Abstract
For thousands of years, crop production has almost entirely depended on conventional agriculture. However, the reality is changing. The ever-growing population, global climate change, soil degradation and biotic/abiotic stresses are a growing threat to food production and security. Thus, sustainable alternatives to increase crop production for a population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 are a major priority. In addition to vertical and soilless farming, innovative products based on bioresources, including plant growth stimulants, have been a target for sustainable food production. Such solutions have led to the exploitation of microorganisms, including microalgae and cyanobacteria as potential bioresources for food and plant biostimulant products. Microalgae (eukaryotic) and cyanobacteria (prokaryotic) are photosynthetic microorganisms with the capacity to synthesize a vast array of bioactive metabolites from atmospheric CO2 and inorganic nutrients. The present review outlines the nutritional value of microalgae and cyanobacteria as alternative food resources. The potential aspects of microalgae and cyanobacteria as stabilizers of the net change in soil organic carbon (C) levels for reduced farmland degradation are also highlighted. The applications of microalgae and cyanobacteria as remedies for improved soil structure and fertility, and as enhancers of crop productivity and abiotic stress tolerance in agricultural settings are outlined. This review also discusses the co-cultivation of crops with microalgae or cyanobacteria in hydroponic systems to favor optimum root CO2/O2 levels for optimized crop production.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Not applicable.
Code Availability
Not applicable.
References
Abd El-Baky HH, El-Baz FK, El Baroty GS (2010) Enhancing antioxidant availability in wheat grains from plants grown under seawater stress in response to microalgae extract treatments. J Sci Food Agric 90:299–303. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.3815
Abinandan S, Subashchandrabose SR, Venkateswarlu K, Megharaj M (2019) Soil microalgae and cyanobacteria: the biotechnological potential in the maintenance of soil fertility and health. Crit Rev Biotechnol 39:981–998. https://doi.org/10.1080/07388551.2019.1654972
Ahmed F, Schenk PM (2017) UV–C radiation increases sterol production in the microalga Pavlova lutheri. Phytochemistry 139:25–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOCHEM.2017.04.002
Ahmed AI, Mohamed HA-A, Takuji O (2014) Nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria: future prospects. In: Ohyama Takuji (ed) Advances in biology and ecology of nitrogen Fixation. IntechOpen, London, pp 23–46
Algae Products Market Information (2018) Algae products market: cagr of 5.3% from 2018 to 2023 | industry trend, business revenue, professional survey and in-depth analysis research report. https://www.abnewswire.com/pressreleases/algae-products-market-cagr-of-53-from-2018-to-2023-industry-trend-business-revenue-professional-survey-and-indepth-analysis-research-report_221796.html. Accessed 5 Aug 2021
Alvarez AL, Weyers SL, Goemann HM et al (2021) Microalgae, soil and plants: a critical review of microalgae as renewable resources for agriculture. Algal Res 54:102200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2021.102200
Amorim ML, Soares J, dos Coimbra JS, R, et al (2020) Microalgae proteins: production, separation, isolation, quantification, and application in food and feed. Crit Rev Food Sci Technol 61:1976–2002. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1768046
Andrianantoandro E, Basu S, Karig DK, Weiss R (2006) Synthetic biology: new engineering rules for an emerging discipline. Mol Syst Biol. https://doi.org/10.1038/msb4100073
Ansari F, Ravindran B, Gupta S et al (2019) Techno-economic estimation of wastewater phycoremediation and environmental benefits using Scenedesmus obliquus microalgae. J Environ Manage 240:293
Armbrust EV, Berges JA, Bowler C et al (2004) The genome of the diatom Thalassiosira Pseudonana: ecology, evolution, and metabolism. Science 306:79–86. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1101156
Arora K, Kaur P, Kumar P et al (2021) Valorization of wastewater resources into biofuel and value-added products using microalgal system. Front Energy Res. https://doi.org/10.3389/FENRG.2021.646571
Barone V, Baglieri A, Stevanato P et al (2018) Root morphological and molecular responses induced by microalgae extracts in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). J Appl Phycol 30:1061–1071. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-017-1283-3
Barone V, Puglisi I, Fragalà F et al (2019) Novel bioprocess for the cultivation of microalgae in hydroponic growing system of tomato plants. J Appl Phycol 31:465–470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1518-y
Barrios CAZ, Nandini S, Sarma SSS (2017) Effect of crude extracts from cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Texcoco (Mexico) on the population growth of Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera). Toxicon 139:45–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TOXICON.2017.09.013
Bastida F, Jindo K, Moreno JL et al (2012) Effects of organic amendments on soil carbon fractions, enzyme activity and humus–enzyme complexes under semi-arid conditions. Eur J Soil Biol 53:94–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EJSOBI.2012.09.003
Bawiec A, Garbowski T, Pawęska K, Pulikowski K (2019) Analysis of the algae growth dynamics in the hydroponic system with LEDs nighttime lighting using the laser granulometry method. Water Air Soil Pollut. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-4075-8
