A Review of the Applications of Chitin and Its Derivatives in Agriculture to Modify Plant-Microbial Interactions and Improve Crop Yields

Abstract

Abstract:In recent decades, a greater knowledge of chitin chemistry, and the increased availability of chitin-containing waste materials from the seafood industry, have led to the testing and development of chitin-containing products for a wide variety of applications in the agriculture industry. A number of modes of action have been proposed for how chitin and its derivatives can improve crop yield. In addition to direct effects on plant nutrition and plant growth stimulation, chitin-derived products have also been shown to be toxic to plant pests and pathogens, induce plant defenses and stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial microbes. A repeating theme of the published studies is that chitin-based treatments augment and amplify the action of beneficial chitinolytic microbes. This article reviews the evidence for claims that chitin-based products can improve crop yields and the current understanding of the modes of action with a focus on plant-microbe interactions.

Effect of Chitosan on Disease Control and Growth of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in a Forest Nursery

“…The treatment resulted in a 30% lower number of isolates of pathogenic fungi, including those causing parasitic damping-off, and higher numbers of isolates of bacteria of the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas, as well as fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Gliocladium, and Trichoderma. The stimulation of growth of these groups of soil microorganisms results from their ability to synthesize chitinases, i.e., the enzymes that determine their resistance to the influence of chitosan [8,21]. Simultaneously, the high chitinolytic activity makes it possible to use the above-mentioned genera of bacteria and fungi for plant production, as plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant-growth-promoting fungi (PGPF).…”

“…Research on chitosan as a plant protection product and growth stimulant has so far concerned various herbaceous crop plants, while only few studies have focused on woody plants, including forest trees [8,21,30]. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of chitosan applied in the form of Beta-chikol as a seed treatment agent and foliar spray to protect Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) against parasitic damping-off and Lophodermium needle cast in a forest nursery (in the ground).…”

Encapsulation of Anthocyanins from Black Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Bran Extract using Chitosan-Alginate Nanoparticles

“…Chitosan is obtained from deacetylation of chitin, a compound rich in the exoskeleton of arthropods, beaks of cephalopods (e.g. octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish), and cell walls and membranes of various microbes including fungi (Sharp, 2013). Chitosan is primarily composed of glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine residues with 1,4-β-linkage (Rinaudo, 2006).…”

Assessment of Cu- Chitosan Nanoparticles for its Antibacterial Activity against Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea

“…Several studies showed that chitosan is not only an antimicrobial agent but also an effective elicitor of plant systemic acquired resistance to pathogens (Sharp et al, 2013;Katiyar et al, 2014;Xing et al, 2014), enhancer and regulator of plant growth, development and yield (Gornik et al, 2008;Cabrera et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2015).…”