Aktywit PM produce beneficial effects on the morphological characteristics of the root system, and Micosat F on the extent of mycorrhiza formation in the roots. The bioproducts used are a safe, effective and economically viable method of fertilizing plants, limiting the use of chemical means of production and thus helping to protect the environment.

Minirhizotron, a non-destructive technique is based on the application of transparent tubes, located in plant’s root zone. This method has been known since the beginning of 20th century and is used for plant root’s observations, especially in forest trees (Scots pine, Norway spruce, silver fir, birch), steppe grasses, vegetables and cereals. Minirhizotron technique is also applicable to pomological plants observations, mostly apples, but many others orchard species were observed with this method last years. The study of root growth dynamics in fruit plants using the non-destructive, minirhizotron method is conducted in the Pomological Orchard in Skierniewice. The objects of the observations are the roots of: apple trees cultivar. ‘Gold Milenium’, blackcurrant bushes cultivar ‘Tiben’ and sweet cherry cultivar ‘Vanda’. The observations were carried out monthly over a period of from March to November.

The aim of this study was to assess the growth and development of plants of three strawberry cultivars fertilized with selected biofertilizers under greenhouse conditions. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse complex of the Research Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice from February to July in 2013 and 2014. Plants of three strawberry cultivars, ‘Elsanta’, ‘Honeoye’ and ‘Elkat’, were planted in rhizoboxes and grown under the following fertilization regimes: 0-control (no fertilization), NPK control, Micosat F (bacterial-mycorrhizal substrate), manure, Humus UP, and Vinassa. Applications of Humus UP resulted in beneficial effects on plant height, leaf surface area, leaf fresh and dry weight, the degree of mycorrhizal colonization in the roots, and on the number of spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere of strawberry plants. Biopreparations Humus UP and Vinassa also had a positive influence on the size of the root system, the total number of bacteria, including spore-forming bacteria, and the total number of filamentous fungi in the rhizosphere soil, compared with mineral NPK fertilization under greenhouse conditions.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of various biopreparations on the growth of the apple root system, the number of spores of AMF, the total number of bacteria and microscopic fungi in the rhizosphere soil, and the degree of mycorrhizal association in the roots of two apple tree cultivars. The experiment was established in the spring of 2009 in the Experimental Orchard of the Institute of Horticulture in Dąbrowice. The research objects were one-year-old maidens of the apple cultivars ‘Topaz’ and ‘Ariva’ grafted on M26 rootstock. The trees were treated with the following biopreparations: control, control NPK (standard NPK fertilization), manure, Micosat F + manure, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, BioFeed Amin + manure, BioFeed Quality + manure, Tytanit + manure, Vinassa + manure, Florovit Eko, and Florovit Pro Natura. Treatment of ‘Topaz’ and ‘Ariva’ apple trees with the biopreparations Micosat F, Humus UP, Humus Active + Aktywit PM, BioFeed Amin, Vinassa, Florovit Eko and Florovit Pro Natura produced positive effects on the growth of apple roots and their mycorrhizal frequency, and the size of the populations of microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil.

Regarding the unfavourable changes in agroecosystems resulting from the excessive application of mineral fertilizers, biopreparations containing live microorganisms are gaining increasing attention. We assumed that the application of phosphorus mineral fertilizer enriched with strains of beneficial microorganisms contribute to favourable changes in enzymatic activity and in the genetic and functional diversity of microbial populations inhabiting degraded soils. Therefore, in field experiments conditions, the effects of phosphorus fertilizer enriched with bacterial strains on the status of soil microbiome in two chemically degraded soil types (Brunic Arenosol—BA and Abruptic Luvisol—AL) were investigated. The field experiments included treatments with an optimal dose of phosphorus fertilizer (without microorganisms—FC), optimal dose of phosphorus fertilizer enriched with microorganisms including Paenibacillus polymyxa strain CHT114AB, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AF75BB and Bacillus sp. strain CZP4/4 (FA100) and a dose of phosphorus fertilizer reduced by 40% and enriched with the above-mentioned bacteria (FA60). The analyzes performed included: the determination of the activity of the soil enzymes (protease, urease, acid phosphomonoesterase, β-glucosidase), the assessment of the functional diversity of microorganisms with the application of BIOLOGTM plates and the characterization of the genetic diversity of bacteria, archaea and fungi with multiplex terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and next generation sequencing. The obtained results indicated that the application of phosphorus fertilizer enriched with microorganisms improved enzymatic activity, and the genetic and functional diversity of the soil microbial communities, however these effects were dependent on the soil type.

Ekologia względnie beztlenowych, mezofilnych, przetrwalnikujących bakterii celulolitycznych (WBMPBC) jest mało poznana. W literaturze przedmiotu znajdują się tylko nieliczne informacje dotyczące wpływu nawożenia oraz rodzaju uprawianej rośliny na występowanie w glebie WBMPBC. Dlatego celem naszych badań było wykazanie wpływu dodatku do gleby kompostów na bazie miału węgla brunatnego na właściwości chemiczne i liczebność względnie beztlenowych, mezofilnych, przetrwalnikujących bakterii celulolitycznych (WBMPBC) w glebie ryzosferowej i pozaryzosferowej wybranych roślin. Gleba pobrana z obiektów doświadczalnych była słabo kwaśna (pH – 6,2-6,4) i nieznacznie się różniła się zawartością makroelementów. Liczebność badanej grupy drobnoustrojów w glebie zależała od rodzaju kompostu i wynosiła od 9,42 do 3186,9 jtk (jednostki tworzące kolonie) w gramie suchej masy gleby (s. m. gleby). Wszystkie komposty stymulowały liczebność bakterii celulolitycznych w glebie pozarysoferowej. W przypadku ryzosfery kompost zawierający efektywne mikroorganizmy (EM) redukował liczebność WBMPBC. Największą liczebność badanej grupy drobnoustrojów stwierdzono w ryzosferze spod uprawy wiśni, nawożonej kompostem przygotowanym z węgla brunatnego z odpadem po produkcji owocników Pleuretus ostreatus (3186,9 jtk w g. s. m. gleby).

