Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020
Abstract Introduction With the rapid development of microbial technology, microbial inoculant is considered as a promising tool in sustainable agricultural systems. Mechanisms by which microbial inoculants improve crop yield include improving plant nutrient availability and alleviating abiotic/bioti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12028 |
| _version_ | 1798037172156104704 |
|---|---|
| author | Jiayu Li Juntao Wang Hongwei Liu Catriona A. Macdonald Brajesh K. Singh |
| author_facet | Jiayu Li Juntao Wang Hongwei Liu Catriona A. Macdonald Brajesh K. Singh |
| author_sort | Jiayu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction With the rapid development of microbial technology, microbial inoculant is considered as a promising tool in sustainable agricultural systems. Mechanisms by which microbial inoculants improve crop yield include improving plant nutrient availability and alleviating abiotic/biotic stresses (e.g., drought, salt and disease). However, the field efficacy of microbial inoculants remains inconsistent, which constrains large‐scale adoptions. Identity of dominant mechanisms that underpin the positive impacts of different microbial inoculants is limited. Thus, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of known inoculants on crop performance is needed to provide guidance for the development of effective microbial tools from both research and commercial perspectives. Materials and Methods Based on 97 peer‐reviewed publications, we conducted a meta‐analysis to quantify the benefits of different microbial inoculants on crop yield, and to identify the key mechanisms that underpin enhanced crop yield. Results Result showed that (i) alleviation of stresses was the major mechanism (53.95%, n = 53) by which microbial inoculants enhance crop yield, while improving plant nutrient availability accounted for 22.25% (n = 58) of crop yield enhancement. (ii) Pseudomonas was the most effective microbial inoculant in enhancing crop yield through alleviating stresses (63.91%, n = 15), whereas Enterobacter was the most effective in improving plant nutrient availability (27.12%, n = 5). (iii) Considering both mechanisms together, Pseudomonas (49.94%, n = 21), Enterobacter (27.55%, n = 13) and Bacillus (25.66%, n = 32) were the largest sources of microbial inoculants to enhance crop yield, and the combination of diazotroph Burkholderia with its legume host had the highest effect on improving the yield (by 196.38%). Microbial inoculants also improve nutritional quality by enhancing mineral contents in the produce. Conclusion Our analysis provides evidence that microbial inoculants can enhance agricultural productivity and nutritional quality and can be used either alone or in combination with reduced amount of agrochemicals to promote sustainable agriculture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:22:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c695401164a469390c013d158aeb3e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2767-035X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:22:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c695401164a469390c013d158aeb3e42022-12-22T04:02:33ZengWileyJournal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment2767-035X2022-09-011321622510.1002/sae2.12028Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020Jiayu Li0Juntao Wang1Hongwei Liu2Catriona A. Macdonald3Brajesh K. Singh4Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales AustraliaHawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales AustraliaHawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales AustraliaHawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales AustraliaHawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales AustraliaAbstract Introduction With the rapid development of microbial technology, microbial inoculant is considered as a promising tool in sustainable agricultural systems. Mechanisms by which microbial inoculants improve crop yield include improving plant nutrient availability and alleviating abiotic/biotic stresses (e.g., drought, salt and disease). However, the field efficacy of microbial inoculants remains inconsistent, which constrains large‐scale adoptions. Identity of dominant mechanisms that underpin the positive impacts of different microbial inoculants is limited. Thus, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of known inoculants on crop performance is needed to provide guidance for the development of effective microbial tools from both research and commercial perspectives. Materials and Methods Based on 97 peer‐reviewed publications, we conducted a meta‐analysis to quantify the benefits of different microbial inoculants on crop yield, and to identify the key mechanisms that underpin enhanced crop yield. Results Result showed that (i) alleviation of stresses was the major mechanism (53.95%, n = 53) by which microbial inoculants enhance crop yield, while improving plant nutrient availability accounted for 22.25% (n = 58) of crop yield enhancement. (ii) Pseudomonas was the most effective microbial inoculant in enhancing crop yield through alleviating stresses (63.91%, n = 15), whereas Enterobacter was the most effective in improving plant nutrient availability (27.12%, n = 5). (iii) Considering both mechanisms together, Pseudomonas (49.94%, n = 21), Enterobacter (27.55%, n = 13) and Bacillus (25.66%, n = 32) were the largest sources of microbial inoculants to enhance crop yield, and the combination of diazotroph Burkholderia with its legume host had the highest effect on improving the yield (by 196.38%). Microbial inoculants also improve nutritional quality by enhancing mineral contents in the produce. Conclusion Our analysis provides evidence that microbial inoculants can enhance agricultural productivity and nutritional quality and can be used either alone or in combination with reduced amount of agrochemicals to promote sustainable agriculture.https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12028crop yieldmeta‐analysismicrobial inoculantsPGPRsustainable agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Jiayu Li Juntao Wang Hongwei Liu Catriona A. Macdonald Brajesh K. Singh Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment crop yield meta‐analysis microbial inoculants PGPR sustainable agriculture |
| title | Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| title_full | Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| title_fullStr | Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| title_short | Application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity: A meta‐analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| title_sort | application of microbial inoculants significantly enhances crop productivity a meta analysis of studies from 2010 to 2020 |
| topic | crop yield meta‐analysis microbial inoculants PGPR sustainable agriculture |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12028 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiayuli applicationofmicrobialinoculantssignificantlyenhancescropproductivityametaanalysisofstudiesfrom2010to2020 AT juntaowang applicationofmicrobialinoculantssignificantlyenhancescropproductivityametaanalysisofstudiesfrom2010to2020 AT hongweiliu applicationofmicrobialinoculantssignificantlyenhancescropproductivityametaanalysisofstudiesfrom2010to2020 AT catrionaamacdonald applicationofmicrobialinoculantssignificantlyenhancescropproductivityametaanalysisofstudiesfrom2010to2020 AT brajeshksingh applicationofmicrobialinoculantssignificantlyenhancescropproductivityametaanalysisofstudiesfrom2010to2020 |