Drought is one of the most limiting abiotic stresses for agricultural production, especially in horticultural crops grown in arid and semi-arid areas. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of bacterial isolates obtained from coastal environments in Chile to improve drought tolerance in Lagenaria siceraria, a plant species increasingly used as a rootstock for cucurbit cropping. Rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from Sicyos baderoa, the only native cucurbit species of the Chilean coast, from which four isolates with plant growth-promoting traits, such as indole-3-acetic acid production, phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and siderophore production, were selected. These isolates were inoculated on two L. siceraria genotypes, Illapel and Osorno, under both normal irrigation and water deficit conditions. The results showed that Peribacillus frigoritolerans showed a clearer positive effect on biomass and net photosynthesis under water deficit in the Illapel genotype, increasing shoot biomass by up to ~75% and restoring net photosynthetic rates by up to ~260% relative to non-inoculated drought-stressed plants. In contrast, responses associated with Staphylococcus succinus and those observed in the Osorno genotype were mainly expressed as trait- and tissue-specific adjustments, consistent with a more stabilizing response rather than broad growth stimulation. Additionally, malondialdehyde levels were reduced by up to ~25%, while free proline accumulation increased by more than 100% under water deficit. In contrast, total phenolic compounds showed more variable responses, indicating genotype- and strain-specific adjustment of antioxidant metabolism. Overall, the observed responses were heterogeneous and strongly dependent on the specific strain–genotype–trait combination and, therefore, should be interpreted as preliminary evidence supporting the potential value of native rhizobacteria for improving early drought-related traits in cucurbit rootstocks. Among the tested strains, Peribacillus frigoritolerans emerged as the most promising candidate for enhancing early drought tolerance in responsive genotypes such as Illapel, while highlighting the need for follow-up studies under replicated nursery and field conditions, including grafted plants, multiple drought intensities and combined inoculant strategies.

BACKGROUND:Climate change is creating significant challenges for global agriculture, with the increased frequency and intensity of water stress events affecting the productivity of key crops. Among these crops, potato (Solanum tuberosum) stands out as the fifth most important crop worldwide because of its high nutritional value and economic relevance. However, its superficial root system makes it particularly vulnerable to water scarcity, and innovative solutions are needed to improve its resilience and sustainability. In this study, the metabolic and productive effects on potato crops under water stress conditions were evaluated through the application of a bioencapsulated soil yeast (Candida guilliermondii) and iron nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs). The yield parameters (weight and number of tubers), accumulation of phenolic compounds by chromatographic methods and antioxidant activity by spectroscopic methods were evaluated. RESULTS:The most relevant results indicate that the combination of Candida guilliermondii and NPs increased tuber weight (up to 220%) and promoted the accumulation of key phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acids, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and sinapic acid, especially under water stress conditions. Increases in antioxidant activity were observed under normal irrigation conditions, with C. guilliermondii increasing the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity by 26% when NPs were not applied. Additionally, the copper ion antioxidant capacity increased by 125% in the treatment of C. guilliermondii with NPs, as did the oxygen radical absorbance capacity. CONCLUSION:These findings highlight the potential of NPs and growth-promoting microorganisms as sustainable tools to mitigate the effects of water stress, which can be used to improve not only the yield but also the functional value of potato crops. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

The influence of the plant cover on the composition of an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal synthetic community (SynCom) was studied in a time-course experiment. A mesocosm system was designed to mimic the environmental conditions of a semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem, allowing the assessment of changes in AM fungal establishment, persistence, and sporulation within the SynCom. The mesocosm system included soil, AM fungi and plant species characteristic of the target region from Southern Spain. Retama sphaerocarpa, Lavandula latifolia, Thymus mastichina and Rosmarinus officinalis were selected and cultivated either in monoculture or in pairwise combinations, covering all possible dual associations. The initial AM SynCom was composed of six species (Rhizophagus clarus, Septoglomus constrictum, Funneliformis coronatum, R. intraradices, F. mosseae and S. viscosum), all isolated from southern Spain. Changes in the AM SynCom, both colonizing plant roots and the spores in the rhizosphere, were monitored every three months over three years. Fungi colonizing roots were identified through nested PCR-TTGE of the SSU rDNA, while AM fungal spores were quantified based on morphotype. Results indicate that plant species composition exerted only a limited influence on the AM fungal community structure, whereas pronounced species-specific differences in establishment, persistence, and sporulation shaped community trajectories over time. Septoglomus constrictum showed increasing spore abundance and specific density across all plant cover types, while other species (R. clarus, F. coronatum) became undetectable in the spore pool or maintained a low spore density (F. mosseae, S. viscosum). Qualitative root-detection patterns were generally consistent with rhizospheric sporulation trends, although the pooled PCR-TTGE approach did not allow quantitative comparison between intraradical occurrence and spore abundance. Overall, these results suggest that S. constrictum showed the most consistent persistence and sporulation under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions, identifying it as a candidate for further validation in AM fungal consortia intended for semi-arid Mediterranean environments, particularly for further testing in restoration-oriented applications under increasing aridity.

