Titanium as a Beneficial Element for Crop Production

Abstract

Titanium (Ti) is considered a beneficial element for plant growth. Ti applied via roots or leaves at low concentrations has been documented to improve crop performance through stimulating the activity of certain enzymes, enhancing chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, promoting nutrient uptake, strengthening stress tolerance, and improving crop yield and quality. Commercial fertilizers containing Ti, such as Tytanit and Mg-Titanit, have been used as biostimulants for improving crop production; however, mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects still remain unclear. In this article, we propose that the beneficial roles Ti plays in plants lie in its interaction with other nutrient elements primarily iron (Fe). Fe and Ti have synergistic and antagonistic relationships. When plants experience Fe deficiency, Ti helps induce the expression of genes related to Fe acquisition, thereby enhancing Fe uptake and utilization and subsequently improving plant growth. Plants may have proteins that either specifically or nonspecifically bind with Ti. When Ti concentration is high in plants, Ti competes with Fe for ligands or proteins. The competition could be severe, resulting in Ti phytotoxicity. As a result, the beneficial effects of Ti become more pronounced during the time when plants experience low or deficient Fe supply.

Changes in Biochemistry and Yield in Response to Biostimulants Applied in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

“…Numerous reports confirmed that protein hydrolysates, such as auxins and gibberellins, have hormone-like effects, stimulating root and shoot growth. This, in turn, has a positive effect on crop productivity [11,53,54,100,[102][103][104][105][106].…”

Effect of Titanium Dioxide on Lettuce Plants Grown on Sandy Soil

“…Titanium through increasing rate of photosynthesis and uptake nutrients (by increasing root volume) involved in chlorophyll and photosynthesis led to increasing plant growth (Haghighi and Daneshmand, 2018). Lyu et al, (2017) proposed that Ti has a positive effect on plant growth and quality of crops. Plants can complete their life cycle without titanium; there is no reported Ti deficiency in plants; and mechanisms of Ti action are still uncertain.…”

“…Plants can complete their life cycle without titanium; there is no reported Ti deficiency in plants; and mechanisms of Ti action are still uncertain. Ti, however, is not an essential nutrient for plant based on the criteria for essentiality (Lyu et al, 2017).…”

Evaluation of Borage Extracts As Potential Biostimulant Using a Phenomic, Agronomic, Physiological, and Biochemical Approach

“…In the last years, the use of biostimulants has been constantly increasing for sustainable agriculture, because these substances enhance nutrient use efficiency, reduce fertilizers consumption, stimulate plant development and growth (Kunicki et al, 2010; Calvo et al, 2014; Halpern et al, 2015; Le Mire et al, 2016), and counteract stress factors, eventually enhancing crop quality and yield (Ziosi et al, 2013; Van Oosten et al, 2017). The interest in this sector is evidenced by the significant increase of research papers focused on it and by its economical relevance.…”