Niron et al. (2024): Exploring the Synergy of Enhanced Weathering and Rhizobacteria in Sustainable Agriculture
Harun Niron, Laura Steinwidder, Jet Rijnders, Lucilla Boito, Sara Vicca IN: EGU General Assembly 2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-16303
In a maize mesocosm experiment combining B. subtilis, basalt, and water content as variables, the authors observed a significant impact of B. subtilis on plant biomass in treatments, while basalt showed no major effect. In treatments with reduced irrigation, plants that were amended with basalt and B. subtilis displayed elevated leaf chlorophyll levels and improved nitrogen balance compared to plants that were not amended with B. subtilis. Across both high and low watering conditions, plants amended with basalt and B. subtilis exhibited enhanced photosynthetic activity and improved stomatal regulation. These findings suggest a promising added effect of PGPR B. subtilis to basalt-based EW for efficient crop health management under varying environmental conditions. This synergy has the potential to address the challenge of variable carbon sequestration efficiency and can provide a robust basis for improving crop health under diverse settings.