Soil salinity is one of the most severe environmental stresses that hampers plant growth and crop yield globally. To overcome this, we isolated and characterized the potent halotolerant Streptomyces maritimus strain SST3 from marine sediment. A salt tolerance assay exhibited that strain SST3 could grow in the presence of NaCl up to 1200 mM. This actinobacterial strain showed beneficial plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits at different NaCl concentrations. Strain SST3 produced 5.73 mg mL-1 of exopolysaccharides under 800 mM NaCl stress. The inoculation of strain SST3 under 50-200 mM NaCl stress conditions increased the root length (147-244 %), shoot length (96-226 %), fresh weight (82-303 %), dry weight (43-294 %) and chlorophyll contents (chlorophyll a 40-142 %, chlorophyll b 29-144 % and carotenoids 56-85 %) of Solanum lycopersicum as compared to corresponding uninoculated salt-stressed plants. Strain SST3 maintained a greater K+/Na+ ratio (0.21-2.14) while decreasing Na+ absorption (48-74 %), which mitigated the effects of salt stress on plant growth. The plants inoculated with strain SST3 showed a higher uptake of N (86-167 %), P (74-178 %), Ca (41-85 %), Mg (34-145 %) and Fe (46-125 %) in their leaves than the corresponding uninoculated salt-stressed plants. Furthermore, strain SST3-inoculated plants had reduced malondialdehyde concentrations (41-60 %) and increased catalase (28-147 %), superoxide dismutase (26-134 %) and ascorbate peroxidase (24-97 %) activities under salinity stress. Our findings suggest that utilizing the halotolerant strain SST3 can be an economical and sustainable method of alleviating salinity stress in crop production.

Strawberry plants experiencing drought stress may experience reduced fruit production, quicker ripening, and a notable decline in fruit size, biomass, and overall yield. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), bacteria, and yeast, are employed to enhance plant resilience against drought stress. Nonetheless, there is a lack of research on the lipidomic response of strawberry plants treated with microbial consortia (bacteria, AMF, and yeast) under water stress conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to identify through non-targeted lipidomics the lipid profiles that mediate the effects on increased drought tolerance in strawberry plants associated with two selected microbial consortia (Claroideoglomus claroideum + Naganishia albida + Burkholderia caledonica (CS1) and Funneliformis mosseae + Candida guillermondii + Bacillus tequilensis (CS2)). We evaluated two irrigation conditions, (i) well-watered plants (WW) (85

IntroductionOne effective and ecologically sustainable strategy that has emerged to enhance plant resilience to water deficits induced by drought stress is the application of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM). Despite this progress, there remains a lack of clarity in identifying the most effective microbial consortia and understanding the nutritional and metabolic processes that contribute to the drought resilience of strawberry crops.MethodsTwo effective microbial consortia were selected based on previous data: CS1 (Claroideoglomus claroideum + Naganishia albida + Paraburkholderia caledonica) and CS2 (Funneliformis mosseae + Candida guillermondii + Bacillus tequilensis) used for drought stress mitigation in plants. These were tested under two irrigation scenarios–well-watered and water-limited conditions, corresponding to 85% and 30% of their water holding capacity (WHC), respectively. ResultsThe co-inoculation of the CS1 consortium increased SDW by 38.23% compared to the control and 52.94% compared to CS2. Likewise, this consortium increased the concentrations of N, P, and K by 24.3%, 6.4%, and 25.7%, respectively, compared to the WS control. Finally, CS1 mitigated phytotoxic effects by activating flavonoid-type, fatty acids, and phenolic acid metabolites, as well as growth-regulating hormones, compared to the CS2 consortium and control plants, whose changes in specialized metabolism did not allow them to tolerate stress.DiscussionThis study elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which microbial biostimulants increase drought tolerance.

Struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6 H₂O) is a mineral recovered from wastewater that offers a sustainable source of phosphorus (P) for agriculture. However, its limited solubility may constrain its agronomic potential. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of wastewater-derived struvite and its effectiveness as a P fertilizer when combined with the phosphate-solubilizing yeast Naganishia albida. Struvite was collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and analyzed for elemental composition, solubility, and mineralogical structure. The phosphate-solubilizing activity of Naganishia. albida was evaluated using struvite as a P source. A greenhouse bioassay with lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was conducted using a bifactorial design combining three fertilization treatments (control, triple superphosphate (TSP), and struvite) with or without Naganishia albida inoculation. The results showed struvite presented 9.4

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve plant performance under salinity, but their contribution to phenolic-based antioxidant responses in traditional tomato landraces remains unclear. We evaluated the effects of Diversispora celata and Funneliformis mosseae on growth, nutrition, gas exchange, oxidative status, and phenolic metabolism in Chilean tomato landraces Limachino and Maulino (Solanum lycopersicum L.) exposed to 0 or 150 mM NaCl. A 3 × 2 × 2 design included three inoculation treatments, two salinity levels, two landraces, and four replicates per combination. Biomass, shoot N and P contents, gas exchange, pigments, proline, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant capacity, and individual phenolics were quantified. Salinity reduced biomass, shoot N and P contents, and net photosynthesis, while non-mycorrhizal plants showed the highest lipid peroxidation. Responses depended on landrace and fungal identity. Under salinity, D. celata-inoculated Limachino plants showed higher biomass, shoot N content, and net photosynthesis than non-mycorrhizal plants, together with greater proline accumulation, higher concentrations of several hydroxycinnamic acids, anthocyanins, quercetin derivatives, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity, and lower lipid peroxidation. In Maulino, both isolates improved gas exchange; F. mosseae was more closely associated with photosynthetic pigments and TEAC/DPPH capacity, and D. celata with phenolic derivatives and CUPRAC capacity. Overall, AMF responses depended on the host–fungus combination, with phenolic-associated non-enzymatic antioxidant responses emerging as a prominent feature of the Limachino–D. celata association.

The accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial systems can change the availability of metal(loid)s. The goal of this study was evaluated the effect of 1

Microalgae, particularly Haematococcus pluvialis, produce astaxanthin (AXT), a potent antioxidant with growing potential in the food, pharmaceutical, biocosmetic, and renewable energy sectors. This study proposes an integrated biorefinery model that employs advanced extraction processes, including bio-based ionic liquids, to efficiently recover AXT from H. pluvialis while minimizing environmental impact. The resulting platform strategically repurposes the post-extraction biomass as a biofertilizer, thus contributing to zero-waste objectives. By uniting biocosmetics, solar energy applications, and agriculture within a single framework, this model underscores the synergy between economic feasibility and ecological responsibility, highlighting the transformative role of microbial-derived AXT in sustainable, high-value product development.

This study investigates the transformative potential of an integrated biorefinery model designed to convert agricultural waste, specifically byproducts from red araçá pomace (Psidium cattleianum), into valuable resources. By employing solid–liquid extraction (SLE) and sequential anaerobic digestion (AD), this approach not only recovers natural antioxidants but also generates biogas and biofertilizers from residual biomass, exemplifying a circular economy in action. Optimized extraction conditions yielded remarkable results, with 3.70 mg cyd-3-glu/L of anthocyanins and 78.90 mg GAE/mL of phenolic compounds achieved under optimal parameters (temperature: 45 °C, time: 90 min, ethanol concentration: 75

