Colonization of torrefied grass fibers by plant-beneficial microorganisms

Trifonova, Radoslava; Babini, Valeria Paola; Postma, J.; Ketelaars, J.J.M.H.; Elsas, Jan Dirk van

doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.09.005

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…2002). Hence, these organisms are very promising for use in TGF/potting mix applications (Trifonova et al. 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seven bacterial strains that had been previously selected as candidates for use in the directed colonization of TGF (Trifonova et al. 2009) were tested in respect of their interactions with Coniochaeta ligniaria F/TGF15.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Torrefied grass fibers (TGF), which are being proposed as a matrix for potting soil (Trifonova et al 2008a), represent a microhabitat that can be colonized by fungi, in particular, the ascomycete Coniochaeta ligniaria F ⁄ TGF15. Moreover, TGF colonized by beneficial microbial communities has been proposed to provide a great asset to the health of plants that develop on the resulting potting soil (Trifonova et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In previous study, a range of bacteria were found to be able to colonize the TGF; however, successful colonization occurred only in combination with Coniochaeta ligniaria F ⁄ TGF15. Moreover, some of these bacteria showed antagonism against a range of plant-pathogenic fungi (Trifonova et al 2009). These bacteria thus showed promise as biocontrol constituents of the potting mixes to be produced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with the ascomyceteConiochaeta ligniaria

Trifonova

Postma²,

Elsas

2009

Journal of Applied Microbiology

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Aims: To assess the interactions between Coniochaeta ligniaria F/TGF15 obtained from torrefied grass fibers (TGF) and selected bacteria from the same substrate. Methods and Results: Upon coinoculation on potato dextrose agar, Pseudomonas putida 15/TGE5, Methylobacterium radiotolerans 56/TGF10, Serratia plymutica 23/TGE5, Pseudomonas corrugata 31/TGE5, Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli 66/TGF10, Mycobacterium anthracenicum 70/TGF15 and Agromyces aurantiacus 95/TGF15 were translocated by C. ligniaria, but not in the absence of the fungus. Pseudomonas putida, P. corrugata, L. xyli subsp. xyli and A. aurantiacus were able to grow on compounds released by the fungus, but not M. radiotolerans. Antagonism towards C. ligniaria was observed for S. plymutica and P. corrugata. Pseudomonas putida was translocated by the fungus in TGF up to at least 45 mm. It also multiplied on the hyphae of C. ligniaria in TGF, reaching CFU densities of log 8·4 g−1 dry TGF in 20 d, while the strain could not grow in nonfungal TGF. Methylobacterium radiotolerans was not translocated by the fungus in TGF. Conclusions: Several of the selected bacteria could grow on the compounds released by the fungus, whereas two bacteria inhibited or killed the fungus. Significance and Impact of the Study: It is shown that C. ligniaria has a dual role in bacterial colonization of TGF, being crucial for the detoxification of TGF, meanwhile stimulating growth and translocation of a consortium of plant‐growth‐promoting bacteria.

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“…2002). Hence, these organisms are very promising for use in TGF/potting mix applications (Trifonova et al. 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with the ascomyceteConiochaeta ligniaria

Trifonova

Postma²,

Elsas

2009

Journal of Applied Microbiology

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“…Combined with chemical changes in the solid, this treatment reduces the microbial activity [6], which presents a number of storage benefits. Finally, the fuel undergoes physical changes, increasing its brittle nature and reducing the tenacity of the polymeric fibres present in woody and herbaceous biomass species [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of the grindability of two torrefied energy crops