Biochar is a solid material of biological origin obtained from biomass carbonization, designed as a mean to reduce greenhouse gases emis­sion and carbon sequestration in soils for a long time. Biochar has a wide spectrum of practical utilization and is applied as a promising soil improver or fertilizer in agriculture, or as a medium for soil or water remediation. Preparations of biochar increase plant growth and yielding when applied into soil and also improve plant growth conditions, mainly bio, physical and chemical properties of soil. Its physical and chemical properties have an influence on bacteria, fungi and invertebrates, both in field and laboratory conditions. Such effects on rhizosphere organisms are positive or negative depending on biochar raw material origin, charring conditions, frequency of applications, applications method and doses, but long term effects are generally positive and are associated mainly with increased soil biota activity. However, a risk assessment of biochar applications is necessary to protect food production and the soil environment. This should be accomplished by biochar production and characterization, land use implementation, economic analysis, including life cycle assessment, and environmental impact assessment.

The excessive use of mineral fertilizers causes many negative consequences for the environment as well as potentially dangerous effects of chemical residues in plant tissues on the health of human and animal consumers. Bio-fertilizers are formulations of beneficial micro­organisms, which upon application can increase the availability of nutrients by their biological activity and help to improve soil health. Microbes involved in the formulation of bio-fertilizers not only mobilize N and P but mediate the process of producing crops and foods naturally. This method avoids the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms to influence the growth of crops. In addition to their role in enhancing the growth of the plants, biofertilizers can act as biocontrol agents in the rhizosphere at the same time. Biofertilizers are very safe for human, animal and environment. The use of Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Pseudomonas, Acetobacter, Burkholderia, Bacillus, Paenibacillus and some members of the Enterobacteriaceae is gaining worldwide importance and acceptance and appears to be the trend for the future.

Fruit drop from pear trees causes serious losses in income. However, the application of plant bio-regulators improves the internal physiology of developing fruit by ensuring that they receive an adequate supply of water, nutrients, and other compounds necessary for their proper growth and development, which leads to improved size, quality, and ultimately better yield in a variety of fruit crops. This study investigated the foliar application of three plant growth regulators: CPPU at 10, 15, and 20 ppm, GA3 at 25, 50, and 75 ppm and NAA at 25, 50, and 75 ppm. The pear trees were sprayed four times: before flowering, full bloom, after three weeks, and after six weeks. The results showed that the spray of GA3 at 50 and 75 ppm gave the highest effect in increasing the shoot length, shoot thickness, leaf area, and leaf total chlorophyll. The spraying of NAA at 50 and 75 ppm was the best treatment in increasing the fruit set percentages, fruit yield, fruit weight, and fruit dimensions as well as the fruit content from soluble solids, and fruit sugars, while they reduced the fruit drop percentages comparing with the other applied treatments.

The influence of exogenous application of the amino acids Glutamic acid (Glu), Methionine (Met), L-Tryptophan (L-Try), and Lysine (Lys) at concentrations of 250 and 500 ppm was studied relative to the growth of peach trees. The trees were sprayed three times; before flowering, during full bloom, and one month later by 250 ppm Glu + 250 ppm Met + 250 ppm L-Try + 250 ppm Lys (combination 1) and 500 ppm Glu + 500 ppm Met + 500 ppm L-Try + 500 ppm Lys (combination 2), in comparison to trees that were not sprayed (control). A randomized complete block design was used. The individual application of four amino acids positively improved the shoot diameter, leaf chlorophyll, leaf area, and productivity as opposed to not spraying the trees. Additionally, the applied amino acids increased the fruit weight, size, firmness, length, and diameter, and the fruit content from the percentages of total soluble solids (TSS), TSS-acid, and anthocyanin contents, in contrast to the control. They also improved the fruit content from total, reduced, and non-reduced sugars as well as vitamin C and the leaf nutritional content from NPK. The application of combination 2, over the two seasons, was more beneficial.

Fruit drop from pear trees causes serious losses in income. However, the application of plant bio-regulators improves the internal physiology of developing fruit by ensuring that they receive an adequate supply of water, nutrients, and other compounds necessary for their proper growth and development, which leads to improved size, quality, and ultimately better yield in a variety of fruit crops. This study investigated the foliar application of three plant growth regulators: CPPU at 10, 15, and 20 ppm, GA3 at 25, 50, and 75 ppm and NAA at 25, 50, and 75 ppm. The pear trees were sprayed four times: before flowering, full bloom, after three weeks, and after six weeks. The results showed that the spray of GA3 at 50 and 75 ppm gave the highest effect in increasing the shoot length, shoot thickness, leaf area, and leaf total chlorophyll. The spraying of NAA at 50 and 75 ppm was the best treatment in increasing the fruit set percentages, fruit yield, fruit weight, and fruit dimensions as well as the fruit content from soluble solids, and fruit sugars, while they reduced the fruit drop percentages comparing with the other applied treatments.

The influence of exogenous application of the amino acids Glutamic acid (Glu), Methionine (Met), L-Tryptophan (L-Try), and Lysine (Lys) at concentrations of 250 and 500 ppm was studied relative to the growth of peach trees. The trees were sprayed three times; before flowering, during full bloom, and one month later by 250 ppm Glu + 250 ppm Met + 250 ppm L-Try + 250 ppm Lys (combination 1) and 500 ppm Glu + 500 ppm Met + 500 ppm L-Try + 500 ppm Lys (combination 2), in comparison to trees that were not sprayed (control). A randomized complete block design was used. The individual application of four amino acids positively improved the shoot diameter, leaf chlorophyll, leaf area, and productivity as opposed to not spraying the trees. Additionally, the applied amino acids increased the fruit weight, size, firmness, length, and diameter, and the fruit content from the percentages of total soluble solids (TSS), TSS-acid, and anthocyanin contents, in contrast to the control. They also improved the fruit content from total, reduced, and non-reduced sugars as well as vitamin C and the leaf nutritional content from NPK. The application of combination 2, over the two seasons, was more beneficial.

Apple trees of the cultivar 'Sampion' were planted at the Experimental Orchard of National Institute of Horticultural Research in Dąbrowice. In a three-year experiment (2019-2021) the following fertilization combinations were applied: AquaGel (commercial hydrogel), AquaGel combined with a consortium of beneficial bacteria, AquaGel combined with a consortium of beneficial filamentous fungi, organic compost alone, compost combined with a consortium of beneficial bacteria, and compost combined with a consortium of beneficial filamentous fungi. The presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was assessed both in the rhizosphere soil and in the roots of apple trees. The results of the study indicate the most advantageous effect of compost combined with bacteria or fungi on the degree of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the formation of their spores in the soil.

