Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Development of acid-resistant seed pelletization formula and its effects on improving rapeseed growth in acidic soil

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

Soil acidification impedes crop growth. Seed pelletization was used to improve crop resistance to various stress environments but not acidic soil. This study aimed to develop rapeseed seed pelletization and to assess the promotional effects of pelletization on rapeseed growth under acidic conditions.

Methods

Two main acid-resistant functional agents (Ca(OH)2, and biochar) and a basic formula including sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, H3BO3, nano-silica, brassinolide, sodium naphthalene acetate, indoleacetic acid, and yeast metabolite were used to evaluate the effects on rapeseed growth by seed pelletization. Then, the mechanism of alleviating acidic stress by seed pelletization was investigated.

Results

A basic formula were developed by soil test. Three acid-resistant seed pelletization cases (① 0.5% Ca(OH)2 + a basic formula; ② 10% biochar + a basic formula; ③ 0.25% Ca(OH)2 + 5% biochar + a basic formula) were confirmed to have significant plant growth promotion. Compared to the unpelletized treatment, seed pelletization significantly increased root length and dry weight of rapeseed seedling by 67.32%-78.34% and 46.47%-74.12%, respectively. It also increased nutrient uptake and reduced the accumulation of toxic Al by 11.72%-16.23% in rapeseed roots. Moreover, seed pelletization modulated the local soil environment at the sowing site, increased soil pH by 0.88–1.11 in the microzone, thereby reducing the adverse effects of acidic stress.

Conclusion

Seed pelletization in rapeseed can enhance its tolerance to acidic stress and promote plant growth. Additionally, our results provide new insights into the strategies to alleviate the inhibitory effects of acidic soil.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and within its supplementary data published online.

References

  • Adhikari T, Kundu S, Rao AS (2016) Zinc delivery to plants through seed coating with nano-zinc oxide particles. J Plant Nutr 39:136–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Afzal I, Javed T, Amirkhani M, Taylor AG (2020) Modern seed technology: seed coating delivery systems for enhancing seed and crop performance. Agriculture 10:526

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anagha R, Joseph B, Gladis R (2020) Organic manure seed pelleting for enhancing soil properties, nutrient uptake and yield of rice. Indian J Agr Sci 55:584–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Bojórquez-Quintal E, Escalante-Magaña C, Echevarría-Machado I, Martínez-Estévez M (2017) Aluminum, a friend or foe of higher plants in acid soils. Front Plant Sci 8:1767

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra J, Chauhan R, Korram J, Satnami ML, Keshavkant S (2020) Silica nanoparticle minimizes aluminum imposed injuries by impeding cytotoxic agents and over expressing protective genes in Cicer arietinum. Sci Hortic 260:108885

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen WW, Chen CQ, Liu P, Xu GD, He F, Fan M, Chi H (2007) Forms of aluminums in rhizosphere soil and its effects on growth of fagopyrum esculentum and fagopyrum cymosum. J Soil Water Conserv 27(176–179):192

    Google Scholar 

  • Chauhan DK, Yadav V, Vaculik M, Gassmann W, Pike S, Arif N, Singh VP, Deshmukh R, Sahi S, Tripathi DK (2021) Aluminum toxicity and aluminum stress-induced physiological tolerance responses in higher plants. Crit Rev Biotechnol 41:715–730

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dong Y, Yu Y, Wang R, Chang E, Hong ZN, Hua H, Liu H, Jiang J, Xu RK (2022) Insights on mechanisms of aluminum phytotoxicity mitigation by canola straw biochars from different regions. Biochar 4:57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farhangi-Abriz S, Torabian S, Qin R, Noulas C, Lu Y, Gao S (2021) Biochar effects on yield of cereal and legume crops using meta-analysis. Sci Total Environ 775:145869

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gornish E, Arnold H, Fehmi J (2019) Review of seed pelletizing strategies for arid land restoration. Restor Ecol 27:1206–1211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo JH, Liu XJ, Zhang Y, Shen JL, Han WX, Zhang WF, Christie P, Goulding KWT, Vitousek PM, Zhang FS (2010) Significant acidification in major Chinese croplands. Science 327:1008–1010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hao T, Zhu Q, Zeng M, Shen J, Shi X, Liu X, Zhang F, de Vries W (2020) Impacts of nitrogen fertilizer type and application rate on soil acidification rate under a wheat-maize double cropping system. J Environ Manage 270:110888

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holland JE, Bennett AE, Newton A, White PJ, McKenzie BM, George TS, Pakeman RJ, Bailey JS, Fornara DA, Hayes RC (2018) Liming impacts on soils, crops and biodiversity in the UK: a review. Sci Total Environ 610–611:316–332

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hua YP, Zhou T, Ding GD, Yang QY, Shi L, Xu FS (2016) Physiological, genomic and transcriptional diversity in responses to boron deficiency in rapeseed genotypes. J Exp Bot 67:5769–5784

