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Abstract A commercial plant probiotic product was developed employing Bacillus subtilis CW-S in submerged fermentation. The effects of molasses and urea on cell growth were investigated with the goal of low-cost manufacturing. Plackett–Burman and Central-Composite Design (CCD) were utilized to optimize production parameters to maximize productivity. The stability of the formulated product and its efficacy in cultivating minituber in aeroponics and industrial-grade potatoes in the field were assessed. The results showed that the medium BS10 (molasses and urea) produced satisfactory cell density (7.19 × 108 CFU/mL) as compared to the control (1.51 × 107 CFU/mL) and BS1-BS9 (expensive) media (1.84 × 107–1.37 × 109 CFU/mL). According to validated CCD results, optimized parameters fitted well in pilot (300 L; 2.05 × 109 CFU/mL) and industrial (3000 L; 2.01 × 109 CFU/mL) bioreactors, resulting in a two-fold increase in cell concentration over laboratory (9.84 × 108 CFU/mL) bioreactors. In aeroponics, CW-S produced excellent results, with a significant increase in the quantity and weight of minitubers and the survival rate of transplanted plantlets. In a field test, the yield of industrial-grade (> 55 mm) potatoes was increased with a reduction in fertilizer dose. Overall, the findings suggest that CW-S can be produced commercially utilizing the newly developed media and optimized conditions, making plant probiotics more cost-effective and accessible to farmers for crop cultivation, particularly in aeroponic minituber and industrial-grade potato production.

The presence of the exotic Eucalyptus tree in crop-growing soil and the accumulation of its undecomposed leaves is a significant ecological hazard. The waxy coating on the leaves and the phenolic compounds takes a long time to break down under normal conditions. It is necessary to explore various fungi that can degrade these leaves for an eco-friendly solution to this problem. In this study, spores of nine native Trichoderma strains were produced on wheat agar using a lactic acid-induced sporulation strategy (LAISS). Trichoderma biosustained spores and Serendipita indica (SI) spores were applied to a rice field with accumulated Eucalyptus leaves under continuous ponding (CP) and alternate flooding and wetting conditions (AFW). Among the strains, TI04 (Trichoderma viride) and TI15 (Trichoderma citrinoviride) showed faster (5 days) and massive sporulation (1.06–1.38 × 1011 CFU/g) in LAISS. In vitro, TI04 and TI15 biosustained on Eucalyptus leaves and improved rice seedling growth and SI infection under greenhouse conditions. In the rice-field experiment, Trichoderma-treatment had a threefold yield (percentage) increase from control, with TI04 (CP) increasing the yield by 30.79, TI04 (AFW) by 29.45, TI15 (CP) by 32.72, and TI15 (AFW) rising by 31.91. Remarkably, unfilled grain yield significantly decreased in all the Trichoderma treatments. Under AFW conditions, TI04 and TI15 showed a higher pH increase. Furthermore, TI04 and TI15 under AFW had higher water productivity (t ha−1 cm−1) of 0.0763 and 0.0791, respectively, and the highest rates (percentage) of SI colonization of 86.36 and 83.16, respectively. According to the findings, LAISS-produced Trichoderma spores can be applied to break down persistent wastes and restore agricultural ecosystems through increased mycorrhizae networking.

Consumers may choose from a broad variety of rice varieties with different shapes, sizes, and tastes based on their cooking quality and physicochemical properties. We assessed seven local rice varieties to evaluate their physicochemical properties and grain cooking quality. This suggests that efforts to select rice varieties with improved cooking quality traits would warrant taking into account the physicochemical attributes of the rice grain. The findings showed that Sworna (27.33), Chinigura (4.41), and Bashmoti (2.19) had the highest cooking time (CT; min), water uptake ratio (WUR), and grain elongation ratio (GER), whereas Bashful (17.33), Sworna (2.63), and Sworna (1.46) had the lowest values. High amylose content (AC; %) was observed in Sworna (30.27), Kalijira (28.47), Bashmoti (27.41), and Chinigura (26.84). Low amylose content was found in Kataribhog (17.53), Bashful (17.88), and BR-16 (25.50). The alkali spreading value (ASV) of varieties ranged from 3.4 to 6.9 and was highest in Kataribhog, lowest in Bashmoti, and intermediate in Chinigura, Bashful, Kalijira, Sworna, and BR-16. The highest and lowest gel consistency values for Kataribhog and BR-16 were 45 mm and 90 mm, respectively, with readings ranging from 90.00 to 45.00 mm across all type. High amylose content, a dominant feature, may alter the physiochemical and cooking qualities of different rice cultivars. Varieties having a high amylose or low Glycemic Index (GI) content may be recommended for further investigation for health concerns and for development of valuable germplasm.