The use of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) that can solubilize phosphorus (P) has shown potential to improve nutrient availability in grass crops such as corn (Zea mays L.) This study was developed to investigate if inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus subtilis or Pseudomonas fluorescens associated with P 2 O 5 rates can improve phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) reflecting on greater corn development and yield. The field trial was set up in a Rhodic Hapludox under no-till system under Savannah conditions, in a completely randomized block design with four replicates. Treatments were tested in a full factorial design and included: (i) five P 2 O 5 rates (0 to 105 kg ha −1) and (ii) four PGPB seed inoculation (Control-without inoculation, A. brasilense, B. subtilis or P. fluorescens). Inoculation was found to increase grain yield by 39.5, 29.1, and 15.9% when B. subtilis was inoculated in the absence of P 2 O 5 rates and associated with 17.5 and 70 kg P 2 O 5 ha −1 and by 34.7% when A. brasilense was inoculated with application of 105 kg P 2 O 5 ha −1. In addition, inoculation with B. subtilis and A. brasilense were found to increase P uptake, benefiting productive components development, leading to an improved PUE, and greater corn grain yield. The results of this study showed positive improvements in P uptake as a result of B. subtilis and A. brasilense inoculation, with an increase of 100.5 and 54.6% on PUE, respectively; while the P. fluorescens inoculation were less evident. Further research should be conducted under biotic or/and abiotic conditions such as attack of pathogens and insects, drought, salinity, water flooding, low and high temperature to better understand the role of PGPB, inoculated alone or in combination as the co-inoculated method.

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Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) efficiency can be increased by co-inoculation with bradyrhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense, allowing even greater uptake of water and nutrients, leading to higher yields. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the technical and economic viability of soybean in the Cerrado, according to the cultivars and co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense. The experiment was conducted in Selvíria, MS, in no-tillage system, in Oxisol, arranged in a randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme with two cultivars (‘Potência’ and ‘Valiosa’), with and without co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in the seed. Co-inoculation with A. brasilense increases grain yield in the cultivars ‘Potência’ and ‘Valiosa’, being economically viable. However, using the cultivar ‘Potência’ co-inoculated led to the highest profitability.

This research was developed to investigate whether inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in combination with silicon (Si) can enhance N use efficiency (NUE) in wheat and to evaluate and correlate nutritional and productive components and wheat grain yield. The study was carried out on a Rhodic Hapludox under a no-till system with a completely randomized block design with four replications in a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial scheme: two liming sources (with Ca and Mg silicate as the Si source and limestone); two inoculations (control - without inoculation and seed inoculation with A. brasilense) and five side-dress N rates (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha−1). The results of this study showed positive improvements in wheat growth production parameters, NUE and grain yield as a function of inoculation associated with N rates. Inoculation can complement and optimize N fertilization, even with high N application rates. The potential benefits of Si use were less evident; however, the use of Si can favour N absorption, even when associated with A. brasilense. Therefore, studies conducted under tropical conditions with Ca and Mg silicate are necessary to better understand the role of Si applied alone or in combination with growth-promoting bacteria such as A. brasilense.

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Alternative management practices are needed to minimize the need for chemical fertilizer use in non-leguminous cropping systems. The use of biological agents that can fix atmospheric N has shown potential to improve nutrient availability in grass crops. This research was developed to investigate if inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in combination with silicon (Si) can enhance N use efficiency (NUE) in maize. The study was set up in a Rhodic Hapludox under a no-till system, in a completely randomized block design with four replicates. Treatments were tested in a full factorial design and included: i) five side dress N rates (0 to 200 kg ha-1); ii) two liming sources (Ca and Mg silicate and dolomitic limestone); and iii) with and without seed inoculation with A. brasilense. Inoculation with A. brasilense was found to increase grain yield by 15% when N was omitted and up to 10% when N was applied. Inoculation also increased N accumulation in plant tissue. Inoculation and limestone application were found to increase leaf chlorophyll index, number of grains per ear, harvest index, and NUE. Inoculation increased harvest index and NUE by 9.5 and 19.3%, respectively, compared with non-inoculated plots. Silicon application increased leaf chlorophyll index and N-leaf concentration. The combination of Si and inoculation provided greater Sishoot accumulation. This study showed positive improvements in maize growth production parameters as a result of inoculation, but the potential benefits of Si use were less evident. Further research should be conducted under growing conditions that provide some level of biotic or abiotic stress to study the true potential of Si application.

There is a lack of more comprehensive research defining how much mineral N can be applied as regards the efficiency of BNF to attain high with Azospirillum brasilense, what is a bacterium that stands out for its biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in corn crops, reaching economically sustainable yields. Moreover, it would be interesting to investigate the use of silicon, which exerts numerous benefits on grasses, especially when the plants are subjected to biotic and abiotic stresses. The aim of this work was to study a synergistic effect between the inoculation with A. brasilense and the application of silicon, thus enabling a higher efficiency of nitrogen fertilization, evaluating the grain yield of irrigated corn in economic terms. The experiment was conducted in Selvíria, MS, Brazil, under a no-till system, on a Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol). The experiment was set up as a randomized block design with four replications, in a 2 × 5 × 2 factorial arrangement consisting of two soil corrective sources (dolomitic limestone and Ca and Mg silicate as source of Si); five doses of N (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha -1 ); with and without inoculation with A. brasilense. The inoculation makes the corn increase much more profitable, irrespective of N doses and corrective source. The N dose of 200 kg ha -1 with dolomitic limestone, associated with inoculation provided greater grain yield. However, the highest economic return was obtained at the N dose of 100 kg ha -1 , with dolomitic limestone application and inoculation.

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