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Biostimulants (Bio-effectors, BEs) comprise plant growth-promoting microorganisms and active natural substances that promote plant nutrient-acquisition, stress resilience, growth, crop quality and yield. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of BEs, particularly under field conditions, appears highly variable and poorly quantified. Using random model meta-analyses tools, we summarize the effects of 107 BE treatments on the performance of major crops, mainly conducted within the EU-funded project BIOFECTOR with a focus on phosphorus (P) nutrition, over five years. Our analyses comprised 94 controlled pot and 47 field experiments under different geoclimatic conditions, with variable stress levels across European countries and Israel. The results show an average growth/yield increase by 9.3% (n=945), with substantial differences between crops (tomato > maize > wheat) and growth conditions (controlled nursery + field (Seed germination and nursery under controlled conditions and young plants transplanted to the field) > controlled > field). Average crop growth responses were independent of BE type, P fertilizer type, soil pH and plant-available soil P (water-P, Olsen-P or Calcium acetate lactate-P). BE effectiveness profited from manure and other organic fertilizers, increasing soil pH and presence of abiotic stresses (cold, drought/heat or salinity). Systematic meta-studies based on published literature commonly face the inherent problem of publication bias where the most suspected form is the selective publication of statistically significant results. In this meta-analysis, however, the results obtained from all experiments within the project are included. Therefore, it is free of publication bias. In contrast to reviews of published literature, our unique study design is based on a common standardized protocol which applies to all experiments conducted within the project to reduce sources of variability. Based on data of crop growth, yield and P acquisition, we conclude th

Biostimulants (Bio-effectors, BEs) comprise plant growth-promoting microorganisms and active natural substances that promote plant nutrient-acquisition, stress resilience, growth, crop quality and yield. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of BEs, particularly under field conditions, appears highly variable and poorly quantified. Using random model meta-analyses tools, we summarize the effects of 107 BE treatments on the performance of major crops, mainly conducted within the EU-funded project BIOFECTOR with a focus on phosphorus (P) nutrition, over five years. Our analyses comprised 94 controlled pot and 47 field experiments under different geoclimatic conditions, with variable stress levels across European countries and Israel. The results show an average growth/yield increase by 9.3% (n=945), with substantial differences between crops (tomato > maize > wheat) and growth conditions (controlled nursery + field (Seed germination and nursery under controlled conditions and young plants transplanted to the field) > controlled > field). Average crop growth responses were independent of BE type, P fertilizer type, soil pH and plant-available soil P (water-P, Olsen-P or Calcium acetate lactate-P). BE effectiveness profited from manure and other organic fertilizers, increasing soil pH and presence of abiotic stresses (cold, drought/heat or salinity). Systematic meta-studies based on published literature commonly face the inherent problem of publication bias where the most suspected form is the selective publication of statistically significant results. In this meta-analysis, however, the results obtained from all experiments within the project are included. Therefore, it is free of publication bias. In contrast to reviews of published literature, our unique study design is based on a common standardized protocol which applies to all experiments conducted within the project to reduce sources of variability. Based on data of crop growth, yield and P acquisition, we conclude th

Biostimulants (Bio-effectors, BEs) comprise plant growth-promoting microorganisms and active natural substances that promote plant nutrient-acquisition, stress resilience, growth, crop quality and yield. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of BEs, particularly under field conditions, appears highly variable and poorly quantified. Using random model meta-analyses tools, we summarize the effects of 107 BE treatments on the performance of major crops, mainly conducted within the EU-funded project BIOFECTOR with a focus on phosphorus (P) nutrition, over five years. Our analyses comprised 94 controlled pot and 47 field experiments under different geoclimatic conditions, with variable stress levels across European countries and Israel. The results show an average growth/yield increase by 9.3% (n=945), with substantial differences between crops (tomato > maize > wheat) and growth conditions (controlled nursery + field (Seed germination and nursery under controlled conditions and young plants transplanted to the field) > controlled > field). Average crop growth responses were independent of BE type, P fertilizer type, soil pH and plant-available soil P (water-P, Olsen-P or Calcium acetate lactate-P). BE effectiveness profited from manure and other organic fertilizers, increasing soil pH and presence of abiotic stresses (cold, drought/heat or salinity). Systematic meta-studies based on published literature commonly face the inherent problem of publication bias where the most suspected form is the selective publication of statistically significant results. In this meta-analysis, however, the results obtained from all experiments within the project are included. Therefore, it is free of publication bias. In contrast to reviews of published literature, our unique study design is based on a common standardized protocol which applies to all experiments conducted within the project to reduce sources of variability. Based on data of crop growth, yield and P acquisition, we conclude th