Beheshtipour H, Mortazavian AM, Mohammadi R et al (2013) Supplementation of spirulina platensis and chlorella vulgaris algae into probiotic fermented milks. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 12:144–154. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12004
Benedetti M, Vecchi V, Barera S, Dall’Osto L (2018) Biomass from microalgae: the potential of domestication towards sustainable biofactories. Microb Cell Fact. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-018-1019-3
Bhandari G (2014) An overview of agrochemicals and their effects on environment in Nepal. Appl Ecol Environ Sci
Bhola V, Swalaha F, Ranjith Kumar R et al (2014) Overview of the potential of microalgae for CO2 sequestration. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-013-0487-6
BjörnGovindjee, LO (2008) The evolution of photosynthesis and its environmental impact. Photobiol Sci Life Light Second Ed. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-72655-7_12
Borowitzka MA (2013) Energy from microalgae: a short history. Algae for biofuels and energy. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 1–15
Boru G, Van Ginkel M, Trethowan RM et al (2003a) Oxygen use from solution by wheat genotypes differing in tolerance to waterlogging. Euphytica 132:151–158. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024622405505
Boru G, Vantoai T, Alves J et al (2003b) Responses of soybean to oxygen deficiency and elevated root-zone carbon dioxide concentration. Acad Ann Bot. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcg040
Bowler C, Allen A, Badger J et al (2008) The Phaeodactylum genome reveals the evolutionary history of diatom genomes. Nature 456:239–244
Cai T, Park S, Li Y (2013) Nutrient recovery from wastewater streams by microalgae: status and prospects. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 19:360–369
Calvo P, Nelson L, Kloepper JW (2014) Agricultural uses of plant biostimulants. Plant Soil 383:3–41
Caterina B, Marzio M, Adamou HT (2004) The future is an ancient lake. In: Tradit. knowledge, Biodivers. Genet. Resour. food Agric. Lake Chad Basin Ecosyst. http://www.fao.org/3/y5118e/y5118e.pdf. Accessed 11 Mar 2021
Chanda M-J, Merghoub N, El Arroussi H (2019) Microalgae polysaccharides: the new sustainable bioactive products for the development of plant bio-stimulants? World J Microbiol Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-019-2745-3
Chanda M, Redouane B, Najib, et al (2020) Screening of microalgae liquid extracts for their bio stimulant properties on plant growth, nutrient uptake and metabolite profile of Solanum lycopersicum L. Sci Rep. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-59840-4
Chen CY, Zhao XQ, Yen HW et al (2013) Microalgae-based carbohydrates for biofuel production. Biochem Eng J 78:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BEJ.2013.03.006
Cheng D, Li D, Yuan Y, et al (2017) Improving carbohydrate and starch accumulation in Chlorella sp. AE10 by a novel two-stage process with cell dilution. Biotechnol Biofuels 10:. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-017-0753-9
Chisti Y (2007) Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnol Adv 25:294–306
Chiu S-Y, Kao C-Y, Chen C-H et al (2007) Reduction of CO2 by a high-density culture of Chlorella sp. in a semicontinuous photobioreactor. Bioresour Technol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2007.08.013
Chu W-L, Phang S-M (2019) Bioactive compounds from microalgae and their potential applications as pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Gd Challenges Biol Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25233-5_12
Colina F, Amaral J, Carbó M et al (2018) Genome-wide identification and characterization of CKIN/SnRK gene family in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Sci Rep. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35625-8
Colla G, Rouphael Y (2020) Microalgae: new source of plant biostimulants. Agronomy 10:1240
Colla LM, Oliveira Reinehr C, Reichert C, Costa JAV (2007) Production of biomass and nutraceutical compounds by Spirulina platensis under different temperature and nitrogen regimes. Bioresour Technol 98:1489–1493. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2005.09.030
Corbel S, Mougin C, Bouaïcha N (2014) Cyanobacterial toxins: Modes of actions, fate in aquatic and soil ecosystems, phytotoxicity and bioaccumulation in agricultural crops. Chemosphere 96:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2013.07.056
Costantini D (2015) Land-use changes and agriculture in the tropics: pesticides as an overlooked threat to wildlife. Biodivers Conserv 24:1837–1839. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0878-8
Danesi EDG, Rangel-Yagui CDO, De Carvalho JCM, Sato S (2002) An investigation of effect of replacing nitrate by urea in the growth and production of chlorophyll by Spirulina platensis. Biomass Bioenerg 23:261–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0961-9534(02)00054-5
de Jesus Raposo MF, de Morais AMMB, de Morais RMSC (2015) Bioactivity and applications of polysaccharides from marine microalgae. Polysaccharides. Springer, Cham, pp 1683–1727
Demoulin CF, Lara YJ, Cornet L et al (2019) Cyanobacteria evolution: Insight from the fossil record. Free Radic Biol Med 140:206–223
Dineshkumar R, Subramanian J, Gopalsamy J et al (2017) The impact of using microalgae as biofertilizer in Maize (Zea mays L.). Waste Biomass Valorization 10:1101–1110. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12649-017-0123-7
