Effect of microalgal biomass from MACC-612 Nostoc enthophytum and MACC-430 Tetracystis sp. on sunflower

production

P. Pőthe1, I. Gergely1, V.Ördög1,2

1University of West Hungary, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Institute of Plant Biology.9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Kolbai K. Str 8., Hungary

2Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal,Pietermaritzburg, P/BAG X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa

International Scientific Conference for PhD Students the University of West Hungarythe University of West Hungary Győr,Hungary, March 19-20,2013

Talentum Project

The background of experiments

• Hormon test of microalgae strains in Mosonmagyaróvár (1990-)

• Selection of fast-growing algae strains

• Investigation of biological effects of selected microalgae strains on sunflower

Plant hormone production of MACC strains

BioassaysBioassays for detection of for detection of auxin- and cytokinin-like activityauxin- and cytokinin-like activity

Auxin-like activityAuxin-like activity: Cucumber cotyledon rooting : Cucumber cotyledon rooting bioassay bioassay (I(IBABA, , indole-butyric acidindole-butyric acid)),, ((Zhao et al 1992Zhao et al 1992))Cytikonin like activityCytikonin like activity: : Cucumber cotyledon growth cotyledon growth bioassay bioassay (KIN, kinetin(KIN, kinetinee)), (, (Zhao et al 1992Zhao et al 1992))

151,37

138,48

136,79

121,17

100 99,26

106,2

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0 0,3 0,38 0,5 1 3 10

kinetine concentration (mg/l)

Fre

sh w

eig

ht

of

10 c

oty

led

on

s in

% o

f co

ntr

ol

Cytokinin-like activity of the MACC-612 biomass in 2 g/L conc.Cytokinin-like activity of the MACC-612 biomass in 2 g/L conc.

168,85

112,1

100

79,44

136,48

165,8

142142

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 0,25 0,3 0,5 0,96 1 3 10

IBA concentration (mg/l)

Ro

ot

nu

mb

er in

% o

f co

ntr

ol

Auxin-like activity of the MACC-612 biomass in 2 g/L conc.Auxin-like activity of the MACC-612 biomass in 2 g/L conc.

TREATMENT OF SUNFLOWER WITH HORMONE-TREATMENT OF SUNFLOWER WITH HORMONE-PRODUCING MICROALGAEPRODUCING MICROALGAE

1.1. MACC-6MACC-61212, , cyanobacterium cyanobacterium strain with strain with cytokinincytokinin--like activity,like activity,

2.2. MMACC-ACC-430430, microalga strain with auxin- , microalga strain with auxin- and and cytokinin like cytokinin like activityactivity

Nostoc entophytum MACC-612

Algae biomass production

• Cultivation in Zehnder Z-8 (MACC-612)

• Centrifugation and freeze-drying

• Freeze-dried biomass

Experiment

• Place: Mosonmagyaróvár ( Hungary)• Sowing:04.04.2012• Plot size: 27 m2

• Number of Treatments: 7• Number of Repetitions: 4• Treatments:

» 4-6 leafy (Phenophase I.)» Rosette growth (Phenophase II.)

• Harvesting: 17.09.2012• Observations and measurements of the treatments were

between May and October of 2012

Spraying at phenophase I. (4-6 leafy)

Spraying at phenophase II.(rosette growth)

TreatmentsTreatments Dose

g/haVolume of the spray (l/ha)

Phenophase

BBCH-scale

Date of treatment

I. Control - - -

II. MACC-612 400 400 4-6 leafy BBCH-12 19.05.2012

III. MACC-430 400 400 4-6 leafy BBCH-12 19.05.2012

IV. MACC-612 700 700 rosette growth BBCH-18/32 23.06.2012

V. MACC-430 700 700 rosette growth BBCH-18/32 23.06.2012

VI.MACC-612

400 400 4-6 leafy BBCH-12 19.05.2012

700 700 rosette growth BBCH18/32 23.06.2012

VII.MACC-430

400 400 4-6 leafy BBCH-12 19.05.2012

700 700 rosette growth BBCH18/32 23.06.2012

Investigated parameters I.

On field:

• Plant height• Plate diameter• Root mass• Yield• Phytotoxicity

Investigated parameters II.

In laboratory:

• Gross plate weight (g)• Net plate weight (g)• 1000 achene weight (g)• Oil content• Oil yield (kg/ha)

Plant height of sunflower(cm)

150 151 153 154,5 155 158

157

150

Plate diameter at harvest

I. ControllII. MACC-612 1x sprayingIII. MACC-430 1x sprayingIV. MACC-612 1x sprayingV. MACC-430 1x sprayingVI. MACC-612 2x sprayingVII.MACC-430 2x spraying

Root mass at harvest time

I. ControllII. MACC-612 1x sprayingIII. MACC-430 1x sprayingIV. MACC-612 1x sprayingV. MACC-430 1x sprayingVI. MACC-612 2x sprayingVII.MACC-430 2x spraying

Statistically significant results

Sunflower yield

I. ControllII. MACC-612 1x sprayingIII. MACC-430 1x sprayingIV. MACC-612 1x sprayingV. MACC-430 1x sprayingVI. MACC-612 2x sprayingVII.MACC-430 2x spraying

2621,3* 2603,3*2551,5*

*P < 0,05%

Gross Plate Weight

I. ControllII. MACC-612 1x sprayingIII. MACC-430 1x sprayingIV. MACC-612 1x sprayingV. MACC-430 1x sprayingVI. MACC-612 2x sprayingVII.MACC-430 2x spraying

86 93 92

107,6*

105,4

116,4* 112,4*

*P < 0,05%

Thousand Achene Weight

Treatments

68,24* 67,38*

*P < 0,05%

Oil Content (%)

Oil Yield (kg/ha)

Mosonmagyaróvár (497mm)

The geographic distribution of precipitation in Hungary in 2012

Deviation of average monthly precipitation of 2012 from the many year's (1981-2011) values in Hungary

Conclusion and suggestions

• The treatment of sunflower with 0,1% Nostoc enthophytum biomass positively affected the growth, development and consequently the yield of sunflower

• The treatments did not cause phytotoxicity

• Based on the presented results it can be stated that plant treatment with selected microalgae strains is a good tool for overcomming the drought stress in sunflower

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!