The effects of biofertilizers on the growth, yielding, and nutritional status of apple trees (in comparison with the standard mineral fertilization) was evaluated in 3-years experiment (2018-2020). The experiment included the following treatments: (i) Super Fos Dar, (ii) Polifoska 6, (iii) Super Fos Dar + fungi (Aspergillus niger, Purpureocillium lilacinum), (iv) Urea enriched with fungi, (v) Urea dose reduced to 60% enriched with fungi, (vi) Super Fos Dar + bacteria applied on their own to the soil (Bacillus sp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Paenibacillus polymyxa), (vii) Super Fos Dar enriched with bacteria, (viii) Super Fos Dar 60% enriched with bacteria, (ix) Polifoska 6 enriched with bacteria, (x) Polifoska 6 60% enriched with bacteria. The application of mineral fertilizers (even in reduced doses) enriched with beneficial microorganisms enhanced the growth of apple trees. The most abundant flowering was recorded when fertilization (with Super Fos Dar) was supplemented with beneficial microorganisms applied to the soil. No significant differences in plant yielding were noted (due to damages caused by spring frosts), but the highest fruit weight was recorded in the case of the trees fertilized with microbiologically enriched Super Fos Dar.

The study aimed to comprehensively investigate the structural dynamics of a soil microbial community within a 100-year agricultural field experiment. The experimental design encompasses three distinct soil management practices, namely monoculture, five–year rotation, and random rotation, each with or without the incorporation of legumes and manure. Soil microbial communities were determined by the Next-Generation Sequencing (Illumina MiSeq analysis) of both the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and Archaea, as well as ITS1 for fungi. In all soils, dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi, and dominant orders were Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, Acidimicrobiales, and Sphingomonadales. However, dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota, and dominant fungal orders were Pleosporales, Eurotiales, Hypocreales, or Mortierellales. Compared to fallow land, agricultural soil management affected the microbial community of the soil, reducing the ratio of oligotrophs (e.g. Acidobacteria and Armatimonadetes) to copiotrophs (Actinobacteria or Gemmatimonadetes). Moreover, agricultural soil management contributed to an increased number of plant growth-promoting bacterial groups (PGPB), antagonistic to many fungal (e.g., Fusarium spp.) and bacterial pathogens (e.g., Bukholderiales, Xanthomonadales). However, generally in the study, there were no significant differences in microbial communities between monoculture and crop rotations. Moreover, two taxa can be considered as potential indicators of “healthy soil”: the nitrifying bacteria Nitrospira spp. whose abundance was strongly dependent on nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, organic carbon, and soil pH, and the PGP fungi of the genus Mortierellla which depended mainly on nitrogen and pH. Finally, the genus Mortierellla was generally the most abundant in agricultural soils, especially in the five–year rotation with legumes, while fallow soils did not favour these microorganisms. In conclusion, various soil management practices strongly affect the soil microbiota and thus their ability to support land productivity.

This study aimed to evaluate how the combined presence of the synthetic fungicide azoxystrobin (AZ) and the biosurfactant-producing Bacillus sp. Kol B3 influences the growth of the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium sambucinum IM 6525. The results showed a noticeable increase in antifungal effectiveness when biotic and abiotic agents were combined. This effect manifested across diverse parameters, including fungal growth inhibition, changes in hyphae morphology, fungal membrane permeability and levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In response to the presence of Fusarium and AZ in the culture, the bacteria changed the proportions of biosurfactants (surfactin and iturin) produced. The presence of both AZ and/or Fusarium resulted in an increase in iturin biosynthesis. Only in 72 h old bacterial–fungal co-culture a 20% removal of AZ was noted. In the fungal cultures (with and without the addition of the bacteria), the presence of an AZ metabolite named azoxystrobin free acid was detected in the 48th and 72nd hours of the process. The possible involvement of increased iturin and ROS content in antifungal activity of Bacillus sp. and AZ when used together are also discussed. Biosurfactants were analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Microscopy techniques and biochemical assays were also used.

Salinity is a major social, economic, and environmental menace in climates with low rainfall and high evapotranspiration, and it influences plant growth and causes restriction to crop production in the world. Additionally, under salinity stress, numerous physiological processes such as photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, and photosynthate transfer are also harshly lessened, and it also limits the absorption of adequate water by plants and leads to a dimension in plant water status. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the soil application of humic acid (HA) at 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg/tree alone or in combination with the foliar spraying of 0 mg ZnO2 + 0 mg TiO2, 200 mg ZnO2 + 60 mg TiO2 and/or 300 mg ZnO2 + 80 mg TiO2 through the two successive seasons 2022 and 2023. The results demonstrated that the use of HA alone or in combination with the spraying of TiO2 and ZnO2 greatly improved the leaf chlorophyll, flower number, fruit set percentages, fruit yields in kg or in ton per hectare, fruit weight, fruit size, and fruit firmness. Additionally, the same used treatments greatly improved the fruit content from TSS and oil percentages and also the leaf mineral content from N, P and K, while they minimized the fruit drop percentage and fruit moisture content as compared to control. The most positive influence was observed with the soil implementation of 2 kg HA combined with 300 mg ZnO2 + 80 mg TiO2 in the two experimental seasons.

Drought presents a critical challenge to global crop production, exacerbated by the effects of global warming. This study explores the role of rhizospheric bacteria (Bacillus, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas) in enhancing the drought resistance and nutrient absorption of strawberry plants. The experimental approach involved inoculating plant roots with various strains of rhizobacteria and assessing their impact under different water potential conditions in two substrates: optimal moisture and water deficit. The results showed significant changes in the nutrient content of strawberry plants, influenced by the type of bacterial strain and moisture conditions. Phosphorus and potassium content in the leaves varied considerably, with the highest levels observed in plants inoculated with specific bacterial strains under both optimal and water-deficit conditions. Similarly, calcium and magnesium content in the leaves also changed notably, depending on the bacterial strain and moisture level. The water deficit cluster, featuring the PJ1.1, DKB63, and DKB65 strains, showed PGPR’s role in maintaining nutrient availability and plant resilience. The study demonstrates that inoculation with PGPR can markedly influence the nutrient profile of strawberry plants. These findings underscore the potential of using rhizobacteria to enhance crop resilience and nutritional status, especially in the context of increasing drought conditions due to climate change.