Dochi H, Ray A, Kothari IL (2010) Spirulina Biotechnology. In: Geomicrobiol.—Google Books. https://books.google.co.ma/books?hl=en&lr=&id=s2_RBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA209&dq=(Doshi+et+al.,+2010)+vitamin+B12+in+Spirulina&ots=ocxxaWXyN0&sig=7mWoq11hmfXzDdBorE1tT6uoOl8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false. Accessed 6 Oct 2020
Doron L, Segal N, Shapira M (2016) Transgene expression in microalgae—from tools to applications. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPLS.2016.00505
Doughman S, Krupanidhi S, Sanjeevi C (2007) Omega-3 fatty acids for nutrition and medicine: considering microalgae oil as a vegetarian source of EPA and DHA. Curr Diabetes Rev 3:198–203. https://doi.org/10.2174/157339907781368968
du Jardin P (2015) Plant biostimulants: definition, concept, main categories and regulation. Sci Hortic (amsterdam) 196:3–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCIENTA.2015.09.021
Duan L, Chen Q, Duan S (2019) Transcriptional analysis of chlorella pyrenoidosa exposed to bisphenol A. Int J Environ Res Public Heal 16:1374. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH16081374
EFSA (2012) Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of mixed carotenes (E 160a (i)) and beta-carotene (E 160a (ii)) as a food additive. EFSA J 10:1–67. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2593
Eggersdorfer M, Wyss A (2018) Carotenoids in human nutrition and health. Arch Biochem Biophys 652:18–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ABB.2018.06.001
El Arroussi H, Elbaouchi A, Benhima R, et al (2016) Halophilic microalgae Dunaliella salina extracts improve seed germination and seedling growth of Triticum aestivum L. under salt stress. In: Acta Horticulturae. International Society for Horticultural Science, pp 13–26
El Arroussi H, Benhima R, Elbaouchi A et al (2018) Dunaliella salina exopolysaccharides: a promising biostimulant for salt stress tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). J Appl Phycol 30:2929–2941. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-017-1382-1
Elvira-Torales LI, García-Alonso J, Periago-Castón MJ (2019) Nutritional importance of carotenoids and their effect on liver health: a review. Antioxidants. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8070229
Enzing C, Ploeg M, Barbosa M et al (2014) Microalgae-based products for the food and feed sector: an outlook for Europe. https://doi.org/10.2791/3339
Ergun O, Dasgan HY, Isik O (2020) Effects of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris on hydroponically grown lettuce. Acta Hortic 1273:169–175. https://doi.org/10.17660/ACTAHORTIC.2020.1273.23
Fabris M, Abbriano R, Pernice M (2020) Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy. Front Plant. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00279
Faheed F, Fattah Z (2008) Effect of Chlorella vulgaris as bio-fertilizer on growth parameters and metabolic aspects of lettuce plant. J Agric Soc Sci 4:165–169
Fajardo C, De Donato M, Carrasco R et al (2020) Advances and challenges in genetic engineering of microalgae. Rev Aquac 12:365–381
Farid R, Mutale-joan C, Redouane B et al (2019) Effect of microalgae polysaccharides on biochemical and metabolomics pathways related to plant defense in Solanum lycopersicum. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 188:225–240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-018-2916-y
Fernández-Sevilla JM, Acién Fernández FG, Molina Grima E (2010) Biotechnological production of lutein and its applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 861(86):27–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00253-009-2420-Y
Figueroa-Torres GM, Pittman JK, Theodoropoulos C (2021) Optimisation of microalgal cultivation via nutrient-enhanced strategies: the biorefinery paradigm. Biotechnol Biofuels 141(14):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/S13068-021-01912-2
Flaibani A, Olsen Y, Painter T (1989) Polysaccharides in desert reclamation: compositions of exocellular proteoglycan complexes produced by filamentous blue-green and unicellular green edaphic algae. Carbohydr Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-6215(89)84128-X
Foley JA, DeFries R, Asner GP et al (2005) Global consequences of land use. Science 309:570–574
Fu W, Nelson DR, Mystikou A et al (2019) Advances in microalgal research and engineering development. Curr Opin Biotechnol 59:157–164
García JL, de Vicente M, Galán B (2017) Microalgae, old sustainable food and fashion nutraceuticals. Microb Biotechnol 10:1017–1024. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.12800
Garcia-Gonzalez J, Sommerfeld M (2016) Biofertilizer and biostimulant properties of the microalga Acutodesmus dimorphus. J Appl Phycol 28:1051–1061. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0625-2
Garcia-Pichel F, Zehr JP, Bhattacharya D, Pakrasi HB (2020) What’s in a name? The case of cyanobacteria. J Phycol 56:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/JPY.12934
Garcia-Pichel F (2009) Cyanobacteria . In: Encycl. Microbiol. - Google Books. https://books.google.co.ma/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rLhdW5YzuO4C&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=Cyanobacteria+F.+Garcia-Pichel,+in+Encyclopedia+of+Microbiology+(Third+Edition),+2009&ots=p0c8oo2eQM&sig=er4XkvAWloiKuxh6P2GhFbtfPqM&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false. Accessed 6 Oct 2020
Garrido-Cardenas JA, Manzano-Agugliaro F, Acien-Fernandez FG, Molina-Grima E (2018) Microalgae Research Worldwide. Algal Res 35:50–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2018.08.005
Gayathri M, Kumar PS, Prabha AML, Muralitharan G (2015) In vitro regeneration of Arachis hypogaea L. and Moringa oleifera Lam. using extracellular phytohormones from Aphanothece sp. MBDU 515. Algal Res 7:100–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2014.12.009
