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- Bread in salt: bacteria from lakes will help grow wheat even on unsuitable soils
Bread in salt: bacteria from lakes will help grow wheat even on unsuitable soils
Russian scientists have developed a method for efficiently growing wheat on saline soils. Experiments have shown that when seeds are treated with certain bacterial strains, twice as many plants germinate, and shoots grow 1.5 times longer. In Russia, about 20% of farmland is subject to salinization due to natural factors and human activity, which greatly reduces yields. The problem is especially relevant for the southern regions. Experts point out that any technologies that restore fertility to such territories will be in demand, but for a final assessment, field tests are needed, not just in laboratories.
Growing wheat on saline soils
Biologists at Ural Federal University (UrFU) have discovered new strains of bacteria that will allow wheat to be grown even on highly saline soils unsuitable for traditional farming. To search for them, scientists collected plant and soil samples from the saline lakes of the Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions — Kurgan and Atavly. 12 strains were isolated from them, two of which — AP9 (from Lake Atavly) and AP12 (from Lake Kurgan) — demonstrated effectiveness in saline and highly saline conditions.
— Treatment of wheat seeds with two strains has shown good results: increased salt resistance, reduced oxidative stress, supported plant growth, increased the number of primary roots, which expands the absorbent surface and improves the absorption of water and minerals. The AP12 strain was particularly effective in stimulating the growth of roots and shoots at an extreme salinity of 225 mM. These are critical values at which the soil is considered salty," explained Olga Voropayeva, senior lecturer at the UrFU Department of Experimental Biology and Biotechnology.
Olga Voropaeva, Senior Lecturer at the UrFU Department of Experimental Biology and Biotechnology
Wheat seeds were treated with a biopreparation with selected microorganisms before sowing. As a result, the seedlings' resistance to salt stress increased, and their morphophysiological characteristics improved.
— Soil bacteria, which are part of the rhizobiome, a community of microorganisms living in the root zone of plants, are in most cases safe for plants, soil and humans. Some of them are able to enter into symbiosis with plants. For example, in legumes, special bacteria — rhizobia — form nodules on the roots, where they fix atmospheric nitrogen, turning it into compounds available to the plant, and obtain carbohydrates from it," said Anastasia Tugbaeva, associate professor of the UrFU Department of Experimental Biology and Biotechnology.
Associate Professor of the UrFU Department of Experimental Biology and Biotechnology Anastasia Tugbaeva
According to her, biofertilizers based on such bacteria differ from mineral fertilizers such as synthetic ammonia or nitrates.: They contain living microorganisms that help plants absorb nutrients from the soil. Experiments have shown that seed treatment with microorganisms doubles germination, root length increases by 115%, and shoots by 55%, the specialist added.
According to the UN, 21% of Russia's agricultural lands belong to saline territories. This is a serious problem for farmers, as excess salts cause osmotic and ion-specific toxicity in plants, slow down their growth and reduce fruiting. One of the solutions is to increase the salt resistance of crops using biofertilizers, Anastasia Tugbaeva explained.
Biofertilizers with such bacteria can be used in various ways: to process seeds before sowing, to introduce them into the soil, or to process plants on a leaf. The most effective method has yet to be determined, the researchers added. To date, scientists have selected the optimal concentration of microorganisms, which eliminates both deficiency and overload of plants. In theory, these bacteria can be useful for other crops, but this remains to be verified by separate experiments.
Will the technology be in demand
— We are working on the creation of biofertilizers for cereals. But the principle of action of bacteria is universal: they stimulate plant growth through the synthesis of phytohormones and improve the absorption of nutrients.Therefore, theoretically they can be applied to other plants, but extending the application to other crops will require additional verification," Olga Voropayeva said.
Their production will require a specially equipped infrastructure: bioreactors or cultivators for growing microorganisms under controlled conditions, a separate room for working with crops, and equipment for concentrating and preparing bacteria for use. Despite these costs, scientists are confident that the new biofertilizers will be economically viable and in demand in agriculture.
In Russia, saline soils cover an area of 46 million hectares. Kalmykia (78% of the republic's soils), Astrakhan Region (56.7%) and Volgograd Region (45%) are the most susceptible to salinization. Artificial soils in cities are also susceptible to salting due to the use of deicing reagents, explained Tatiana Ledashcheva, associate professor of the Department of Environmental Safety and Product Quality Management at the Patrice Lumumba Institute of Ecology at the RUDN University, member of the editorial board of the online scientific journal Resources.
— The technology proposed by Ural scientists is interesting because the quality of land in different regions of the Russian Federation varies and does not always allow for high yields. The proposed pretreatment of seeds and the introduction of biofertilizers can increase yields on saline lands and open up prospects for their use. It is important to take into account the different levels of soil salinity. Laboratory experiments need to be supplemented with field tests on different types of land," said Vladimir Pinaev, a member of the Public Council of the Basic Organization of the CIS Member States for Environmental Education.
According to Olga Bakhmet, a soil scientist and corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the problem of soil salinity due to human activity or natural causes is relevant for the southern regions of Russia. If it is possible to restore fertility to them in the proposed way, then it is necessary to use this opportunity.
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