Niron et al. (2026): Interactive effects of basalt, B. subtilis, and soil moisture on maize physiology and nutrient uptake

Harun Niron, Laura Steinwidder, Lucilla Boito, Sarah Janse, Jasper Roussard and Sara Vicca, IN: Plant and Soil, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08911-y

The roles of soil microbiota and water availability in regulating the biogeochemical and plant-related effects of enhanced silicate weathering (ESW), which can simultaneously remove atmospheric CO₂ and improve soil fertility, remain unresolved. This study aimed to determine how basalt amendment, microbial inoculation, and soil moisture availability interact to influence maize performance, nutrient dynamics, and soil processes.
A fully factorial outdoor mesocosm experiment was conducted using soil amended with basalt and inoculated with Bacillus subtilis under temporally differentiated soil water availability. Plant biomass, nutrient status, heavy metal uptake, and photosynthetic system responses were measured alongside changes in soil chemistry and water status.

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