Gibbs HK, Ruesch AS, Achard F et al (2010) Tropical forests were the primary sources of new agricultural land in the 1980s and 1990s. Natl Acad Sci. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0910275107
Gonçalves AL (2021) The use of microalgae and cyanobacteria in the improvement of agricultural practices: a review on their biofertilising, biostimulating and biopesticide roles. Appl Sci 11:871. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020871
Gong Y, Jiang M (2011) Biodiesel production with microalgae as feedstock: from strains to biodiesel. Biotechnol Lett 337(33):1269–1284. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10529-011-0574-Z
Goykovic Cortés V, Saavedra del Real G (2007) Algunos efectos de la salinidad en el cultivo del tomate y prácticas agronómicas de su manejo. Idesia (arica) 25:47–58. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-34292007000300006
Gröniger A, Sinha R, Klisch M, Häder D (2000) Photoprotective compounds in cyanobacteria, phytoplankton and macroalgae—a database. J Photochem. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1011-1344(00)00112-3
Gross OPW (2004) Mini-review: valuable products from biotechnology of microalgae. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 65:635–648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1647-x
Grzesik M, Romanowska-Duda Z, Kalaji HM (2017) Effectiveness of cyanobacteria and green algae in enhancing the photosynthetic performance and growth of willow (Salix viminalis L) plants under limited synthetic fertilizers application. Photosynthetica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-017-0716-1
Guzmán-Murillo MA, Ascencio F, Larrinaga-Mayoral JA (2013) Germination and ROS detoxification in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L) under NaCl stress and treatment with microalgae extracts. Protoplasma. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-011-0369-z
Hamed I (2016) The evolution and versatility of microalgal biotechnology: a review. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 15:1104–1123. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12227
Hamouda R, Sorour N, El RA et al (2016) Biodegradation of crude oil by Anabaena oryzae, Chlorella kessleri and its consortium under mixotrophic conditions. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad. 4:6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2016.05.001
He J, Austin PT, Lee SK (2010) Effects of elevated root zone CO2 and air temperature on photosynthetic gas exchange, nitrate uptake, and total reduced nitrogen content in aeroponically grown lettuce plants. J Exp Bot 61:3959–3969. https://doi.org/10.1093/JXB/ERQ207
Hopes A, Mock T (2015) Evolution of microalgae and their adaptations in different marine ecosystems. Wiley, New York. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470015902.a0023744
Hosseini TA, Shariati M (2009) Dunaliella biotechnology: methods and applications. J Appl Microbiol 107:14–35
Hsieh-Lo M, Castillo G, Ochoa-Becerra MA, Mojica L (2019) Phycocyanin and phycoerythrin: strategies to improve production yield and chemical stability. Algal Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2019.101600
Hüfner K (2010) UNESCO–United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. brill.com
Hultberg M, Carlsson AS, Gustafsson S (2013) Treatment of drainage solution from hydroponic greenhouse production with microalgae. Bioresour Technol 136:401–406. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2013.03.019
Huo S, Liu J, Addy M et al (2020) The influence of microalgae on vegetable production and nutrient removal in greenhouse hydroponics. J Clean Prod. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2019.118563
Ibañez E, Herrero M, Mendiola JA, Castro-Puyana M (2012) Extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds with health benefits from marine resources: macro and micro algae, cyanobacteria, and invertebrates. In: Hayes M (ed) Marine bioactive compounds: sources, characterization and applications. Springer, New York, pp 55–98
Jacob-Lopes E, Maroneze MM, Deprá MC et al (2019) Bioactive food compounds from microalgae: an innovative framework on industrial biorefineries. Curr Opin Food Sci 25:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.COFS.2018.12.003
Jerney J, Spilling K (2018) Large scale cultivation of microalgae: open and closed systems. Methods Mol Biol 1980:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/7651_2018_130
Jhala YK, Panpatte DG, Vyas RV (2017) Cyanobacteria: source of organic fertilizers for plant growth. In: Panpatte DG, Jhala YK, Vyas RV, Shelat HN (eds) Microorganisms for green revolution. Springer, Singapore, pp 253–264. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6241-4_13
Jochum M, Moncayo LP, Jo YK (2018) Microalgal cultivation for biofertilization in rice plants using a vertical semi-closed airlift photobioreactor. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203456
Johnson EJ (2002) The role of carotenoids in human health. Nutr Clin Care 5:56–65
Karthikeyan N, Prasanna R, Nain L, Kaushik BD (2007) Evaluating the potential of plant growth promoting cyanobacteria as inoculants for wheat. Eur J Soil Biol 43:23–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EJSOBI.2006.11.001
Khan MI, Shin JH, Kim JD (2018) The promising future of microalgae: current status, challenges, and optimization of a sustainable and renewable industry for biofuels, feed, and other products. Microb Cell Fact 17:36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-018-0879-x