Bridgeman

Jones

Williams

et al. 2010

Fuel

271

174

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The process of torrefaction alters the physical properties of biomass, reducing its fibrous tenacious nature. This could allow increased rates of co-milling and therefore co-firing in coal fired power stations, which in turn would enable a reduction in the amount of coal used and an increase in the use of sustainable fuels, without the need for additional plant. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the pulverisation behaviour of two torrefied energy crops, namely: willow and Miscanthus. A multifactorial method approach was adopted to investigate the three process parameters of temperature, residence time and particle size, producing fuels treated using four different torrefaction conditions. The untreated and torrefied fuels were subjected to standard fuel analysis techniques including ultimate analysis, proximate analysis and calorific value determination. The grindability of these fuels was then determined using a laboratory ball mill and by adapting the Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) test for hard coals. After grinding, two sets of results were obtained. Firstly a determination similar to the HGI test was made, measuring the proportion of sample passing through a 75 µm sieve and plotting this on a calibrated HGI chart determined using four standard reference coals of known HGI values. Secondly the particle size distributions of the entire ground sample were measured and compared with the four standard reference coals. The standard fuel tests revealed that temperature was the most significant parameter in terms of mass loss, changes in elemental composition and energy content increase. The first grindability test results found that the untreated fuels and fuels treated at low temperatures showed very poor grindability behaviour. However, more severe torrefaction conditions caused the fuels to exhibit similar pulverisation properties as coals with low HGI values. Miscanthus was found to have a higher HGI value than willow. On examining the particle size distributions it was found that the particle size distributions of torrefied Miscanthus differed significantly from the untreated biomass and had comparable profiles to those of the standard reference coals with which they had similar HGI values. However, only the torrefied willow produced at the most severe conditions investigated exhibited this behaviour, and the HGI of torrefied willow was not generally a reliable indicator of grindability performance for this energy crop. Overall it was concluded that torrefied biomass can be successfully pulverised and that torrefied Miscanthus was easier to grind than torrefied willow.

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Microbial Enrichment of a Novel Growing Substrate and its Effect on Plant Growth

Trifonova

Postma²,

Schilder³

et al. 2009

Microb Ecol

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The quality of torrefied grass fibers (TGF) as a new potting soil ingredient was tested in a greenhouse experiment. TGF was colonized with previously selected microorganisms. Four colonization treatments were compared: (1) no inoculants, (2) the fungus Coniochaeta ligniaria F/TGF15 alone, (3) the fungus followed by inoculation with two selected bacteria, and (4) the fungus with seven selected bacteria. Cultivation-based and DNAbased methods, i.e., PCR-DGGE and BOX-PCR, were applied to assess the bacterial and fungal communities established in the TGF. Although colonization was not performed under sterile conditions, all inoculated strains were recovered from TGF up to 26 days incubation. Stable fungal and bacterial populations of 10 8 and 10 9 CFU/g TGF, respectively, were reached. As a side effect of the torrefaction process that aimed at the chemical stabilization of grass fibers, potentially phytotoxic compounds were generated. These phytotoxic compounds were cold-extracted from the fibers and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Four of 15 target compounds that had previously been found in the extract of TGF were encountered, namely phenol, 2-methoxyphenol, benzopyran-2-one, and tetrahydro-5,6,7,7a-benzofuranone. The concentration of these compounds decreased significantly during incubation. The colonized TGF was mixed with peat (P) in a range of 100%:0%, 50%:50%, 20%:80%, and 0%:100% TGF/P (w/w), respectively, to assess suitability for plant growth. Germination of tomato seeds was assessed three times, i.e., with inoculated TGF that had been incubated for 12, 21, and 26 days. In these tests, 90-100% of the seeds germinated in 50%:50% and 20%:80% TGF/P, whereas on average only 50% of the seeds germinated in pure TGF. Germination was not improved by the microbial inoculants. However, plant fresh weight as well as leaf area of 28-day-old tomato plants were significantly increased in all treatments where C. ligniaria F/TGF15 was inoculated compared to the control treatment without microbial inoculants. Colonization with C. ligniaria also protected the substrate from uncontrolled colonization by other fungi. The excellent colonization of TGF by the selected plant-health promoting bacteria in combination with the fungus C. ligniaria offers the possibility to create disease suppressive substrate, meanwhile replacing 20% to 50% of peat in potting soil by TGF.

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Colonization of torrefied grass fibers by plant-beneficial microorganisms

Cited by 11 publications

References 29 publications

Interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with the ascomyceteConiochaeta ligniaria

Interactions of plant-beneficial bacteria with the ascomyceteConiochaeta ligniaria

An investigation of the grindability of two torrefied energy crops

Microbial Enrichment of a Novel Growing Substrate and its Effect on Plant Growth

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