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Synergy of Aspergillus niger and Components in Biofertilizer Composites Increases the Availability of Nutrients to Plants

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Abstract

Intensive fertilization has been required to provide nutrients for plant growth under the current agricultural practices being applied to meet the global food demands. Micronutrients such as zinc, manganese, and copper are required in small quantities when compared to macronutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), but they are essential for the plant growth cycle and consequently for increasing productivity. Mineral oxides such as ZnO, MnO, and CuO are used in agriculture as micronutrient sources, but their low solubility limits practical applications in plant nutrition. Similarly, elemental sulfur (S0) can provide a high-concentration source of sulfate, but its availability is limited by the ability of the soil to promote S0 oxidation. We propose here the integration of these nutrients in a composite based on a biodegradable starch matrix containing mineral oxides and S0 in a dispersion that allowed encapsulation of the acidifying agent Aspergillus niger, a native soil fungus. This strategy effectively improved the final nutrient solubility, with the composite starch/S0/oxidemixture multi-nutrient fertilizer showing remarkable results for solubilization of the oxides, hence confirming a synergic effect of S0 oxidation and microbial solubilization. This composite exhibited an extended shelf life and soil–plant experiments with Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) confirmed high efficiencies for dry matter production, nutrient uptake, and recovery. These findings can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly fertilizers towards a more sustainable agriculture and could open up new applications for formulations containing poorly soluble oxide sources.

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(c) and the sandy loam soil (d)

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by FAPESP (São Paulo State Research Foundation, grants #2013/11821-5, #2016/09343-6, and #2016/10636-8), CNPq (Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, grant #2014/142348-7), and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Finance Code 001). The authors thank the Agronano Network (Embrapa Research Network), the Agroenergy Laboratory, and the National Nanotechnology Laboratory for Agribusiness (LNNA) for providing institutional support and facilities. Caue Ribeiro is also grateful to CAPES / Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for Experienced Research Fellowship (CAPES Finance Code 001; CAPES Process 88881.145566/2017-1) and Return Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

    Rodrigo Klaic, Teresa C. Zangirolami & Cristiane S. Farinas

  2. Embrapa Instrumentação, Rua XV de Novembro 1452, São Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil

    Rodrigo Klaic, Amanda S. Giroto, Caue Ribeiro & Cristiane S. Farinas

  3. Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catariana, Rod. Antônio Heil, km 6800, Itajaí, SC, 88318-112, Brazil

    Gelton G. F. Guimarães

  4. Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, km 234, São Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil

    Alberto C. C. Bernardi

  5. Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-14): Electrochemical Process Engineering, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425, Jülich, Germany

    Caue Ribeiro

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  1. Rodrigo Klaic
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Contributions

RK, ACCB, TCZ, CR, and CSF contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by RK, GGFG, and ASG. All authors contributed to data analysis. The first draft of the manuscript was written by RK and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Cristiane S. Farinas.

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Klaic, R., Guimarães, G.G.F., Giroto, A.S. et al. Synergy of Aspergillus niger and Components in Biofertilizer Composites Increases the Availability of Nutrients to Plants. Curr Microbiol 78, 1529–1542 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-021-02406-y

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