Fertilization management can affect plant performance and soil microbiota, involving still poorly understood rhizosphere interactions. We hypothesized that fertilization practice exerts specific effects on rhizodeposition with consequences for recruitment of rhizosphere microbiota and plant performance. To address this hypothesis, we conducted a minirhizotron experiment using lettuce as model plant and field soils with contrasting properties from two long-term field experiments (HUB-LTE: loamy sand, DOK-LTE: silty loam) with organic and mineral fertilization history. Increased relative abundance of plant-beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungal pathotrophs were characteristic of the rhizospheres in the organically managed soils (HU-org; BIODYN2). Accordingly, defense-related genes were systemically expressed in shoot tissues of the respective plants. As a site-specific effect, high relative occurrence of the fungal lettuce pathogen Olpidium sp. (76–90%) was recorded in the rhizosphere, both under long-term organic and mineral fertilization at the DOK-LTE site, likely supporting Olpidium infection due to a lower water drainage potential compared to the sandy HUB-LTE soils. However, plant growth depressions and Olpidium infection were exclusively recorded in the BIODYN2 soil with organic fertilization history. This was associated with a drastic (87–97%) reduction in rhizosphere abundance of potentially plant-beneficial microbiota (Pseudomonadaceae, Mortierella elongata) and reduced concentrations of the antifungal root exudate benzoate, known to be increased in presence of Pseudomonas spp. In contrast, high relative abundance of Pseudomonadaceae (Gammaproteobacteria) in the rhizosphere of plants grown in soils with long-term mineral fertilization (61–74%) coincided with high rhizosphere concentrations of chemotactic dicarboxylates (succinate, malate) and a high C (sugar)/N (amino acid) ratio, known to support the growth of Gammaproteobacteria. This was re

Fertilization management can affect plant performance and soil microbiota, involving still poorly understood rhizosphere interactions. We hypothesized that fertilization practice exerts specific effects on rhizodeposition with consequences for recruitment of rhizosphere microbiota and plant performance. To address this hypothesis, we conducted a minirhizotron experiment using lettuce as model plant and field soils with contrasting properties from two long-term field experiments (HUB-LTE: loamy sand, DOK-LTE: silty loam) with organic and mineral fertilization history. Increased relative abundance of plant-beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungal pathotrophs were characteristic of the rhizospheres in the organically managed soils (HU-org; BIODYN2). Accordingly, defense-related genes were systemically expressed in shoot tissues of the respective plants. As a site-specific effect, high relative occurrence of the fungal lettuce pathogen Olpidium sp. (76–90%) was recorded in the rhizosphere, both under long-term organic and mineral fertilization at the DOK-LTE site, likely supporting Olpidium infection due to a lower water drainage potential compared to the sandy HUB-LTE soils. However, plant growth depressions and Olpidium infection were exclusively recorded in the BIODYN2 soil with organic fertilization history. This was associated with a drastic (87–97%) reduction in rhizosphere abundance of potentially plant-beneficial microbiota (Pseudomonadaceae, Mortierella elongata) and reduced concentrations of the antifungal root exudate benzoate, known to be increased in presence of Pseudomonas spp. In contrast, high relative abundance of Pseudomonadaceae (Gammaproteobacteria) in the rhizosphere of plants grown in soils with long-term mineral fertilization (61–74%) coincided with high rhizosphere concentrations of chemotactic dicarboxylates (succinate, malate) and a high C (sugar)/N (amino acid) ratio, known to support the growth of Gammaproteobacteria. This was re

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami

Increasing food and energy demands have resulted in a considerable intensification of farming practices, whichbrought about severe consequences for agricultural soils during last decades. In order to maintain soil quality andhealth for the future, the development of more extensive and sustainable farming strategies is urgently needed.The soil and rhizosphere microbiome play an integral role in virtually all soil processes and are intimately linkedto plant performance. Various studies indicated that agricultural management practices affect soil microbiomes.We therefore hypothesized that this external impact is conveyed by the microbial communities to the currentcrops at the time of their establishment. We used twelve differently managed soils from three long-term fieldtrials established in 1978 (Therwil, Switzerland), 1992 (Bernburg, Germany), and 2006 (Thyrow, Germany) toanalyze the impact of various management strategies (crop rotation, fertilization, tillage) on soil and its associatedrhizosphere microbiomes under consideration of plant productivity, plant health, and the ability of the soils tosuppress soil-borne phytopathogens. The model plant lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was cultivated for ten weeks undergrowth-chamber conditions in these soils. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes or fungalITS fragments, respectively, PCR- amplified from total community DNA of rhizosphere and soil samples showedsignificant differences in microbial community compositions between soils that originated from the different fieldsites and long-term farming practices. Moreover, differences depending on long-term agricultural managementin plant productivity and health as measured by RT-qPCR of stress-related plant genes were observed. Localizedanalysis of rhizosphere soil solution was performed using non-invasive sampling techniques with sorption filtersplaced onto the surface of soil-grown roots along the root observation windows with subsequent HPLC-MSprofiling. Ami