Field evaluation of biostimulants on growth, flowering, yield, and quality of snap beans in subtropical environment

From Firenze University Press Journal: Advances in Horticultural Science

S.H. Brengi, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University

I. Abouelsaad, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Faculty of Desert Agriculture, King Salman International University

R.M. Mahdy, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University

A.A. Khadr, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture

The global population is now and will continue to exert increased pres­sure on the need for food. Hence, it is essential for farmers to annually increase food production with the existing resources to fulfill this demand. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a common vegetable that includes both snap and dry beans (Lin et al., 2008). In Egypt, farmers dedicate 27363 hectares to green bean cultivation, yielding 284299 tons annually (FAOSTAT, 2021).However, snap beans have a notable susceptbility to high summer temperatures, particularly when subjected to delayed planting, like in April and May under Egyptian field conditions (El­Bassiony et al., 2012). While it has been stated that the optimal temperature for bean plants is 23°C (Dickson and Boettger, 1984). Omae et al. (2006) observed that the occurrence of high summer temperatures (26°C Min and 30°C Max.) during the initiation of the blooming stage had an adverse impact on the quanti­ty and the weight of pods. Along with this, climate models predict a 50% decrease in global cultivated area by 2050 due to global warming (Rippke et al., 2016; Rama Rao et al., 2022). One potential approach to enhancing snap bean production is through the breeding of new cultivars. However, it is important to note that this process often takes a significant amount of time and may provide limited results (Xiong et al., 2022). Biostimulants provide a compelling alternative in the context of degraded agricultural regions and the risks associated with climate change. In recent times, there has been increased research focusin the utiliza­tion of biostimulantsin the form of plant growth reg­ulators (e.g., 6­benzylaminopurine; 6­BA as a synthet­ic cytokinin, and triacontanol; TRIA), chitosan (Ch), and trace elements (e.g., silicon; Si) that have been found effective in improving plant productivity (Du Jardin, 2015; Yaghubi et al., 2019; Islam and Mohammad, 2020; Hassan et al., 2021; Stasińska­Jakubas and Hawrylak­Nowak, 2022). Although cytokinins (CKs) have vital function in controlling plant development, they have also been shown to confer other benefits, such as improving photosyn­thetic rates, photosynthetic pigments, and nutrient uptake (Aremu et al., 2020; Li et al., 2021). In a study conducted by Mostafa and Brengi (2018), it was shown that the application of 6­BA solution on okra leaves resulted in improved yield and chemical com­position. Furthermore, Yang et al. (2016) illustrated that the treatment with 6­BA resulted in an improve­ment in several aspects of wheat grain development, including wheat grain filling and endosperm cell divi­sion under heated growth conditions. It is a widely recognized that TRIA is plant growth regulator (Islam and Mohammad, 2020). Triacontanol is a saturated alcohol initially discovered in alfalfa (Ries et al., 1977) and is found naturally as a wax coating on a variety of plant species (Islam and Mohammad, 2020). In addi­tion to its function in eliciting responses to stresses, TRIA is participated in plant growth, production, and vital physiological processes (Faiz et al., 2024). In this manner, Waqas et al. (2016) showed that both nor­mal growth and heat stress conditions, TRIA treat­ment of mung bean plants resulted in improved plant growth, leaf chlorophyll content, nutrients, and pro­tein content. Chitosan is a naturally carbohydrate polymer that has been produced from chitin, a sub­stance found in the shells of crustaceans (Hidangmayum et al., 2019). It is non­toxicand bio­compatible, making it potentially useful in agriculture and biotechnology (Stasińska­Jakubas and Hawrylak­Nowak, 2022). Basically, Ch improves physiological responses and reduces the negative effects of abiotic stressors through the secondary messengers (Hidangmayum et al., 2019). Therefore, Ch is thought to be a viable exogenous addition for increasing crop production and overcoming abiotic stress (Stasińska­Jakubas and Hawrylak­Nowak, 2022). Apart from this, Ch also enhanced the productivity of many crops such as tomatoes (El­Tantawy, 2009), cowpea (Farouk and Amany, 2012) and cucumber (Ali et al., 2020). Generally, silicon (Si)ranks among the most abundant elements found in soil (Souri et al., 2021). Recently, the connections between Si and various biological processes in multiple crops were clarified, and silicon was recognized as one of the vital nutrients required by plants (Zargar et al., 2019). Silicon is engaged in many biological activities such as photo synthesis, nutrient uptake, and plant adaptation to stress (Zargar et al., 2019; Souri et al., 2021). Potassium sili­cate (KSi) is usually used as biostimulant and a pro­ducer of both soluble K and Si (Yaghubi et al., 2019). It is well recognized that K is a core element and par­ticipates in a vital function in cell division, protein synthesis, the formation of sugars, and plant growth, as well as vital processes such as plant photosynthe­sis and stomata movement (Ali et al., 2021). Although previous studies have examined the individual impacts of these elicitors on plant growth, a comprehensive investigation into their effects specifically on snap bean plants remains lacking. Moreover, these studies evaluated different parame­ters and were conducted in different growing envi­ronments; consequently, the field evaluation of these biostimulants under a particular subtropical summer conditions are required. Thus, this research was cre­ated to test the beneficial impacts of 6­BA, Ch, TRIA, or KSi on the growth, blooming, productivity, and quality of snap bean plants grown in delayed summer cultivation in a subtropical environment.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-15535

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