Abstract The current study was performed on 8 years old "Succary" pomegranate cultivar (Punica granatum L.) during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. One hundred pomegranate trees were chosen and sprayed three times at the beginning of flowering, full bloom, and 1 month later with the following treatments: water as control, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/L Se; 5 mL/L, 7.5 and 10 mL/L Ag NPs, and 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L K2Si2O5. The results showed that spraying of SE, Ag NPs, and K2Si2O5 ameliorated the shoot length, diameter, leaf chlorophyll content, set of fruiting percentage, and fruit yield per tree and hectare compared to control through studying seasons. Moreover, they improved the fruit weight, length, and diameter, as well as total soluble solids, total, reduced, and non-reduced sugars percent, while they lessened the juice acidity percentage compared to control. The most obvious results were noticed with Se at 0.1 mg/L, Ag NPs at 10 mL/L, and K2Si2O5 and K2Si2O5 in both experimental seasons over the other applied treatments. By HPLC analysis, peel extracts showed the presence of several bioactive compounds of catechol, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, caffeic acid, pyrogallol, gallic acid, ferulic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, and ellagic acid. The extracts applied to Melia azedarach wood showed promising antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and were considered wood-biofingicides.

Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus ochraceus are important pathogenic fungi that pose a serious threat because of their ability to produce mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins (AFs). The main method of reducing these pathogens is the use of chemical fungicides, though recently there has been a focus on finding biological control agents. The obtained results from this study indicate the great potential of two wild yeast strains, Aureobasidium pullulans PP3 and Saitozyma podzolicus D10, in the biological control of A. parasiticus and A. ochraceus and reductions in the amount of OTA and AFs they produce. In vitro, the growth of the mycelium of pathogens was reduced by 41.21% to 53.64%, and spore germination was inhibited by 58.39% to 71.22%. Both yeast strains produced the enzymes chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, and amylase, and A. pullulans PP3 additionally produced protease and cellulase. This yeast strain also had the ability to grow over a wide range of temperature (4–30 °C), salinity (0–12%) and pH (4–11) conditions. No growth of the yeast was observed at 37 °C, nor any biogenic amines or hydrogen sulfide production. Adding the tested yeast inoculum to the dough reduced OTA (within 14.55–21.80%) and AFs (within 18.10–25.02%) in the model bread.

Although chemical fertilization has been excessively used for a high yield of fruit trees, it causes many problems such as nitrate accumulation, soil deterioration, and food safety and quality decline; therefore, the dependency on the usage of biostimulants has become paramount when aiming to reduce the usage of chemical fertilizers, improve the fruit quality, and increase the shelf life of the fruits. The present experiment was conducted during the 2021–2022 seasons to study the effect of the foliar of yeast extract (YE), fulvic acid (FA), moringa leaf extract (MLE), seaweed extract (SWE), and nano-potassium (K NPs) alone or after combining each one of them individually with K NPs on the yield and fruit physical and chemical characteristics of date palm cv. Samani. The results show that the application of 0.2% YE + 0.02% K NPs led to the highest results in yield, bunch weight, fruit weight, flesh weight, fruit content from soluble solids, total and reduced sugars, VC, total chlorophyll, and carotene. Additionally, the results also demonstrate that the application of 0.4% SWE + 0.02% K NPs, 0.4% FA + 0.02% K NPs, and 6% MLE positively affected the previously mentioned measurements compared with the control or the other sprayed treatments.

Drought conditions pose significant challenges to sustainable agriculture and food security. Identifying microbial strains that can mitigate drought effects is crucial to enhance crop resilience and productivity. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of several machine learning models, including Random Forest, Decision Tree, XGBoost, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), to predict optimal microbial strains for this purpose. Models were assessed on multiple metrics, such as accuracy, standard deviation of results, gains, total computation time, and training time per 1000 rows of data. Notably, the Gradient Boosted Trees model outperformed others in accuracy but required extensive computational resources. This underscores the balance between accuracy and computational efficiency in machine learning applications. Leveraging machine learning for selecting microbial strains signifies a leap beyond traditional methods, offering improved efficiency and efficacy. These insights hold profound implications for agriculture, especially concerning drought mitigation, thus furthering the cause of sustainable agriculture and ensuring food security.

The visual analysis of microscopic images is often used for soil bacteria recognition in microbiology. Such task can be automated with the aid of machine learning and digital image processing techniques. The best results for soil microorganism identification usually rely on extracting features based on color. However, accommodating in the latter an extra impact of lighting conditions or sample's preparation on classification accuracy is often omitted. In contrast, this research examines features which are insensitive to the above two factors by focusing rather on bacteria shape and their specific group dispersion. In doing so, the calculation of layout features resorts to k-means and mean shift methods. Additionally, the dependencies between specific distances determined from bacteria cells and the curvature of interpolated bacteria boundary are computed to extract vital geometric shape information. The proposed bacteria recognition tool involves testing four different classification methods for which the parameters are iteratively adjusted. The results obtained here for five selected soil bacteria genera: Enterobacter, Rhizobium, Pantoea, Bradyrhizobium and Pseudomonas reach 85.14% classification accuracy upon combining both geometric and dispersion features. The latter forms a promising result as a substitutive tool for color-based feature classification.

One of the key steps in plant micropropagation is rooting and acclimatization of microcuttings. The aim of the study was to investigate the suitability of commercial biopreparations, TotalHumus® and Bacterbase, to stimulate the growth of young fruit plants derived from in vitro propagation. TotalHumus® is made from brown coal. Bacterbase is a bacterial preparation containing Bacillus velezensis and Bacillus amyloliqefaciens (Skierniewickie Microorganisms) with antifungal properties that stimulates the growth and yielding of plants. Unrooted microshoots of strawberry ‘Grandarosaʼ and highbush blueberry ‘Chandlerʼ, and rooted in vitro microcuttings of hip rose ‘Konstancinʼ were planted in a peat substrate. Three weeks after planting ex vitro, the plants were treated with the biopreparations. Four times, at two-week intervals, the plants were drenched and simultaneously sprayed with mineral fertilizer 0.2% Hydrovit (control), 0.04% TotalHumus® and 0.03% Bacterbase, which were used separately or in combinations. In hip rose and strawberry, compared to the control, similar or better growth parameters of shoots and roots were observed after the use of TotalHumus® and/or Bacterbase. The plants were characterized by the highest fresh weight, longer shoots/runners and more shoots than in the control (mineral fertilization). In strawberry, root parameters were significantly improved by TotalHumus®, and in rose by Bacterbase. The use of both TotalHumus® and Bacterbase separately or in combination significantly reduced the occurrence of symptoms of rose leaf infection with powdery mildew. The biopreparations had no effect on highbush blueberry.