Kini S, Divyashree M, Mani MK, Mamatha BS (2020) Algae and cyanobacteria as a source of novel bioactive compounds for biomedical applications. Adv Cyanobacterial Biol. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819311-2.00012-7
Koller M, Muhr A, Braunegg G (2014) Microalgae as versatile cellular factories for valued products. Algal Res 6:52–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2014.09.002
Kothari R, Pandey A, Ahmad S et al (2017) Microalgal cultivation for value-added products: a critical enviro-economical assessment. 3 Biotech. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13205-017-0812-8
Kumar K, Mishra SK, Shrivastav A et al (2015) Recent trends in the mass cultivation of algae in raceway ponds. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 51:875–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RSER.2015.06.033
Kumar G, Shekh A, Jakhu S et al (2020) Bioengineering of microalgae: recent advances, perspectives, and regulatory challenges for industrial application. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.3389/FBIOE.2020.00914
Lafarga T, Sánchez-Zurano A, Villaró S et al (2021) Industrial production of spirulina as a protein source for bioactive peptide generation. Trends Food Sci Technol 116:176–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TIFS.2021.07.018
Lal R (2009) Soils and food sufficiency: a review. Sustainable agriculture. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 25–49
Langley N, Harrison S, Van Hille R (2012) A critical evaluation of CO2 supplementation to algal systems by direct injection. Biochem Eng J. 68:70–75
Langyintuo A (2020) smallholder farmers’ access to inputs and finance in Africa. Role Smallhold Farms Food Nutr Secur. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42148-9_7
Lau NS, Matsui M, Abdullah AAA (2015) Cyanobacteria: photoautotrophic microbial factories for the sustainable synthesis of industrial products. Biomed Res Int. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/754934
Laurens LML, Dempster TA, Jones HDT et al (2012) Algal biomass constituent analysis: method uncertainties and investigation of the underlying measuring chemistries. Anal Chem 84:12. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac202668c
Lee S, Lee J (2015) Beneficial bacteria and fungi in hydroponic systems: types and characteristics of hydroponic food production methods. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 195:206–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCIENTA.2015.09.011
Lemus R, Lal R, Charles Brummer E (2005) Bioenergy crops and carbon sequestration. CRC Crit Rev Plant Sci 24:1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352680590910393
Li X, Wang X, Duan C et al (2020) Biotechnological production of astaxanthin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. Biotechnol Adv 43:107602. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIOTECHADV.2020.107602
Lin JH, Lee DJ, Chang JS (2015) Lutein production from biomass: marigold flowers versus microalgae. Bioresour Technol 184:421–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2014.09.099
Longworth J, Wu D, Huete-Ortega M, Wright P (2016) Proteome response of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, during lipid accumulation induced by nitrogen depletion. Algal Res 18:213–224
Malam Issa O, Le Bissonais Y, Défarge C et al (2001) Role of a cyanobacterial cover on structural stability of sandy soils in the Sahelian part of western Niger. Geoderma. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7061(00)00093-8ï
Maqubela MP, Mnkeni PNS, Issa OM et al (2008) (2008) Nostoc cyanobacterial inoculation in South African agricultural soils enhances soil structure, fertility, and maize growth. Plant Soil 3151(315):79–92. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11104-008-9734-X
Masojídek J, Torzillo G (2014) Mass cultivation of freshwater microalgae
Mata TM, Martins AA, Caetano NS (2010) Microalgae for biodiesel production and other applications: a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 14:217–232
Melis A (2009) Solar energy conversion efficiencies in photosynthesis: minimizing the chlorophyll antennae to maximize efficiency. Plant Sci 177:272–280
Merchant SS, Prochnik SE, Vallon O et al (2007) The Chlamydomonas genome reveals the evolution of key animal and plant functions. Science 318:245–251. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1143609
Mobin SMA, Chowdhury H, Alam F (2019) Commercially important bioproducts from microalgae and their current applications—a review. Energy Procedia 160:752–760. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EGYPRO.2019.02.183
Mohamed AG, Abo-El-Khair BE, Shalaby SM, Sciences WA (2013) Quality of novel healthy processed cheese analogue enhanced with marine microalgae chlorella vulgaris biomass. World Appl Sci J. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.23.07.13122
Muhammad G, Alam MA, Xiong W et al (2020) Microalgae biomass production: an overview of dynamic operational methods. Microalgae Biotechnol Food, Heal High Value Prod. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0169-2_13
Munns R, Tester M (2008) Mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:651–681. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092911
Myers SS, Smith MR, Guth S et al (2017) Climate change and global food systems: potential impacts on food security and undernutrition. Annu Rev Public Health 38:259–277. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044356
Narala RR, Garg S, Sharma KK et al (2016) Comparison of microalgae cultivation in photobioreactor, open raceway pond, and a two-stage hybrid system. Front Energy Res 4:1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2016.00029