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang J, Xu RK, Zhao AZ (2011) Surface chemical properties and pedogenesis of tropical soils derived from basalts with different ages in Hainan, China. CATENA 87:334–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XW, Li YL, Qu M, Xiao HD, Feng YM, Liu JY, Wu LS, Yu M (2016) Cell wall pectin and its methylesterification in transition zone determine Al resistance in cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum). Front Plant Sci 7:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Li GD, Conyers MK, Heylar KR, Lisle CJ, Poile GJ, Cullis BR (2019) Long-term surface application of lime ameliorates subsurface soil acidity in the mixed farming zone of south-eastern Australia. Geoderma 338:236–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma Y (2019) Seed coating with beneficial microorganisms for precision agriculture. Biotechnol Adv 37:107423

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Madsen MD, Fidanza MA, Barney NS, Kostka SJ, Mcmillan MF (2016) Low-dose application of nonionic alkyl terminated block copolymer surfactant enhances turfgrass seed germination and plant growth. HortTechnology 26:379–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Masauskaš V, Mašauskienė A, Repšienė R, Skuodienė R, Brazienė Z, Peltonen J (2008) Phosphorus seed coating as starter fertilization for spring malting barley. Acta Agr Scand B-S P 58(124):131

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng HQ, Xu MG, Lv JL, He XH, Wang B, Cai ZJ (2014) Quantification of anthropogenic acidification under long-term fertilization in the upland red soil of south China. Soil Sci 179:486–494

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Minaxi Nain L, Yadav RC, Saxena J (2012) Characterization of multifaceted Bacillus sp. RM-2 for its use as plant growth promoting bioinoculant for crops grown in semiarid desert. Appl Soil Ecol 59:124–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mizuno M, Kamei M, Tsuchida H (1998) Ascorbate peroxidase and catalase cooperate for protection against hydrogen peroxide generated in potato tubers during low-temperature storage. IUBMB Life 44:717–726

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pedrini S, Balestrazzi A, Madsen MD, Bhalsing K, Hardegree SP, Dixon KW, Kildisheva OA (2020) Seed enhancement: getting seeds restoration-ready. Restor Ecol 28:S266–S275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash M, Maamallan S, Sathiyanarayanan G, Rameshkumar S (2020) Effect of seed hardening and pelleting on germination and seedling attributes of cowpea under saline condition. Legume Res 1:7

    Google Scholar 

  • Puzon JJM, Rivero GC, Serrano JE (2014) Antioxidant responses in the leaves of mercury-treated Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. Environ Monit Assess 186:6889–6901

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasool B, Mahmood Ur R, Zubair M, Khan MA, Ramzani PMA, Dradrach A, Turan V, Iqbal M, Khan SA, Tauqeer HM (2022) Synergetic efficacy of amending Pb-polluted soil with P-loaded Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) twigs biochar and foliar chitosan application for reducing Pb distribution in moringa leaf extract and improving its anti-cancer potential. Water Air Soil Poll 233:344

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rehman AU, Farooq M (2013) Boron application through seed coating improves the water relations, panicle fertility, kernel yield, and biofortification of fine grain aromatic rice. Acta Physiol Plant 35:411–418

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salehi B, Quispe C, Butnariu M, Sarac I, Marmouzi I, Kamle M, Tripathi V, Kumar P, Bouyahya A (2021) Phytotherapy and food applications from Brassica genus. Phytother Res 35:3590–3609

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Casas P, Klessig DF (1994) Salicylic acid-binding activity and a salicylic acid-inhibitable catalase activity are present in a variety of plant species. Plant Physiol 106:1675–1679

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Scott JM (1989) Seed coatings and treatments and their effects on plant establishment. Adv Agron 42:43–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sengupta AS, Webb RP, Holaday AS, Allen RD (1993) Induction of ascorbate peroxidase in superoxide dismutase-overexpressing plants. Plant Physiol 103:1067–1073

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siedt M, Schaffer A, Smith KEC, Nabel M, Roß-Nickoll M, van Dongen JT (2021) Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides. Sci Total Environ 751:14160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simone P, David JM, Jason S, Kingsley D (2017) Seed coating: science or Marketing spin? Trends Plant Sci 22:106–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sivaguru M, Ezaki B, He ZH, Tong HY, Osawa H, Baluska F, Volkmann D, Matsumoto H (2003) Aluminum-induced gene expression and protein localization of a cell wall-associated receptor kinase in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 132:2256–2266

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sun Z, Zou Y, Xie C, Han L, Zheng X, Tian Y, Ma C, Liu X, Wang C (2022) Brassinolide improves the tolerance of Malus hupehensis to alkaline stress. Front Plant Sci 13:1032646

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor AG (1997) Seed storage, germination and quality. Cab International

  • Tao L, Xiao XY, Huang QY, Zhu H, Feng YM, Li YL, Li XW, Guo ZS, Liu JY, Wu FH, Niloufar P, Sakil M, Shen RF, Sergey S, František B, Shi L, Yu M (2023) Boron supply restores aluminum-blocked auxin transport by the modulation of PIN2 trafficking in the root apical transition zone. Plant J 114:176–192

