Mitigating drought effects in maize with Trichoderma harzianum (strain - ESALQ 1306): a bioinoculant for sustainable agriculture

Renato Lustosa Sobrinho, Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho, Christiane Abreu de Oliveira-Paiva, Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira, Tiago Zoz, Bruno Rodrigues de Oliveira, Guilherme Carlos Fernandes, Karina da Silva Souza, Afrah E. Mohammed, Modhi O. Alotaibi, Seham. M. Hamed and Taciane Finatto
Additional contact information
Renato Lustosa Sobrinho: Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, School of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP-FEIS), Ilha Solteira, São Paulo, Brazil
Christiane Abreu de Oliveira-Paiva: Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira: Department of Agronomy, Mato Grosso do Sul State University (UEMS), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Tiago Zoz: Department of Agronomy, Mato Grosso do Sul State University (UEMS), Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Bruno Rodrigues de Oliveira: Pantanal Editora, Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Guilherme Carlos Fernandes: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Karina da Silva Souza: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Afrah E. Mohammed: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Modhi O. Alotaibi: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Seham. M. Hamed: Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Plant, Soil and Environment, 2025, vol. 71, issue 10, 735-749

Abstract: Agriculture faces increasing challenges due to climate change, underscoring the importance of beneficial microorganisms for enhancing crop resilience and improving soil health. However, the performance of microbial inoculant strains can vary widely depending on the cultivated species and environmental conditions. This study evaluated the ESALQ 1306 strain of Trichoderma harzianum, a soil fungus recognised as a biological control agent for crops such as soybean and strawberry, investigating its potential as a growth promoter in maize (Zea mays L.). Field experiments were conducted with three commercial cultivars (DKB255, DKB360, and 2B810) over two growing seasons, one under irrigation and the other under severe natural drought. The results revealed that Trichoderma (ESALQ 1306) significantly increased plant height, biomass, and grain yield, particularly under drought stress, despite lacking a formal recommendation for maize. The cv. DKB360 showed the greatest response, with yield increases of up to 60% compared to untreated controls. Inoculation also improved nutrient uptake, especially nitrogen, highlighting its potential to maintain soil health and fertility. These findings demonstrate that the ESALQ 1306 strain of Trichoderma is a promising soil bioinoculant for agriculture, capable of improving maize performance under both optimal and stressful conditions. However, it is important to emphasise that genotype-specific responses highlight the need to align bioinoculant application with selecting specific cultivars to ensure inoculation success. This insight is crucial for guiding future breeding programs and establishing clear regulatory guidelines for commercialising biological products, fostering sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.

Keywords: endophytic microorganism; drought tolerance; maize yield; biological inoculants; innovation; plant-microbe interaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/330/2025-PSE.html (text/html)
http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/330/2025-PSE.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:71:y:2025:i:10:id:330-2025-pse

DOI: 10.17221/330/2025-PSE

Access Statistics for this article

Plant, Soil and Environment is currently edited by Mgr. Kateřina Součková

More articles in Plant, Soil and Environment from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().