Nethravathy UM, Mehar JG, Mudliar SN, Shekh AY (2019) Recent advances in microalgal bioactives for food, feed, and healthcare products: commercial potential, market space, and sustainability. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 18:1882–1897. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12500
Nguyen HM, Baudet M, Cuine S et al (2011) Proteomic profiling of oil bodies isolated from the unicellular green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: with focus on proteins involved in lipid metabolism. Wiley Online Libr 11:4266–4273. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.201100114
Nisha R, Kaushik A, Kaushik C (2007) Effect of indigenous cyanobacterial application on structural stability and productivity of an organically poor semi-arid soil. Geroderma 138:49–56
Oancea F, Velea S, Fatu V (2013) Micro-algae based plant biostimulant and its effect on water stressed tomato plants
Ogbonda KH, Aminigo RE, Abu GO (2007) Influence of temperature and pH on biomass production and protein biosynthesis in a putative Spirulina sp. Bioresour Technol 98:2207–2211. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2006.08.028
Ontl TA, Schulte LA (2012) Soil Carbon Storage. In: Nat. Educ. Knowl. . https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-carbon-storage-84223790/. Accessed 6 Oct 2020
Oren A (2014a) Cyanobacteria: biology, ecology and evolution. Wiley, Chichester
Oren A (2014b) The ecology of Dunaliella in high-salt environments. J Biol Res 21:23
Osman MEH, El-Sheekh MM, El-Naggar AH, Gheda SF (2010) Effect of two species of cyanobacteria as biofertilizers on some metabolic activities, growth, and yield of pea plant. Biol Fertil Soils 468(46):861–875. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00374-010-0491-7
Ovsepyan L, Kurganova I, de Gerenyu VL, Kuzyakov Y (2019) Recovery of organic matter and microbial biomass after abandonment of degraded agricultural soils: the influence of climate. L Degrad Dev 30:1861–1874. https://doi.org/10.1002/LDR.3387
Parwani L, Bhatt M, Singh J (2021) Potential biotechnological applications of cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides. Brazilian Arch Biol Technol 64:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4324-2021200401
Patil V, Reitan KI, Knutsen G et al (2005) Microalgae as source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for aquaculture. In: Review. http://www.buggypower.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Microalgae-as-a-source-of-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-for-aquaculture.pdf. Accessed 5 Oct 2020
Paul D, Nair S (2008) Stress adaptations in a Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterium (PGPR) with increasing salinity in the coastal agricultural soils. J Basic Microbiol 48:378–384. https://doi.org/10.1002/jobm.200700365
Pignolet O, Jubeau S, Vaca-Garcia C, Michaud P (2013) Highly valuable microalgae: biochemical and topological aspects Highly valuable microal-gae: biochemical and topological aspects. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-013-1281-7ï
Pimentel D, Berger B, Filiberto D, et al (2004) Water resources: agricultural and environmental issues
Prashar P, Shah S (2016) Impact of fertilizers and pesticides on soil microflora in agriculture. Sustain Agric Rev. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26777-7_8
Puglisi I, Barone V, Sidella S et al (2018) Biostimulant activity of humic-like substances from agro-industrial waste on Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda. Eur J Phycol 53:433–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2018.1458997
Rachidi F, Benhima R, Kasmi Y et al (2021) Evaluation of microalgae polysaccharides as biostimulants of tomato plant defense using metabolomics and biochemical approaches. Sci Rep 11:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78820-2
Rahman KM (2020) Food and high value products from microalgae: market opportunities and challenges. Microalgae Biotechnol Food Heal High Value Prod. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0169-2_1
Rajvanshi S, Sharma MP (2012) Micro algae: a potential source of biodiesel. J Sustain Bioenergy Syst 02:49–59. https://doi.org/10.4236/jsbs.2012.23008
Ramanan R, Kannan K, Deshkar A et al (2010) Enhanced algal CO2 sequestration through calcite deposition by Chlorella sp. and Spirulina platensis in a mini-raceway pond. Bioresour Technol 101:2616–2622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.061
Rana RS, Singh P, Kandari V et al (2014) (2014) A review on characterization and bioremediation of pharmaceutical industries’ wastewater: an Indian perspective. Appl Water Sci 71(7):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13201-014-0225-3
Randhir A, Laird DW, Maker G et al (2020) Microalgae: a potential sustainable commercial source of sterols. Algal Res 46:101772. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2019.101772
Renhe Q, Song G, Paola A. L, Kimberly LO (2021) Effects of pH on cell growth, lipid production and CO2 addition of microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1580748. Accessed 9 Aug 2021
Renuka N, Guldhe A, Prasanna R et al (2018) Microalgae as multi-functional options in modern agriculture: current trends, prospects and challenges. Biotechnol Adv 36:1255–1273. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIOTECHADV.2018.04.004
Rodolfi L, Zittelli GC, Bassi N et al (2009) Microalgae for oil: strain selection, induction of lipid synthesis and outdoor mass cultivation in a low-cost photobioreactor. Biotechnol Bioeng 102:100–112. https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.22033