Antarctic soil represents an important reservoir of filamentous fungi (FF) species with the ability to produce novel bioactive lipids. However, the lipid extraction method is still a bottleneck. The objective of the present work was to isolate and identify cultivable FF from Antarctic soils, to assess the most effective methods for fatty acid (FA) extraction, and to characterise the obtained lipids. A total of 18 fungal strains belonging to the Botrytis, Cladosporium, Cylindrobasidium, Mortierella, Penicillium, Pseudogymnoascus, and Talaromyces genera and the Melanommataceae family were isolated and identified. The Folch, Bligh and Dyer, and Lewis extraction methods were assessed, and methyl esters of FA (FAMEs) were obtained. The Lewis method was the best in recovering FAMEs from fungal biomass. A total of 17 FAs were identified, and their chemical compositions varied depending on fungal species and strain. Oleic, linoleic, stearic, and palmitic acids were predominant for all fungal strains in the three assessed methods. Among the analysed strains, Cylindrobasidium eucalypti, Penicillium miczynskii, P. virgatum, and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum produced high amounts of FA. This suggests that the soils of Antarctica Bay, as well as harbouring known oleaginous fungi, are also an important source of oleaginous filamentous fungi that remain poorly analysed.

Drought is a key factor that affects food production and represents one of the major challenges to global food security, especially with the increasing human population. One of the main strategies to improve drought tolerance in plants has been the use of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms. However, within the rhizosphere, microorganisms establish diverse relationships with each other and with the host plants, positively or negatively affecting the drought tolerance. To address this complexity, the use of microorganisms that fulfill different niches producing an improved drought stress tolerance may be the basis for the design of the "Next Generation of Bioinoculants." This study aimed to develop a bioinoculant consisting of plant growth-promoting bacteria, yeast, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for the cultivation of Lactuca sativa. Twenty-seven microbial consortia were inoculated on lettuce plants and submitted to drought stress for 40 days. Four consortia were selected based on their superior biomass production and tested on agricultural soil subjected to drought. Biomass production, proline and peroxidative damage, photosynthetic activity, antioxidant response, and profiles of phenolic compounds were also evaluated in lettuce leaves. Results showed that the consortium composed by Claroideoglomus lamellosum, Naganishia albida, and Burkholderia caledonica improved biomass production of shoots of lettuce plants by 43% under drought stress, primarily by enhancing proline, phosphorus, and photosynthetic pigment levels, as well as the antioxidant enzyme activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), leading to reduced oxidative damage. These findings suggest that species-specific microbial consortia can serve as effective tools for improving drought tolerance in crops, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices in water-limited environments.

The overuse of inorganic phosphate fertilizers in soils has led to the transfer of inorganic phosphorus (Pi) to aquatic ecosystems, resulting in eutrophication. Adsorption–desorption studies in batch systems were used to evaluate the effect of adding 1% zinc oxide (ZnO) engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) on Pi retention in Ultisol, and Mollisol soils. The 1% ZnO–ENPs showed increased chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, and organic matter content, and reduce nutrient bioavailability (P, N, and Zn), and physical properties such as surface area and pore size of the two soils. The kinetic data of Pi adsorption on Ultisol, Mollisol, Ultisol + 1% ZnO–ENP, and Mollisol + 1% ZnO–ENP systems fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model (r2 ≥ 0.942, and χ2 ≤ 61), and the Elovich model (r2 ≥ 0.951, and χ2 ≤ 32). Pi adsorption isotherms for the Ultisol soil adequately fitted to the Freundlich model (r2 = 0.976, and χ2 = 16), and for the Mollisol soil, the Langmuir model (r2 = 0.991, and χ2 = 3) had a better fit to the data. With 1% ZnO–ENPs, the linear, Langmuir, and Freundlich models correctly described the Pi adsorption data. Pi desorption was reduced in the Ultisol compared to the Mollisol soil, and with 1% ZnO–ENPs further decreased Pi desorption in both soils. Therefore, ENPs can be used as a new alternative material for Pi fixation in agricultural soils and contribute to mitigating eutrophication issues of aqueous systems.

Phosphorus (P) is a vital element for optimal crop growth and agricultural productivity. Struvite, a P precipitate obtained from wastewater, is recognized as a slow-release, low-solubility fertilizer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of inoculation with the yeast Naganishia albida on P bioavailability using struvite and triple superphosphate (TSP) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants. Struvite fertilization improved N and P assimilation by 14–28% and 12–27%, respectively, compared to TSP and increased soil soluble P by 50% more than TSP and 186% more than the control. Inoculation reduced oxidative stress by 40–44%, improved plant growth by 28% with struvite and 7% with TSP, and increased acid phosphatase activity by 52.7% and 78.1%, respectively, improving nutrient bioavailability. Struvite showed high P solubility in the soil, with only a 3% difference between inoculated and non-inoculated treatments. In addition, the combination of fertilizer and yeast had a synergistic effect, increasing enzyme activity up to 1.8 times for struvite and 2.3 times for TSP. The results highlight the potential of struvite as a recycled fertilizer and the effectiveness of integrating fertilization with microorganisms to improve agricultural efficiency, reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable management in the framework of the circular economy.

Drought, pests, soil fertility depletion, environmental challenges, and the limited use of agricultural inputs continue to plague food production in many developing countries such as Mozambique. As a response to these production constraints, sustainable strategies must be defined to cope with these problems. One strategy, largely applied worldwide, is the combination of the usage of plant growth-promoting microorganisms, conservation tillage, intercropping, and crop residue management. The above can help smallholder farmers to become more resilient, sustainable, and productive, in a framework where the limitations imposed by global climate change are being exacerbated. The impacts of these strategies are less known and lack studies in Mozambique. Here, we provide a comprehensive review based on the relevant scientific literature published in the last three decades which evaluated the effects of diverse sustainable alternatives for crop production, mainly oriented to enhance crop tolerance to drought. The use of these strategies and their promising potential to increase crop yields under drought conditions emerge as one of the most sustainable approaches, leading to both an increase in agricultural productivity and the amelioration of soil properties in Southern Mozambique. However, to achieve this goal, it is critical to perform studies that enable positive impacts and also take full account of the specific socio-economic and environmental contexts in which agricultural production is developed in the semi-arid areas of Southern Mozambique. Hence, future field studies assessing conservation agriculture practices effects on yield productivity and environment under drought conditions are suggested to address issues concerned to sustainable agricultural productions which allow us to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) and SDG 2.

Drought stress is one of the most limiting factors, mainly in Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid environments worldwide. This situation is not an exception in central Chile, where a decline in rainfall of approximately 25% to 45% has been recorded over the past few decades, affecting mostly family farm agriculture. The main objective of the present study was to assess the intercropping of legume and cucurbits with maize, as a starting point to determine the best combinations. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in a bifactorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments included 13 cropping systems: (T1-maize, T2-common bean, T3-chickpea, T4-pumpkin and T5-cucumber, as sole crops; T6-maize and common bean, T7-maize and chickpea, T8-maize and pumpkin, T9-maize and cucumber, T10-maize, common bean and pumpkin, T11-maize, common bean and cucumber, T12-maize, chickpea and pumpkin, and T13-maize, chickpea and cucumber); and two irrigation levels (40% and 100% of water holding capacity (WHC) of substrate, named as R100 and R40, respectively). The results showed that intercropping system and irrigation level altered morphological and physiological parameters. The water deprivation decreased significantly root and shoot biomass, height and relative growth rate of all the crops. Moreover, the results showed that intercropping enhanced land use productivity, with a land equivalent ratio (LER) with a median of 1.30. Overall, the results of the current study indicated that intercropping of maize, common beans and pumpkin could aid smallholder farmers to cope with water shortage, particularly in Mediterranean and other arid and semi-arid environments. Keywords: drought, intercropping, Mediterranean environments.

Purpose: There is a debate whether microplastic particles released into soils can modify phosphorus bioavailability by altering the soil surface properties. Here, we aim to explore the impact of polyethylene microplastics (PE–MPs) on the adsorption–desorption of inorganic phosphate anions (P) on a volcanic ash soil (VAS). Methods: Batch P adsorption-desorption experiments were conducted in a Chilean VAS with and without 1

The extensive use of chemical fertilizers causes a detrimental effect on crop yields and soil crust. A potential alternative to chemical fertilizers is the use of plant beneficial microbes to manage nutrients and preserve soil function. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to assess the effects of the green algae Scenedesmus sp. SD07, the bacterium Pantoea agglomerans CAH6 and their combined application on the growth of Lactuca sativa and soil properties. The SD07, CAH6 and SD07 + CAH6 treatments significantly increased lettuce plant shoot length, shoot-fresh weight, shoot-dry weight, root length, root-fresh weight, root-dry weight, and photosynthetic pigments as compared to the control plants. Similarly, these biofertilizer treatments enhanced the uptake of essential nutrients by plant leaves, including N 64–145