The experiment was established in the Pomological Orchard of The National Institute of Horticultural Research in Skierniewice in a system of randomized blocks. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the impact of innovative organic fertilizers: BioIlsa, BioFeed Ecomix, biostimulator Ausma and mycorrhizal inoculum Mykoflor on the fine roots growth characteristics of 'Vanda' sweet cherry trees in comparison with NPK mineral fertilization. The experiment involved five combinations, in three repetitions of three trees each, treated with tested preparations. The study assessed the influence of fertilization on the lifespan of the roots, the depth of their formation, their diameter and survivorship using minirhizotron camera. The highest numbers of roots were found in the treatment where the plants were fertilized with NPK and the lowest following the use of the biofertilizer BioFeed Ecomix. The longest lifespan was shown by the roots of the trees treated with BioFeed Ecomix - 347 days, and the shortest - by those fertilized with the Ausma - 225 days. The lifespan of the roots increased with their diameter. The roots that lived the longest had a diameter in the range from 0.9 to 1.0 mm - 568 days, and the shortest-living were the roots with a diameter smaller than 0.3 mm - 238 days. The roots that formed in late autumn and winter had the shortest median lifespan of 159 days, while the roots formed in the spring where characterized by the longest lifespan of 300 days. The lifespan of the roots formed close to the soil surface was the shortest - 225 days, while that of the roots formed at a depth of 10 to 20 cm was the longest - 326 days. Biological origin, organic nitrogen rich fertilizers positively influence on fine roots lifespan and longevity. Mineral fertilization increases number of new formed roots.

Many studies have confirmed positive effect of biochar as a soil conditioner that can increase in a short time the amount of organic matter (SO) and the reserves of organic carbon (OC) in the soil. The use of biochar also contributes to eliminating the effects of soil fatigue, especially in perennial fruit crops. In our study, biochar was applied in the spring of 2014 in the cultivation of one-year-old peach trees of the cultivar Meredith. Biochar, an organic fertilizer, and microbiologically enriched compost were applied to the arable soil layer. In the experiment, three combinations with biochar were used: (1) biochar at 1.6 kg/tree, (2) biochar at 1.6 kg/tree + microbiologically enriched compost at 0.3 kg/tree, (3) biochar at 1.6 kg/tree + an organic fertilizer at 0.2 kg/tree. In the first growing season, no positive changes were found after the use of biochar. The highest number and yield of fruits in 2015 were obtained from the trees that were treated with microbiologically enriched compost, and the lowest in the combination where biochar + organic fertilizer were used to treat the peach trees. In 2016, the largest number of fruits and their greatest weight were re­corded for the trees treated with biochar + organic fertilizer, whereas the control trees produced the lowest yields. The use of biochar with microorganisms and biochar with organic fertilizer improved the vegetative growth of trees compared to the growth of control trees.

A study conducted over three consecutive years examined the effects of using biochar, organic fertilizer and microorganisms on soil pH and the concentrations of macro and microelements in the soil. A tendency to increase soil pH was seen where biochar was used. The highest concentration of phosphorus was found in the soil after the application of organic fertilizer with the addition of microorganisms. The most potassium was found in the soil treated with biochar together with organic fertilizer, while the most magnesium was in the soil fertilized with organic fertilizer alone and organic fertilizer together with microorganisms. All the fertilization combinations resulted in an increase in boron and copper levels in the soil. The accumulation of iron in the soil was promoted by organic fertilization alone and organic fertilization together with microorganisms. The highest amount of manganese in the soil was found after fertilization with biochar together with organic fertilizer. In the combination where organic fertilizer was applied, the soil contained the most sodium, while the highest zinc content was found in the soil fertilized with biochar and organic fertilizer. The greatest increase in the carbon content in the soil occurred after the use of biochar together with microorganisms and biochar with organic fertilizer. The same treatments also resulted in the highest amount of organic matter. The study shows that the use of biochar, organic fertilization and the combined use of biochar and organic fertilization improved the quality of the soil.

The old Zn-Pb-contaminated (calamine) tailings in southern Poland are spontaneously colonized by metal-tolerant Anthyllis vulneraria L. (Fabaceae), which can form simultaneously symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and phosphorus-acquiring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). So far, fungal colonization and the AMF diversity of calamine-inhabiting legumes have been poorly studied. Thus, we determined AMF spore density in the substratum and the mycorrhizal status of nodulated A. vulneraria plants occurring on calamine tailings (M) and on a reference non-metallicolous (NM) site. The results indicate the presence of the Arum-type of arbuscular mycorrhiza in the roots of both Anthyllis ecotypes. Despite the presence of AM fungi in M plant roots, the dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungi (hyphae and microsclerotia) were occasionally also detected. Metal ions were accumulated mainly in the nodules and intraradical fungal structures rather than thick plant cell walls. Mycorrhization parameters (frequency of mycorrhization and intensity of root cortex colonization) for M plants were markedly higher and differed in a statistically significant manner from the parameters for NM plants. Heavy metal excess had no negative effect on the number of AMF spores, the amounts of glomalin-related soil proteins and AMF species composition. Molecular identification of AMF using PCR-DGGE analysis based on the 18S rDNA ribosomal gene by nested-PCR with primers AM1/NS31 and NS31-GC/Glo1 revealed similar genera/species of AMF in the roots of both Anthyllis ecotypes: Rhizophagus sp., R. fasciculatus, and R. iranicus. The results of this work indicate the presence of unique fungal symbionts, which may enhance A. vulneraria tolerance to heavy metal stress and plant adaptation to extreme conditions on calamine tailings.

The colonization of soil and roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the formation of spores under the influence of fertilization with phosphogypsum and sewage sludge were examined. Identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was carried out in soil and in roots of outdoor experimental hemp plantation. Assessment of the colonization was carried out by molecular and microscopic methods. The material for the isolation of DNA consisted of soil samples taken from mycorrhizal soil and hemp roots of cv. Białobrzeskie, cv. Tygra, and cv. Beniko. In nested PCR reactions part of the small subunit (SSU) region, the region of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and part of large subunit (LSU) rDNA region were amplified. As a result of the cloning and sequencing of the DNA, it was found that the greatest similarity of the obtained sequences present in the samples of roots and soil was to the following species: Diversispora sp., Funneliformis sp., Glomus sp., Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus caledonium, Funneliformis geosporum, Glomus occultum. The colonization by the fungi was estimated and found to differ depending on the hemp cultivar and doses of fertilizers. Cultivar Tygra showed no negative impact on biomass production by intensive mycorrhization, proved its high tolerance to phosphogypsum and sewage sludge pollution, and responded positively regarding biomass production.

