Unraveling the synergistic effects of Bacillus cereus and different concentrations of silicon nanoparticles on wheat under rain-fed conditions of Pakistan.
Umer M, Perveen K, Khan F, Barasarathi J, Khan N
Crop Improvement
The wheat in your bread could soon be grown with far fewer chemical fertilizers — a soil bacterium paired with tiny silicon particles is proving it can do the job better, while keeping farmland healthier for the long run.
Scientists tested whether a naturally occurring soil bacterium and tiny particles of silicon could help wheat grow better without relying heavily on chemical fertilizers. They ran two years of real field trials on rain-dependent farmland in Pakistan — not a greenhouse — and found that using both together was dramatically more effective than either one alone. Grain yields jumped by more than 42%, and the plants were also better at defending themselves against environmental stress.
Key Findings
Combining Bacillus cereus bacteria with 150 mg/L silicon nanoparticles increased wheat grain yield by 42.56% compared to untreated control plants.
Antioxidant enzyme activity rose significantly — catalase by 36%, superoxide dismutase by 28%, and peroxidase by 17% — indicating stronger plant stress defenses.
The combined treatment outperformed either bacteria or silicon nanoparticles used alone, and improved harvest index by 12.32%.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Combining beneficial soil bacteria with silicon nanoparticles boosted wheat yields by over 42% in Pakistan's rain-fed farmland, offering a greener alternative to chemical fertilizers under climate stress.
Abstract Preview
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a critical staple crop facing severe yield losses due to increasing climate change, particularly in the rain-fed agro-ecosystems of Pakistan. The overreliance on che...
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