Determination of organic acids in tissues and exudates of maize, lupin, and chickpea by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

This article describes a fast and simple methodology for the extraction and determination of organic acids in tissues and root exudates of maize, lupin, and chickpea by LC/MS/MS. Its main advantage is that it does not require sample prepurification before HPLC analysis or sample derivatization to improve sensibility. The results obtained showed good precision and accuracy, a recovery close to 100%, and no significant matrix effect. Moreover, the sensibility of the method is in general better than that of previously described methodologies, with detection limits between 15 and 900 pg injected.     

Physico‐chemical characterization of humic‐metal‐phosphate complexes and their potential application to the manufacture of new types of phosphate‐based fertilizers

The aim of this review is to describe the main physicochemical characteristics of diverse types of humic‐metal‐phosphate acid complexes. The effects of these complexes on phosphorus (P) fixation in soils with different pH values and physicochemical features and on plant phosphorus uptake are also discussed. Humic‐metal‐phosphate complexes have apparent stability constants in the same range as those of metal‐humic complexes, in solutions with diverse pH and ionic‐strength values. Likewise, the molecular‐size distribution of humic‐metal‐phosphate complexes as a function of pH is similar to that of potassium or sodium humates and metal‐humic complexes. Humic‐metal‐phosphate complexes are able to decrease phosphate fixation in soils and increase plant growth and phosphate uptake. Phosphorus fertilizers containing humic‐metal‐phosphate complexes proved to be efficient to improve plant growth and P uptake with respect to conventional fertilizers such as single superphosphate. The values of parameters related to plant phosphorus‐utilization efficiency (PUt E) suggest that the regulation of root acquisition of phosphate from these complexes could involve the interregulation of a system for the optimization of metabolic P utilization in the shoot and another system involving stress responses of roots under phosphorus deficiency.     

Impact of the genetic diversity of three cyst nematodes on the effectiveness of root exudates to induce hatching

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Cyst nematodes are sedentary endoparasites of plants which cause important economic losses worldwide. New nematode control measures are needed since the...     

31P NMR characterization and efficiency of new types of water-insoluble phosphate fertilizers to supply plant-available phosphorus in diverse soil types

Hydroponic plant experiments demonstrated the efficiency of a type of humic acid-based water-insoluble phosphate fertilizers, named rhizosphere controlled fertilizers (RCF), to supply available phosphorus (P) to different plant species. This effect was well correlated to the root release of specific organic acids. In this context, the aims of this study are (i) to study the chemical nature of RCF using solid-state (31)P NMR and (ii) to evaluate the real efficiency of RCF matrix as a source of P for wheat plants cultivated in an alkaline and acid soil in comparison with traditional water-soluble (simple superphosphate, SSP) and water-insoluble (dicalcium phosphate, DCP) P fertilizers. The (31)P NMR study revealed the formation of multimetal (double and triple, MgZn and/or MgZnCa) phosphates associated with chelating groups of the humic acid through the formation of metal bridges. With regard to P fertilizer efficiency, the results obtained show that the RCF matrix produced higher plant yields than SSP in both types of soil, with DCP and the water-insoluble fraction from the RCF matrix (WI) exhibiting the best results in the alkaline soil. By contrast, in the acid soil, DCP showed very low efficiency, WI performed on a par with SSP, and RCF exhibited the highest efficiency, thus suggesting a protector effect of humic acid from soil fixation.     

Organic complexed superphosphates (CSP): physicochemical characterization and agronomical properties

A new type of superphosphate (organic complexed superphosphate (CSP)) has been developed by the introduction of organic chelating agents, preferably a humic acid (HA), into the chemical reaction of single superphosphate (SSP) production. This modification yielded a product containing monocalcium phosphate complexed by the chelating organic agent through Ca bridges. Theoretically, the presence of these monocalcium-phosphate-humic complexes (MPHC) inhibits phosphate fixation in soil, thus increasing P fertilizer efficiency. This study investigateed the structural and functional features of CSP fertilizers produced employing diverse HA with different structural features. To this end were used complementary analytical techniques: solid-phase 31P NMR, 13C NMR, laser-confocal microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and molecular modeling. Finally, the agronomical efficiency of four CSP have been compared with that of SSP as P sources for wheat plants grown in both alkaline and acidic soils in greenhouse pot trials under controlled conditions. The results obtained from the diverse analytical studies showed the formation of MPHC in CSP. Plant-soil studies showed that CSP products were more efficient than SSP in providing available phosphate for wheat plants cultivated in various soils with different physicochemical features. This fact is probably associated with the ability of CSP complexes to inhibit phosphate fixation in soil.