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Biostimulant activity of humic substances extracted from leonardites

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Abstract

Background and aims

Biostimulants are natural compounds that enhance plant growth and plant nutrient use efficiency. In this study, biostimulant effects of humic substances (HS) extracted from leonardites were analysed on the metabolism of maize plants grown in hydroponic conditions.

Methods

HS extracted from four leonardites were tested for their auxin-like and gibberellin-like activities. Then, 11 day old maize seedlings were treated for 48 h with five concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 10 mg C L−1) of HS. After sampling, root growth and morphology, glutamine synthetase (GS) activity, glutamate synthase (GOGAT) activity, total protein content, soluble sugars content, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, soluble phenols, and free phenolic acids were analysed.

Results

HS from leonardites had similar spectroscopic pattern, with small differences. The HS from the South Dakota lignite (HS_USA) had more carboxylic groups, whereas the three from Turkish mines had more aromatic and aliphatic structures. HS_USA best enhanced total root growth, root surface area, and proliferation of secondary roots. Plant nutrient use efficiency was enhanced by HS_4, HS_USA and HS_B, with increment of GS and GOGAT enzymes activity and total protein production. HS stimulated also PAL enzyme activity, followed by a higher production of total soluble phenols, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumarilic acid, and chlorogenic acid.

Conclusion

This study found that, although the activity of the HS depended on the origin of the leonardite, these compounds can be attributed to the biostimulant products, eliciting plant growth, nitrogen metabolism, and accumulation of phenolic substances.

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Acknowledgements

PhD grant for Giovanni Battista Conselvan funded by MIUR “L 170”. This work has been supported also by DOR1692027/16 funding. The authors thank LandLab srl which have supplied the leonardites, and David Fuentes and Andrew Merchant for kindly improving the English of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Agronomia, Animali, Alimenti, Risorse Naturali e Ambiente (DAFNAE), Università di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, Padova, Italy

    Giovanni Battista Conselvan, Diego Pizzeghello, Serenella Nardi & Paolo Carletti

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Ornella Francioso

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Via Belmeloro 8/2, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Michele Di Foggia

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  1. Giovanni Battista Conselvan
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  2. Diego Pizzeghello
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  3. Ornella Francioso
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  4. Michele Di Foggia
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  5. Serenella Nardi
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Correspondence to Diego Pizzeghello.

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Conselvan, G.B., Pizzeghello, D., Francioso, O. et al. Biostimulant activity of humic substances extracted from leonardites. Plant Soil 420, 119–134 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3373-z

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