The content of macro and microelements in the leaves of peach trees treated with biochar, organic fertilization and microorganisms in the field experiment was tested. The experiment was carried out in accordance with the integrated fruit production methods at the NIHR Experimental Orchard in Dąbrowice, from 2015 to 2017. The trees were grafted on P. persica Mandżurska rootstock and planted in the spring of 2013. In 2014, the following products were applied around the trees and mixed into the topsoil: biochar at a dose of 1.6 kg/tree (2000 kg/ha); biochar at a dose of 1.6 kg/tree used together with microorganisms—bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pantoea and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi—Glomus caledonium, Glomus intraradices and Glomus coronatum; biochar at a dose of 1.6 kg/tree applied together with Florovit NPK organic fertilizer at a dose of 0.2 kg/tree; Florovit NPK; microorganisms—bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pantoea and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi—Glomus caledonium, Glomus intraradices and Glomus coronatum; Florovit NPK organic fertilizer with the same microorganisms; and an untreated control. The average results showed that, compared to the control, the biochar increased the nitrogen content in the leaves by 6%. All experimental combinations increased the content of P and K in the leaves. The most effective at increasing the content of phosphorus in leaves—by 48%—was Florovit. The greatest increase in potassium was after the use of biochar with Florovit—by 38%. The magnesium content ranged from 0.49 to 0.59 g/100 g DW. The highest content of Mg was found in the leaves after the application of biochar with Florovit, and the lowest after the use of biochar alone. The leaves of the trees fertilized with the Florovit organic fertilizer had the lowest calcium content, while the highest calcium content was found in combination with trees treated with biochar only. The use of biochar alone did not increase the content of boron in the leaves compared to the control. In all other combinations, a higher amount of boron was found. The highest—18% more than the control of this microelement had leaves where biochar and Florovit were used. Trees treated with biochar and microorganisms accumulated the least copper in the leaves, while the highest content of this element was found in the combination where biochar fertilization was applied together with Florovit. Lower iron concentrations in peach leaves were found as a result of applying microorganisms, microorganisms with the organic fertilizer and biochar, relative to organic fertilization and the control combination. Trees where only microorganisms were applied to the soil had the least manganese and zinc in the leaves. The accumulation of manganese in the leaves was most favored by fertilization with biochar together with microorganisms, and the zinc content was the highest after the use of biochar alone. In general, studies have shown that a small dose of biochar alone or biochar together with organic fertilizer is a very effective method of feeding peach trees. More research is needed on the use of microorganisms and methods of their application with various products used in orchard fertilization.

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers in fruit orchards has led to numerous problems for the environment, produce quality, and food safety. It also negatively affects soil health, beneficial microorganisms, and ground water quality, hence the resurgence of the application of biostimulants as ecofriendly ways to improve the growth, yield, and fruit quality of tree fruits. The current study was performed during 2021 and 2022 to investigate the influence of foliar spraying of 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/L humic acid (HA); 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/L brassinosteroids (Brs); and 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg/L seaweed extract (SWE) compared with a control (untreated trees) in terms of the performance of an apricot (Prunus armeniaca) cv. Canino. The obtained results show that the spraying of HA, Brs, and SWE positively increased the shoot length, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, fruit set, fruit yields, and fruit physical and chemical characteristics, as well as leaf macro- or micronutrients contents compared with those untreated trees during both study years. Moreover, the increase in parameter values was parallel to the increase in the used concentrations of HA, Brs, or SWE, where 2000 mg/L HA, 2 mg/L Brs, and 3000 mg/L SWE were superior to 1000 mg/L HA, 1 mg/L Brs, and 2000 mg/L SWE, which were better than 500 mg/L HA, 0.5 mg/L Brs, and 1000 mg/L SWE.

Effective management is crucial to achieve the high yield potential of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), renowned for its resilience in harsh environments, to meet the rising global demand. The present study examines how varying levels of water and nitrogen affect the agronomic and yield traits of quinoa (cv. Q-36) during the two growing seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. The experiment was a 3 × 4 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications per treatment during the two seasons of the study, as water regimes were considered the main factor, including 100%, 80%, and 60% ETc, whereas nitrogen levels were considered the sub-plot factor, comprising four levels (75, 150, 225, and 300 kgN ha−1). The analysis of variance indicated that nitrogen level, irrigation regime, and irrigation regime × nitrogen level had highly significant effects (p < 0.001) on all studied traits, including plant height, panicle length, dry weight, seed weight, seed yield, and total yield in the two growing seasons under study. For all traits of study, the combined application of 100% ETc with 300 kgN, followed by 80% ETc with 225 kgN, resulted in the highest value of plant height, panicle length, dry weight, seed weight, seed yield, and total yield, whereas the combination of 60% ETc and 75 kgN applications resulted in the lowest value for all of the aforementioned traits. Furthermore, the water regime impacted water productivity at all nitrogen levels as the highest productivity level was recorded under the 80% ETc (0.58 kg/m3), followed by the 100% ETc (0.54 kg/m3), and the 60% ETc (0.52 kg/m3). The highest water productivity rate was observed at 300 kg/ha of the nitrogen levels for 60% and 80% ETc regimes, where water productivity levels were 0.73 and 0.71 (kg/m3), respectively. The results also indicate that the water productivity of quinoa plants is noticeably affected by both water regime and nitrogen level; as the water regimes decrease from 100% to 60% ETc, water productivity increases for all nitrogen levels. The information obtained from these results can be applied to optimize the methods for cultivating quinoa under conditions of water scarcity and minimal nitrogen availability, thus gaining an insight into the impact of these conditions on quinoa growth and yield.

One of the main causes of climate change is the emission of GHGs, and one of the sources for the generation of such gasses is agriculture via plant production. Considering the foregoing, a study was conducted to assess PGPRs in strawberry cultivation which were able to limit GHG emissions. The first experimental factor was the inoculation of plant roots with the Bacillus sp. strains DLGB3, DKB26, DKB58, and DKB 84; the Pantoea sp. strains DKB63, DKB64, DKB65, and DKB68; Azotobacter sp. AJ 1.2; and Pseudomonas sp. PJ 1.1. The second experimental factor constituted the different moisture levels of the growth substrate. In the experiment, emissions of NH3, CO2, N2O, and CH4 were measured. In light of the conducted research, five strains were selected (Azotobacter sp. AJ 1.2; Pantoea sp. DKB64, DKB63, and DKB68; and Pseudomonas sp. strain PJ 1.1) that showed the greatest potential for reducing GHG emissions depending on the prevailing environmental conditions. The application of the tested bacterial strains under different moisture conditions in the substrate either reduced or did not affect GWP. This research on PGPR, which was conducted to select strains of rhizosphere bacteria that would be able to reduce GHG emissions, may form the basis for creating an inoculum and can be employed as an effective strategy for mitigating certain abiotic stresses.

