Use of biostimulants for a sustainable horticulture:

mitigation of thermal and salt stress in tomato

Phase 1: Leibniz- Institut für Gemüse und Zierpflanzenbau Großbeeren/Erfurt

Researcher: IGZ Supervisor:Tiziano Celli Dr. D. Schwarz

Tuscia University Supervisor:Dr. G.Colla

Index presentation

• Introduction: “Torno Subito 2015”, project “Use of biostimulants for a sustainable horticulture”

• Materials and Methods:– Biostimulants general introduction– Trainer (LISIVEG technology)– Hydrolysates Protein and cold tolerance– Effectiveness of TRAINER in lettuce and tomato– Materials and methods experiment IGZ

• Acknowledgement

Torno Subito 2015• Regione Lazio improving

knowledge and professionality of young citizens- two parts

• My case: experiment carried out in tomato with partnership IGZ Großbeeren/Universita’ della Tuscia

• Improving the tomato cultivation practice in Lazio Region (specifically Latina’s province)

Biostimulant

Any substance or microorganism applied to plants or the rhizosphere:1. Enhance/benefit nutrient uptake, use and

efficiency 2. Enhance quality traits 3. Tolerance to abiotic stresses 4. Furthermore important:• Mixtures of such substances and/or microorganisms

• Action regardless nutrients content. Du Jardin 2015, Scientia Horticulturae 196 (2015): 3-14

…With the aim to achieve a (more) sustainable agriculture

• Feeding a growing population.

• Extreme meteorological events

• Facilitating nutrient assimilation and use

• Products quality attributes

• Improve soil health

Classification of biostimulants• Humic and fulvic acids• Protein hydrolysates and

other N-containing compounds

• Seaweed extract and botanicals

• Chitosan and other biopolymers

• Inorganic compounds (Si, Al, Se)

• Beneficial fungi and bacteria (biofertilizer)

Protein hydrolysates and other N-containing compounds

• Definition: Mixture of polypeptidized, oligopeptidized and aminoacids that are manufactured from protein sources using partial hydrolysis.

• Origin: Animal or vegetal protein, chemical or enzymatic hydrolyzation• Main function: growth, nutrient uptake, tolerance to abiotic stresses,

product quality• Weakness: Animal for vegan and Islamic and Hindus population,

biological production• Strength: Better efficiency of the plant, higher production, higher

secondary methabolites content, waste disposal (animal)

HP biostimulants and cold tolerance • Heavier fruits• Improving of the cold

tolerance and less damage under frost conditions

• Unclear mechanism of action of the biostimulant to enhance the tolerance

Bogunovic et alt. Hort.Sci. 42, 2015 (3): 132-140

Previous experiments with TRAINER

• Hormone like action (Auxin, gibberellin)• Accelerate metabolic pathway N (NR,

GS)• Bigger root apparatus High N uptake

• Reduce loss of production under salt stress (Proline)

• Higher photochemical activity (Antioxidant)• Better nutritional status (N,P)• Depending on the way of application

Lucini L. et alt., Sc. Hort. 182 (2015): 124-133 Colla G. et alt., Front. in plant Sc. (2014) Vol. 5:, Art. 448, 1-5

Trainer (Italpollina)• TRAINER is based on 100%

vegetal aminoacids and peptides

• LISIVEG® innovative treatment technology preserves weak amino-acids (ex. Tryptophan) and maintains their activity unaltered.

• Ammynoacids in Levorotatory form (selective hydrolization)

Hypotheses

Hypothesis 1- Different varieties will react differently under cold stress at the use of the plant biostimulant.Hypothesis 2- Sensitivity to cold stress is alleviated by using of biostimulants due to a greater uptake efficiency, and use, of nutrientsHypothesis 3- The low nutrient supply for the plant in the scarce solution will be compensated by greater root surface caused by the application of the biostimulant

Material and Methods • NFT system • 2 different temperatures-(15 ˚C and 20 ˚C)• 2 different varieties-Komett and Super

Sweet• 2 different nutrient concentration of the

nutrient solution- 0.7 dSm¯² and 3.5 dSm¯² • Trainer/Control

Continuous measurements and operations

• First treatment with biostimulant dipping the plant

• Biometric measures (number of leaves, lenghtLeaf area, number of trusses)

• Photosynthesis gas exchange measurement

• Nutrient solution uptake• Other routine operations:

change of the nutrient solution in the 0.7 dSm¯², daily check EC and pH in the tanks, suckers removal , polinization, Treatments with biostimulant each 10 days dosis 3ml/l)

Additional measurements harvest• Yield (green fruits)• FM, DM of shoots and

roots• Leaf sample 5th leaf for

analyses of nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS)

• Sugars and starches in the leaf

• Root morphology (Scan)• Mineral analysis: NO3, NH4,

total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mo, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, B.

Danke für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit

Acknowledgement

• Regione Lazio and Torno Subito 2015• Dr. D. Schwarz • Prof. Dr. G. Colla• Prof. Dr. Youssef Rouphael• Frau Gundula Aust• Thomas Runge, Christian Jorgiz, Oskar Lindner, Joss

F. Kurz• All the other technical assistant for the kind support