Rodríguez A, Stella A, Storni M et al (2006) Effects of cyanobacterial extracellular products and gibberellic acid on salinity tolerance in Oryza sativa L. Saline Syst 2:7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1448-2-7
Ronga D, Biazzi E, Parati K et al (2019) Microalgal biostimulants and biofertilisers in crop productions. Agronomy. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9040192
Rosegrant MW, Cline SA (2003) Global food security: challenges and policies. Science. 302:1917–1919
Rosenzweig C, Elliott J, Deryng D et al (2014) Assessing agricultural risks of climate change in the 21st century in a global gridded crop model intercomparison. Proc Natl Acad Sci 111:3268–3273. https://doi.org/10.1073/PNAS.1222463110
Saad A, Atia A (2014) Review on freshwater blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria): occurrence, classification and toxicology. Biosci Biotechnol Res ASIA 11:1319–1325. https://doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1522
Saifullah AZ, Abdul Karim M, Ahmad-Yazid A (2014) Microalgae: an alternative source of renewable energy. Am J Eng Res 03:330–338
Samiee-Zafarghandi R, Karimi-Sabet J, Abdoli MA, Karbassi A (2018) Increasing microalgal carbohydrate content for hydrothermal gasification purposes. Renew Energy 116:710–719. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RENENE.2017.10.020
Sanchez-Tarre V, Kiparissides A (2021) The effects of illumination and trophic strategy on gene expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Algal Res 54:102186. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2021.102186
Sand-Jensen K, Jespersen TS (2012) Tolerance of the widespread cyanobacterium Nostoc commune to extreme temperature variations (-269 to 105°C), pH and salt stress. Oecologia 169:331–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-011-2200-0
Sathasivam R, Radhakrishnan R, Hashem A, Abd Allah EF (2019) Microalgae metabolites: a rich source for food and medicine. Saudi J Biol Sci 26:709–722
Savary S, Ficke A, Aubertot JN, Hollier C (2012) Crop losses due to diseases and their implications for global food production losses and food security. Food Secur 4:519–537
Schmidhuber J, Tubiello FN (2007) Global food security under climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:19703–19709
Schmollinger S, Mühlhaus T, Boyle NR et al (2014) Nitrogen-sparing mechanisms in Chlamydomonas affect the transcriptome, the proteome, and photosynthetic metabolism. Plant Cell 26:1410–1435. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.113.122523
Schwarz D, Gross W (2015) Algae affecting lettuce growth in hydroponic systems. J Horticult Sci Biotechnol 79:554–559. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2004.11511804
Senthil-Kumar M, Wang K, Mysore KS (2013) AtCYP710A1 gene-mediated stigmasterol production plays a role in imparting temperature stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Signal Behav. https://doi.org/10.4161/psb.23142
Shah MMR, Liang Y, Cheng JJ, Daroch M (2016) Astaxanthin-producing green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis: from single cell to high value commercial products. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPLS.2016.00531
Shrivastava P, Kumar R (2015) Soil salinity: a serious environmental issue and plant growth promoting bacteria as one of the tools for its alleviation. Saudi J Biol Sci 22:123–131
Singh JS, Kumar A, Rai AN, Singh DP (2016) Cyanobacteria: a precious bio-resource in agriculture, ecosystem, and environmental sustainability. Front Microbiol 7:529
Shankar SS (2014) Cyanobacteria: a vital bio-agent in eco-restoration of degraded lands and sustainable agriculture-Indian journals. http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:cces&volume=2&issue=2&article=006. Accessed 5 Oct 2020
Spolaore P, Joannis-Cassan C, Duran E, Isambert A (2006) Commercial applications of microalgae. J Biosci Bioeng 101:87–96. https://doi.org/10.1263/jbb.101.87
Stanier RY, Sistrom WR, Hansen TA (1978) Proposal to place the nomenclature of the cyanbacteria (blue-green algae) under the rules of the international code of nomenclature of bacteria. Int J Syst Bacteriol 28:335–336. https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-28-2-335
Stephens E, Ross IL, Hankamer B (2013) Expanding the microalgal industry—continuing controversy or compelling case? Curr Opin Chem Biol 17:444–452
Subashchandrabose SR, Ramakrishnan B, Megharaj M et al (2011) Consortia of cyanobacteria/microalgae and bacteria: biotechnological potential. Biotechnol Adv 29:896–907
Supraja KV, Behera B, Balasubramanian P (2020) Performance evaluation of hydroponic system for co-cultivation of microalgae and tomato plant. J Clean Prod 272:122823. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2020.122823
Surjana D, Halliday GM, Damian DL (2010) Role of nicotinamide in DNA damage, mutagenesis, and DNA repair. J Nucleic Acids. https://doi.org/10.4061/2010/157591
Swarnalakshmi K, Prasanna R, Kumar A et al (2013) Evaluating the influence of novel cyanobacterial biofilmed biofertilizers on soil fertility and plant nutrition in wheat. Eur J Soil Biol 55:107–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EJSOBI.2012.12.008
Tamagnini P, Axelsson R, Lindberg P et al (2002) Hydrogenases and hydrogen metabolism of cyanobacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 66:1–20. https://doi.org/10.1128/mmbr.66.1.1-20.2002
Tan JS, Lee SY, Chew KW et al (2020) A review on microalgae cultivation and harvesting, and their biomass extraction processing using ionic liquids. Bioengineered 11:116–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2020.1711626
Tarento TDC, McClure DD, Vasiljevski E et al (2018) Microalgae as a source of vitamin K1. Algal Res 36:77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ALGAL.2018.10.008
