The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate

Biofilm obtained from <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> subsp. <i>spizizenii</i> inoculated on vegetable seeds has been shown to have plant growth-promoting capacity. Seed inoculation with biofilm produced by this strain could also reduce the adverse effects on plant growth caused by...

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Main Authors: Mirta Esther Galelli, Josefina Ana Eva Cristóbal-Miguez, Eliana Cárdenas-Aguiar, Ana Rosa García, Antonio Paz-González, Gabriela Cristina Sarti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2237
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author Mirta Esther Galelli
Josefina Ana Eva Cristóbal-Miguez
Eliana Cárdenas-Aguiar
Ana Rosa García
Antonio Paz-González
Gabriela Cristina Sarti
author_facet Mirta Esther Galelli
Josefina Ana Eva Cristóbal-Miguez
Eliana Cárdenas-Aguiar
Ana Rosa García
Antonio Paz-González
Gabriela Cristina Sarti
author_sort Mirta Esther Galelli
collection DOAJ
description Biofilm obtained from <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> subsp. <i>spizizenii</i> inoculated on vegetable seeds has been shown to have plant growth-promoting capacity. Seed inoculation with biofilm produced by this strain could also reduce the adverse effects on plant growth caused by soil or substrate heavy metal overabundance. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of biofilm inoculated on tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) seeds, which were planted on a substrate with artificially added zinc. First, seeds of the Río Grande tomato variety were exposed to increasing zinc concentrations, namely: 50, 100, 200, and 400 ppm, with and without bacterial biofilm inoculation. Zinc addition and seed inoculation affected germination parameters. For example, an extra 200 and 400 ppm of zinc led to high toxicity. Biofilm inoculation, however, reduced the noxious effects of excess zinc, bringing acute toxicity down to moderate. Then, tomato plants growing from inoculated and non-inoculated seeds were cropped for 4 months in both substrates with 400 ppm zinc and without added zinc. Extra zinc addition significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) reduced tomato root and shoot biomass, plant height, and fruit number at harvest time. However, seed biofilm inoculation avoided the harmful effect of zinc on plant growth parameters, fruit yield, and fruit quality. The roots and shoots of plants growing on contaminated substrates showed very noticeable increases in zinc levels compared to the control, while fruits only showed a much weaker zinc gain, even if this was significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, root shoot and fruit concentrations of elements other than zinc, (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, lead, and cadmium) were not or only weakly affected by the addition of this metal to the substrate. In summary, the biofilm of <i>B. subtilis</i> proved to be effective as a bioinoculant to alleviate negative effects on tomatoes cropped in a substrate with excess zinc.
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spelling doaj-art-9f4ebddb010c40ed92ffa2df0184c32c2025-08-20T02:48:01ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-11-011211223710.3390/microorganisms12112237The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated SubstrateMirta Esther Galelli0Josefina Ana Eva Cristóbal-Miguez1Eliana Cárdenas-Aguiar2Ana Rosa García3Antonio Paz-González4Gabriela Cristina Sarti5Agrofood Area, Department of Applied Biology and Food, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, ArgentinaInorganic and Analytic Chemistry Cathedra, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, ArgentinaAQUATERRA Reseach Group, Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology, CICA, University of A Coruna, As Carballeiras, s/n Campus de Elviña, 15008 Coruna, SpainInorganic and Analytic Chemistry Cathedra, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, ArgentinaAQUATERRA Reseach Group, Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology, CICA, University of A Coruna, As Carballeiras, s/n Campus de Elviña, 15008 Coruna, SpainInorganic and Analytic Chemistry Cathedra, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, ArgentinaBiofilm obtained from <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> subsp. <i>spizizenii</i> inoculated on vegetable seeds has been shown to have plant growth-promoting capacity. Seed inoculation with biofilm produced by this strain could also reduce the adverse effects on plant growth caused by soil or substrate heavy metal overabundance. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of biofilm inoculated on tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) seeds, which were planted on a substrate with artificially added zinc. First, seeds of the Río Grande tomato variety were exposed to increasing zinc concentrations, namely: 50, 100, 200, and 400 ppm, with and without bacterial biofilm inoculation. Zinc addition and seed inoculation affected germination parameters. For example, an extra 200 and 400 ppm of zinc led to high toxicity. Biofilm inoculation, however, reduced the noxious effects of excess zinc, bringing acute toxicity down to moderate. Then, tomato plants growing from inoculated and non-inoculated seeds were cropped for 4 months in both substrates with 400 ppm zinc and without added zinc. Extra zinc addition significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) reduced tomato root and shoot biomass, plant height, and fruit number at harvest time. However, seed biofilm inoculation avoided the harmful effect of zinc on plant growth parameters, fruit yield, and fruit quality. The roots and shoots of plants growing on contaminated substrates showed very noticeable increases in zinc levels compared to the control, while fruits only showed a much weaker zinc gain, even if this was significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, root shoot and fruit concentrations of elements other than zinc, (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, lead, and cadmium) were not or only weakly affected by the addition of this metal to the substrate. In summary, the biofilm of <i>B. subtilis</i> proved to be effective as a bioinoculant to alleviate negative effects on tomatoes cropped in a substrate with excess zinc.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2237<i>Bacillus subtilis</i>biofilm inoculationzinc excesstoxicity alleviationurban agriculture
spellingShingle Mirta Esther Galelli
Josefina Ana Eva Cristóbal-Miguez
Eliana Cárdenas-Aguiar
Ana Rosa García
Antonio Paz-González
Gabriela Cristina Sarti
The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
Microorganisms
<i>Bacillus subtilis</i>
biofilm inoculation
zinc excess
toxicity alleviation
urban agriculture
title The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
title_full The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
title_fullStr The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
title_full_unstemmed The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
title_short The Effects of Seed Inoculation with Bacterial Biofilm on the Growth and Elemental Composition of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) Cultivated on a Zinc-Contaminated Substrate
title_sort effects of seed inoculation with bacterial biofilm on the growth and elemental composition of tomato i solanum lycopersicum i l cultivated on a zinc contaminated substrate
topic <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>
biofilm inoculation
zinc excess
toxicity alleviation
urban agriculture
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2237
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