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vos C, Schat H, Waal M, Vooijs R, Ernst W (1991) Increased resistance to copper-induced damage of the root cell plasmalemma in copper tolerant Silene cucubalus. Physiol Planrarum 82:523–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiatrak P (2013) Influence of seed coating with micronutrients on growth and yield of winter wheat in southeastern coastal plains. Am J Agr Econ 8:230–238

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace A (1994) Soil acidification from use of too much fertilizer. Commun Soil Sci Plan 25:87–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Lu JW, Li XK, Liu B, Yuan FS, Xiao ZQ (2012) Effects of fertilizers application on growth, seed yield, NPK absorption and accumulation of direct-seeding rapeseed in red soil. Soil Fert Sci China 01:38–42+52

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang WC, Wang RH, Gao YJ, Ai YK, Liu X (2016) Exploration on processing technology of sugar beet seed pelleting. Sugar Crops China 38:46–48+51

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Guo XS, Wang WJ, Zhu HB (2006) Effect of dolomite application on soil acidity and yield of rapeseed on yellow-red soil. Chinese J Oil Crop Sci 28:55–58

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xia H, Muhammad R, Zhang MY, Liu B, El-Desouki Z, Jiang CC (2020) Biochar increases nitrogen use efficiency of maize by relieving aluminum toxicity and improving soil quality in acidic soil. Ecotox Environ Safe 196:110531

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie MX, Li MZ, He Y, Hu Q, Liang H, Yang MX, Zhou LY (2023) Effects of different treatments on cutting rooting of passiflora. J Anhui Agric Sci 51:42–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiong M, Yu J, Wang J, Gao Q, Huang L, Chen C, Zhang CQ, Fan XL, Zhao DS, Liu QQ, Li QF (2022) Brassinosteroids regulate rice seed germination through the BZR1-RAmy3D transcriptional module. Plant Physiol 189:402–418

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Xu KR, Li JY, Zhou SW, Xu MG, Shen RF (2018) Science issue and controlling strategies of soil acidification of croplands in China. Bull Chinese Acad Sci 33:160–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Lin Y, Jin L, Ren X, He C, Liu Q (2021) Responses of mineral nutrient contents and transport in red clover under aluminum stress. Legum Sci 3:1–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu X, Keitel C, Dijkstra FA (2023) Ameliorating soil acidity with calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide: effects on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus dynamics. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 23:5270–5278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao XQ, Chen RF, Shen RF (2014) Coadaptation of plants to multiple stresses in acidic soil. Soil Sci 179:503–513

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao XQ, Pan XZ, Ma HY, Dong XY, Che J, Wang C, Shi Y, Liu KL, Shen RF (2023) Scientific issues and strategies of acid soil use in China. Acta Pedol Sin 60:1248–1263

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng J, Luan L, Luo Y, Fan JB, Xu QS, Sun B, Jiang YJ (2022) Biochar and lime amendments promote soil nitrification and nitrogen use efficiency by differentially mediating ammonia-oxidizer community in an acidic soil. Appl Soil Ecol 180:104619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu QC, Liu XJ, Hao TX, Zeng MF, Shen JB, Zhang FS, de Vries W (2020) Cropland acidification increases risk of yield losses and food insecurity in China. Environ Pollut 256:113145

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1900705).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microelement Research Center/Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Wenhao Ran, Fangsen Xu, Yue Zhang, Wen Zhang, Chuang Wang & Guangda Ding

  2. Soil and Fertilizer Station in Xian’an District, Xianning, 437000, China

    Jie Zhang

  3. Agricultural Technology Promotion Center of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, 330046, China

    Mingzhu Sun

Authors
  1. Wenhao Ran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fangsen Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yue Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wen Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jie Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mingzhu Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Chuang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guangda Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guangda Ding.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Chao-Feng Huang.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

11104_2024_6654_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Supplementary file1 Supplementary Fig. S1 The germination rate of seeds pelletized with different concentrations of Ca(OH)2 and biochar in acidic soil. (A) Germination rate of the five different concentrations of Ca(OH)2 pelletized seeds. (B) Germination rate of the five different concentrations of biochar pelletized seeds. The different pelleted of Ca(OH)2 and biochar seeds were conduct a germination experiment in plastic pot with strongly acidic soil for three days. Values are the means ± SE (n = 3). A one-way ANOVA was carried out for the whole data set, and post hoc comparisons were conducted by Tukey's test at the P < 0.05 level. Significant differences are indicated by different letters above the bars. Supplementary Fig. S2 The germination rate of seeds with different pelletization cases in acidic soil. (A) Phenotype of the seedlings for three days. Scale bar = 1 cm. (B) Germination rate of the control (CK) and three practical cases of pelletized seeds. The CK and three practical cases of pelletized seeds were conduct a germination experiment in plastic pot with strongly acidic soil for three days. Values are the means ± SE (n = 3). A one-way ANOVA was carried out for the whole data set, and post hoc comparisons were conducted by Tukey's test at the P < 0.05 level. Significant differences are indicated by different letters above the bars. (PDF 530 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ran, W., Xu, F., Zhang, Y. et al. Development of acid-resistant seed pelletization formula and its effects on improving rapeseed growth in acidic soil. Plant Soil (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06654-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06654-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation