Agroecosystem and ecological cycling loops are open when considering the reutilization of inputs applied in farming areas. Non-renewable resources have been transformed or relocated from the air, water and land into the system and are flowing out as wastes rather than reusable, recyclable resources. This current environmental situation is promoting the development of methods able to optimize nutrient cycling, minimize use of external inputs, and maximize input use efficiency. Some humic products are derived from lignin found in wheat straw and biofertilizers as compost and manure teas can be made using residues. Also, these biostimulants might decrease the necessity of synthetic inputs. This review strives to enhance our understanding of the conjunctive use of humic substances (HS) and biofertilizers. The biostimulant effects of each of these compounds are shown in the literature. Thus, our review question is whether the combined application of HS and biofertilizers can promote synergy between both compounds and potentially more efficacy. The effects promoted by using HS plus biofertilizers on plants and microorganisms are very interconnected, so sometimes these effects can be confounded. For instance, the root elongation promoted by HS might increase hyphal fungi colonization. Therefore, this review as divided in three sections: Responses of plants, fungi and bacteria. The findings indicate that the source and application rate of HS will have a strong impact on whether plant growth and microbial activity significantly improved. The microbial species and plant type also influence the response to HS. The prospects of the conjunctive use of and biofertilizers to stimulate plant development and microbial activity in agricultural systems are theoretically substantial when considering the total number of studies included in this review.
The illegal status of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) post-World War II resulted in a lack of research on agricultural practices. However, there is a resurgence of interest in cannabis due to diverse uses such as a rich source of cellulosic/woody fiber and construction uses, seed oil, bioenergy and pharmaceutical properties. The principle of an integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS) is to enable adaptation of plant nutrition and soil fertility management to local site characteristics, attempting to optimize use of inorganic, organic and biological resources. This project investigated the individual and combined use of inorganic, organic and biological fertilizer resources on cannabis before and after a period of moderate water stress. We evaluated the individual and combined effects of commercial synthetic fertilizer, humic acid (HA), manure tea and bioinoculant as inorganic, organic and biological resources, respectively on cannabis growth and physiological parameters. Our hypothesis was that the synergetic effects of HA + biofertilizers would improve cannabis growth. When compared to the control, the application of HA and biofertilizer alone, or in combination, increased plant height, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency by 55, 8 and 12%, respectively, after water stress. Cannabis biomass of treated plants was rarely different from the control. The combined application of HA + biofertilizer resulted in additive, but not synergistic, increases in measured parameter. Future research should focus on the effects of biostimulants on CBD/THC content due to the potential impact on the production of secondary metabolites in plants under stress. 1 INTRODUCTION Cannabis is classified into the family Cannabaceae and has three main types: C. sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis (Stearn, 1970) and has various prospective uses in the
Current trends in agriculture have moved toward more sustainable cultivation systems with higher efficiency of input use. A variety of materials, derived from different resources, can serve as a crop nutrient sources. An Integrated Plant Nutrition System (IPNS) uses the combined and harmonious use of inorganic, organic and biological nutrient resources to maximize efficiency of inputs. We evaluated the effects of commercial nitrogen (N) fertilizer, humic acid compounds (HA), compost/manure teas and bioinoculants as inorganic, organic and biological resources, respectively and their synergy over three years on corn (Zea mays L.) in the Mid-Atlantic USA. The individual and combined application of HA and biofertilizer following the IPNS influenced corn height and leaf greenness to varying degrees, most likely due to biostimulant effects. In 2017, corn height, NDVI, greenness and vigor responded positively to biostimulant application to varying magnitudes and growth stages, however grain yield and nutrient content were not affected. In combined studies from 2018 and 2019 corn height was not impacted by biostimulant application but NDVI, photosynthetic efficiency, greenness and vigor were increased at different doses and corn growth stages. The combined use of HA þ biofertilizer (Microlife Humic þ Microgeo) was the only treatment leading to increased grain yield. This study demonstrates that the individual and combined application of HA and biofertilizer can influence corn growth and vigor at various points during the growing season. However, the current study cannot conclusively confirm that the integrated use of HA and biofertilizers (IPNS) is a better practice than the application of each compound individually.
Agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the United States. Results from previous studies have shown that it is possible to substantially reduce irrigation amounts and maintain corn yield. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of two irrigation scheduling methods for corn production in Alabama. Two irrigation scheduling methods evaluated were: a) Checkbook, which is one of the conventional methods used by farmers that is based on the soil water balance estimated using water lost by evapotranspiration and its replacement through rainfall or irrigation, and b) Sensor-based, which was based on soil matric potential values recorded by soil moisture tension sensors installed in the field. The experimental field was divided into two irrigation management zones (zone A and zone B) based on soil properties of each field. During the 2014 season in zone A, significant grain yield differences were observed between the two irrigation methods. The Checkbook plots exhibited greater yield than Sensor-based plots: 10181 kg ha-1 and 9696 kg ha-1, respectively. The greater yield on the Checkbook plots could be associated with higher irrigation rate applied, 148 mm more, compared with the Sensor-based plots. In zone B, there were no significant yield differences between both irrigation methods; however, Sensor-based plots out yielded Checkbook plots, with 9673 kg ha-1 and 9584 kg ha-1, respectively. Even though the irrigation amount applied in Checkbook located in zone B was higher, 102 mm more, there were no significant yield differences. Therefore, it suggests that the Sensor-based method was promissory irrigation scheduling strategy under the conditions of zone B. In 2015, there were no significant grain yield differences between zone A and zone B when the data from the Checkbook plots were analyzed. However, the Sensor-based treatment produced a statistically significant difference of grain yield of 13597 kg ha-1 in zone A and 11659 kg ha-1 in zone B, also both zones received the same amount of irrigation. Overall results of both growing seasons indicated that the use of the Sensor-based irrigation scheduling treatment resulted in similar values of total profit per hectare when compared to Checkbook method. The Sensor-based method seems a promising strategy that could result in water and financial savings, but more research is required.
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