Tejano LA, Peralta JP, Yap EES et al (2019) Prediction of bioactive peptides from Chlorella sorokiniana proteins using proteomic techniques in combination with bioinformatics analyses. Int J Mol Sci 20:1786. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJMS20071786
Teng PS, Johnson KB (1988) Analysis of epidemiological components in yield loss assessment. Experimental techniques in plant disease epidemiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 179–189
Thaler EA, Larsen IJ, Yu Q (2021) The extent of soil loss across the US Corn Belt. Proc Natl Acad Sci. https://doi.org/10.1073/PNAS.1922375118
Tiefenbacher A, Sandén T, Haslmayr HP et al (2021) Optimizing carbon sequestration in croplands: a synthesis. Agronomy 11:1–28. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050882
Tocquin P, Corbesier L, Havelange A et al (2003) (2003) A novel high efficiency, low maintenance, hydroponic system for synchronous growth and flowering of Arabidopsis thaliana. BMC Plant Biol 31(3):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-3-2
Tokuşoglu Ö, Ünal MK (2003) Biomass nutrient profiles of three microalgae: Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, and Isochrisis galbana. J Food Sci 68:1144–1148. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2003.tb09615.x
Tredici MR (2004) Handbook of Microalgal Culture—Handbook of Microalgal Culture—Wiley Online Library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9780470995280#page=192. Accessed 5 Oct 2020
Vaishampayan A, Sinha RP, Häder DP et al (2001) Cyanobacterial biofertilizers in rice agriculture. Bot Rev 67:453–516
Van Krimpen MM, Bikker P, Van der Meer IM, et al (2013) Cultivation, processing and nutritional aspects for pigs and poultry of European protein sources as alternatives for imported soybean products. https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/437524. Accessed 5 Oct 2020
Wang Y, Cong Y, Wang Y et al (2019) Identification of early salinity stress-responsive proteins in dunaliella salina by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic analysis. Int J Mol Sci 20:599. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJMS20030599
Wijffels R, Barbosa M (2010) An outlook on microalgal biofuels. Science 10:67
Wu M, Zhu R, Lu J et al (2020) Effects of different abiotic stresses on carotenoid and fatty acid metabolism in the green microalga Dunaliella salina Y6. Ann Microbiol 70:48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13213-020-01588-3
Xiao R, Zheng Y (2016) Overview of microalgal extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and their applications. Biotechnol Adv 34:1225–1244
Xie Y, Xiong X, Chen S (2021) Challenges and potential in increasing lutein content in microalgae. Microorganisms. https://doi.org/10.3390/MICROORGANISMS9051068
Yakhin OI, Lubyanov AA, Yakhin IA, Brown PH (2017) Biostimulants in plant science: a global perspective. Front Plant Sci 7:2049
Yang ZK, Zheng JW, Niu YF et al (2014) Systems-level analysis of the metabolic responses of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to phosphorus stress. Environ Microbiol 16:1793–1807. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12411
Yuan JP, Peng J, Yin K, Wang JH (2011) Potential health-promoting effects of astaxanthin: a high-value carotenoid mostly from microalgae. Mol Nutr Food Res 55:150–165
Yue Z, Yuyong H, Zhiyong L, et al (2016) Identification of NaHCO3 Stress Responsive Proteins in Dunaliella salina HTBS using iTRAQ-based Analysis. In: Article. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yuyong-Hou/publication/303770280_Identification_of_NaHCO3_Stress_Responsive_Proteins_in_Dunaliella_salina_HTBS_using_iTRAQ-based_Analysis/links/575a29c608ae9a9c954f2c62/Identification-of-NaHCO3-Stress-Responsive-Proteins-in-Dunaliella-salina-HTBS-using-iTRAQ-based-Analysis.pdf. Accessed 13 Oct 2021
Zhang J, Wang X, Zhou Q (2017) Co-cultivation of Chlorella spp and tomato in a hydroponic system. Biomass Bioenerg 97:132–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.12.024
Zhang L, Yan C, Guo Q et al (2018) The impact of agricultural chemical inputs on environment: global evidence from informetrics analysis and visualization. Int J Low-Carbon Technol 13:338–352. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijlct/cty039
Zhu X-G, Long SP, Ort DR (2010) Improving photosynthetic efficiency for greater yield. Annu Rev Plant Biol 61:235–261. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-042809-112206
Zulpa G, Zaccaro MC, Boccazzi F et al (2003) Bioactivity of intra and extracellular substances from cyanobacteria and lactic acid bacteria on “wood blue stain” fungi. Biol Control 27:345–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1049-9644(03)00015-X
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
CMJ conceived the idea and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. CMJ designed the figures and drafted the table. EH contributed to manuscript revision, content modifications, scientific review and approval of the final version. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
Not applicable.
Consent for Publication
Not applicable.
Additional information
Handling Editor: Wendy Stirk.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mutale-Joan, C., Sbabou, L. & Hicham, E.A. Microalgae and Cyanobacteria: How Exploiting These Microbial Resources Can Address the Underlying Challenges Related to Food Sources and Sustainable Agriculture: A Review. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 1–20 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10534-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10534-9