Abstract
Salinity poses a persistent threat to agricultural land, continuously jeopardizing global food security. This study aimed to enhance sweet corn (SC) fitness under varying levels of salinity using indigenous biostimulants (BioS) and to assess their impacts on plant performance and soil quality. The experiment included control (0 mM NaCl), moderate stress (MS; 50 mM NaCl), and severe stress (SS; 100 mM NaCl) conditions. Indigenous biostimulants, including compost (C), Bacillus sp., Bacillus subtilis (R), and a consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (A) were applied either individually or in combination. Growth traits, physiological and biochemical parameters in maize plants, and the physico–chemical properties of their associated soils were assessed. SS negatively affected plant growth and soil quality. The RC combination significantly improved plant growth under SS, increasing aerial (238%) and root (220%) dry weights compared to controls. This treatment reduced hydrogen peroxide by 54% and increased peroxidase activity by 46% compared to controls. The indigenous biostimulants, particularly C and R, enhanced soil structure and mineral composition (K and Mg). Soil organic carbon and available phosphorus increased notably in C-treated soils. Furthermore, RC (437%) and CAR (354%) treatments exhibited a significant increase in glomalin content under SS. Indigenous biostimulants offer a promising strategy to mitigate salinity-related threats to agricultural land. They improve plant fitness, fine-tune metabolism, and reduce oxidative stress. In addition, the biostimulants improved the soil structure and mineral composition, highlighting their potential for reconstitution and sustainability in salt-affected areas. This approach holds promise for addressing salinity-related threats to global food security.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Severe salt stress harmed plant growth and soil quality.
- Taxon
- sweet corne2
- Treatment
- severe stress (SS; 100 mM NaCl)e1
- Outcome
- plant growth and soil qualitye0
- Direction
- negatively affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“SS negatively affected plant growth and soil quality”
e1“severe stress (SS; 100 mM NaCl)”
e2“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
RC raised aerial dry weight by 238% under severe salt stress.
Verbatim
e0“The RC combination significantly improved plant growth under SS, increasing aerial (238%) and root (220%) dry weights compared to controls”
e1“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
RC raised root dry weight by 220% under severe salt stress.
Verbatim
e0“The RC combination significantly improved plant growth under SS, increasing aerial (238%) and root (220%) dry weights compared to controls”
e1“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
RC reduced hydrogen peroxide by 54% relative to controls.
Verbatim
e0“This treatment reduced hydrogen peroxide by 54% and increased peroxidase activity by 46% compared to controls”
e1“The RC combination”
e2“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
RC increased peroxidase activity by 46% relative to controls.
Verbatim
e0“This treatment reduced hydrogen peroxide by 54% and increased peroxidase activity by 46% compared to controls”
e1“The RC combination”
e2“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulants, especially compost and Bacillus subtilis, enhanced soil structure and mineral composition.
- Taxon
- sweet corne2
- Treatment
- indigenous biostimulantse0
- Outcome
- soil structure and mineral composition (K and Mg)e0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“The indigenous biostimulants, particularly C and R, enhanced soil structure and mineral composition (K and Mg)”
e1“compost (C), Bacillus sp., Bacillus subtilis (R)”
e2“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost treatment increased soil organic carbon and available phosphorus.
- Taxon
- sweet corne2
- Treatment
- compost (C)e1
- Outcome
- Soil organic carbon and available phosphoruse0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Soil organic carbon and available phosphorus increased notably in C-treated soils”
e1“compost (C)”
e2“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
RC increased glomalin content by 437% under severe salt stress.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“RC (437%) and CAR (354%) treatments exhibited a significant increase in glomalin content under SS”
e1“sweet corn (SC)”
Claim · model-written summary
CAR increased glomalin content by 354% under severe salt stress.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“RC (437%) and CAR (354%) treatments exhibited a significant increase in glomalin content under SS”
e1“sweet corn (SC)”
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