article · Horticulturae
Iron is an essential micronutrient for both plants and soil microbes, but much of the iron in agricultural soils exists as insoluble hydroxides and oxyhydroxides with low bioavailability, which reduces crop quality. Soil bacteria respond to iron scarcity by producing siderophores, which convert insoluble iron into bioavailable forms. A meta-analysis of 342 research studies was carried out using a mixed-effect model to evaluate the difference in plant growth with and without siderophore-producing bacteria. The analysis confirmed that these bacteria significantly enhance plant growth by up to 30 percent. The positive effects were most pronounced on plant weight, followed by plant height, and then germination rate. These bacteria also show potential as biological indicators for assessing the fertility status of cultivated agricultural soils.
Iron deficiency in agricultural soils restricts plant development and lowers crop quality. By synthesising data across hundreds of studies, this research confirms that beneficial soil bacteria can unlock bound iron to noticeably improve plant development. Understanding this mechanism offers valuable biological benchmarks for measuring soil health and boosting crop performance.
The findings support the potential development of microbial biofertilisers based on siderophore-producing bacteria, as well as biological soil fertility diagnostic tools for agronomists and agricultural input producers. Because this evidence is drawn from a meta-analysis of existing literature, the insights reflect synthesised applied research that requires targeted product formulation and field validation before commercial deployment.
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Iron is a vital element for plant and microbial growth; yet, the major portion of iron in soils is in the form of (oxi-)hydroxides with limited bioavailability, resulting in decreased crop yield quality. In response to iron deficiency, soil microorganisms produce siderophores that transform insoluble iron into a soluble form that plants and microorganisms can use. The abundance and activity of siderophore-producing bacteria (SPB) might be used as a biological assessment index for the fertility status of cultivated land. In order to achieve this goal, it is critical to investigate the influences of SPB on plant growth and soil quality. In this study, we performed a mixed-effect model meta-analysis on 342 research studies that compared plant growth with and without SPB. The findings revealed that SPB increased plant growth significantly (up to 30%). The stimulating effects on plants followed the sequences of pant weight, plant height, and germination rate.
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DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae9030370
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