Saskatoon berry has become as important as a commercial fruit crop. One main goal is to release new plant cultivars well adapted to different climatic and soil conditions. Dormant seeds obtained from breeding are serious problems delaying the program. The seeds were directly extracted from fruits after harvest (unstored) or after storage at −18 °C for 6 months (stored) and subjected to modified stratification (3 °C) with KNO3, H2O2, NO, smoke-water (SW) or scarification using sandpaper or H2SO4 for 10, 20, 30, 40 min or treatments with pulsed radio frequency (PRF) or red light. The seeds were also subjected to warm–cool stratification (20/3 °C). Unstored seeds germinated in a higher percentage and with better uniformity (T75–T25) than stored seeds. Stored seeds positively affected the onset of seed germination (T1) and mean germination time (MGT). Dormancy breakage was promoted by stratification with KNO3, SW or scarification with sandpaper, H2SO4 or treatments with PRF. The recommended method for the breeding program of breaking seeds dormancy is when unstored seeds are subjected to stratification in KNO3 (0.2%) or SW (1:100). Depending on the applied methods, the percentage of seeds’ germination increased to 87% compared to untreated (64%) control seeds. The positive effects of the selected methods persisted during seedling development by stimulating their growth and enhancing the chlorophyll content index (SPAD) and effective quantum yield of PSII of chlorophyll in leaves (ΦPSII).

This study evaluated the effects of fish farm wastewater from the production of hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt × Acipenser baeri Brandt) on the growth and quality parameters of romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolium cv. “Elizium”). The tested combinations were fish farm wastewater, fish farm wastewater enriched with one of the three microbiological consortia, and fish farm wastewater supplemented with minerals. The best growth parameters of romaine lettuce plants were obtained in the combination of wastewater from fish farming supplemented with mineral nutrients. The application of fish farm wastewater and beneficial microbiological consortia positively influenced the fresh weight of lettuce leaves and the number of leaves per plant. However, plants fed with wastewater supplemented with minerals were characterized by the strongest symptoms of leaf tip-burn and the lowest commercial value. By comparison, plants fed only with fish farm wastewater or wastewater with microorganisms were characterized by a high, similar commercial value. After the application of increased doses of minerals, there was evidence of greater activity of microorganisms involved in nutrient cycling in aquaponic lettuce cultivation. The application of the microbiological consortia and minerals significantly increased the numbers and activity of the bacteria in the culture liquids 7, 14, and 21 days after inoculation.

The experiment assessed the influence of various biofertilizers and biostimulants on the growth characteristics of the root system, its colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the yielding of sweet cherry trees in field conditions. The experiment, conducted in Pomological Orchard of Research Institute of Horticulture located in Skierniewice during 2011-2014, involved the use of a mycorrhizal substrate, organic fertilizers and biostimulant in randomised block design. The control combination consisted of plants fertilized with mineral fertilizers (NPK). The use of the organic fertilizer BF Ekomix in dose 100 g per tree each year in the spring significantly increased the number of root tips in comparison with the control trees. There was also a tendency for the roots to lengthen and increase their surface area under the influence of this biofertilizer. In addition, the inoculation of roots with the mycorrhizal substrate in dose 200 g per tree per year stimulated the colonization of the roots of sweet cherry trees by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which in turn led to improved root growth parameters.

Study on potential mechanisms influencing the growth of raspberry and strawberry plants showed that the most active was Bacillus sp. strain AF75BC producing IAA and siderophores, and having the ability to release phosphorus. The latter feature was also present in the strains Sp115AD (B. subtilis) and SP116AC (Paenibacillus polymyxa). Two of the tested strains: SP116AC and JaFGU (Lysobacter sp.) showed the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, while the AF75AB2 (Bacillus sp.) produced siderophores and IAA. All strains showed an antagonism toward the most important pathogens of strawberry and raspberry, i.e. Verticillium dahliae, Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora cactorum and Colletotrichum acutatum, limiting their growth to a different extent on the PDA medium. Inoculation of raspberry roots with the tested bacteria resulted in an increase of some growth parameters of their above-ground part in cv. Poemat. In the case of cv. Polana, a significant increase was found only in the chlorophyll content in the leaves. All the inoculants caused an increase in dry mass of roots in cv. Polana, and in cv. Poemat similar effect was observed after applying Inoculants 1 and 3. The treatments of strawberry roots with any of the inoculants resulted in a significant increase in the total leaf surface area in cv. Rumba, but they had no effect on the chlorophyll content in the leaves of either cultivar. All the inoculants significantly increased the total length of roots and their total surface area in cv. Rumba. This parameter also increased in cv. Elsanta, and the number of root tips also significantly increased in this cultivar. Our study showed that the tested inocula is a promising alternative as a bio-fertilizer for small fruit production in sustainable and organic agricultural systems.

As the market indicates a growing interest in organically grown fruit, there is a need for biostimulants to counter the adverse effects of pathogenic fungi and fungal-like-pathogens. Four microbial pathogens (Botrytis cinerea, Verticillium sp., Phytophthora sp., and Colletotrichum sp.) which are the most often causes of strawberry diseases were selected. Five kinds of biostimulants (C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5) containing bacterial consortia were developed to combat the pathogens. The antagonistic effect of selected microorganisms against strawberry pathogens was observed. The effectiveness of various beneficial bacteria in combating fungal pathogens of cv. Honeoye strawberries was compared and the impact of their activity on fruit quality was assessed. The most significant effect on the strawberry firmness was found for the C2 consortium, which provided the strawberries infected with the pathogens group (MIX: B. cinerea, Verticillium sp., Phytophthora sp., and Colletotrichum sp.) with a 140% increase in maximum load in a puncture test compared to the positive control (C0). Strawberries contaminated with Phytophthora sp. after the application of Consortium C4 (C4) showed the largest increase (127%) in soluble solid content (SSC) when compared to the C0. Fruit contaminated with Colletotrichum sp. and B. cinerea after the application of C2 and Consortium 5 (C5), respectively, had the highest levels of anthocyanins and total phenolic content, when compared to C0. The largest increase, which reached as high as 25%, in D-galacturonic acid content was observed for the group of pathogens after Consortium 1 (C1) application. The extraction of strawberry pectin allowed for the study of the rheological properties of pectin solutions; on this basis, strawberry pectin from the control (NC) was distinguished as it showed the highest viscosity (0.137–0.415 Pas). Taking into account the individual effects of bacteria on strawberry pathogenic fungi and fungal-like-pathogens, it is possible to reduce the adverse effects of fungal disease and to improve the properties of strawberries by selecting the appropriate bacterial consortium. Interactions between microorganisms are often complex and not fully understood, which suggests the need for further research in this direction.

Although the application of chemical fertilizers to crops promotes plant growth and yield, their continuous use affects soil heath and creates environmental pollution. On the other hand, plant biostimulants improve nutrients absorption, plant growth, yield and produce quality and are environment-friendly. Therefore, an experiment was conducted during 2021-22 to evaluate the effect of some biostimulants on the performance of the apple cv. Anna, planted in a sandy loam soil at Marsa Matruh governorate, Egypt. Ninety trees were randomly selected and sprayed with 4 or 6% moringa leaf extract (MLE), 0.3 or 0.4% seaweed extract (SWE), 1000 or 2000 mg L−1 Fulvic acid (FA), 4% MLE + 0.3% SWE + 1000 mg L−1 FA (combination 1), or 6% MLE + 0.4% SWE + 2000 mg L−1 FA (combination 2) before flowering, during full bloom and one month later and compared with a control (untreated trees). The results demonstrated that spraying MLE, SWE or FA or their combinations positively improved the vegetative growth, fruit set %, fruit yield and fruit physical and chemical characteristics as well as leaf nutritional status. The positive effect of MLE, SWE and FA was increased in parallel to an increase in the used concentration of each one of them. The highest increments in the measured parameters were accompanied by the application of combination 2 over the other treatments.

A 2020–2021 study was performed on five-year-old guava trees to examine the influence of the foliar application of three amino acids, glycine, arginine, and glutamic acid, at a concentration of 500 or 1000 ppm. Additionally, two combinations of the three mentioned amino acids were also applied: 500 glycine + 500 arginine + 500 glutamic acid (combination 1) and 1000 glycine + 1000 arginine + 1000 glutamic acid (combination 2), and compared with a control (untreated trees). The results indicated that the application of the three amino acids, solely or in combination, was effective at increasing the shoot length, shoot diameter, and leaf chlorophyll. Additionally, the applied treatments also improved markedly the fruit set percentage, fruit yield, fruit firmness, fruit content of total soluble solids (TSS %), vitamin C (VC), and total sugars as well as the leaf mineral content (nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus) compared with untreated trees in 2020 and 2021. Moreover, the results indicated that the combinations were more effective than individual applications and that glycine had a greater influence than arginine or glutamic acid, particularly when it was applied at 1000 ppm.

The effect of beneficial soil fungi, bacteria and mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on the level and species composition of weed infestation, uptake of macronutrients by weeds and the nutritional status of ‘Sampion’ apple trees with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) was assessed in three-year studies. In the field experiment, the effect of thirteen treatments was investigated, where fungal or bacterial inocula and mineral fertilizers at a standard dose and a dose reduced by 40% were applied individually or together. The fungal inoculum contained two species: Aspergillus niger and Purpureocillium lilacinum. The bacterial consortium consisted of three Bacillus strains: Bacillus sp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Paenibacillus polymyxa. The weight of weeds and the uptake of macronutrients by weeds in the apple orchard increased significantly more after the application of mineral fertilization than after the application of beneficial organisms. The increased uptake of macronutrients by weeds did not significantly change the mineral nutritional status of apple trees expressed as the content of N, P, K Mg and Ca in apple leaves. After the use of NPK mineral fertilization, also with the addition of beneficial organisms, the uptake of N by both weeds and apple trees increased. P and K were more efficiently absorbed by weeds and they achieved greater benefits from fertilization with these two macroelements than trees.

Different chemical attributes, measured via total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, vitamin C (VitC), total sugars (Tsugar), and reducing sugars (Rsugar), were determined for three groups of citrus fruits (i.e., orange, mandarin, and acid); each group contains two cultivars. Artificial neural network (ANN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models were developed for TSS, acidity, VitC, Tsugar, and Rsugar from fresh citrus fruits by applying different independent variables, namely the dimensions of the fruits (length (FL) and diameter (FD)), fruit weight (FW), yield/tree, and soil electrical conductivity (EC). The results of ANN application showed that a feed-forward back-propagation network type with four input neurons (Yield/tree, FW, FL, and FD) and eight neurons in one hidden layer provided successful modeling efficiencies for TSS, acidity, VitC, Tsugar, and Rsugar. The effect of the EC variable was not significant. The hyperbolic tangent of both the hidden layer and the output layer of the developed ANN model was chosen as the activation function. Based on statistical criteria, the ANN developed in this study performed better than the MLR model in predicting the chemical attributes of fresh citrus fruits. The root mean square error of TSS, acidity, VitC, Tsugar, and Rsugar ranged from 0.064 to 0.453 and 0.068 to 0.634, respectively, for the ANN model, and 0.568 to 4.768 and 0.550 to 4.830, respectively, for the MLR model using training and testing datasets. In addition, the relative errors obtained through the ANN approach provided high model predictability and feasibility. In chemical attribute modeling, the FD and FL variables exhibited high contribution ratios, resulting in a reliable predictive model. The developed ANN model generally showed a good level of accuracy when estimating the chemical attributes of fresh citrus fruit.

To study the effect of potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate and kaolin (Aluminum silicate) on pomegranate cv. Wonderful, this study was conducted during 2020–2021 to investigate the possibility of minimizing the percentages of sunburn and fruit cracking and ameliorating the yield and fruit quality of pomegranate during the aforementioned period. Four sprays consisting of potassium nitrate at 1%, 2% and 3%, calcium nitrate at 2%, 3% and 4%, kaolin at 2%, 4% and 6% and water only (control) were sprayed on pomegranate trees during May, July, and August. The results showed that through spraying the fruit at set percentages, fruit yield was greatly increased through the spraying of potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate and kaolin, particularly the application of potassium nitrate at 3% and 4% and kaolin at 6% as opposed to than the other percentages. In addition, the percentages of fruit cracking and sunburn were markedly lessened by the application of calcium nitrate at 4% and 6% and also by kaolin at 6%. Moreover, the fruit content from TSS, total sugars and anthocyanin, was improved through the spraying of potassium nitrate at 2% and 3%, whereas the fruit weight and firmness were improved by the application of calcium nitrate at 4% and kaolin at 6%.