| 1. |
- Alsanius, Beatrix, et al.
(author)
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Concept based mapping as a tool to disentangle biological properties and interactivities in research on growing media and hydroponics
- 2024
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In: Acta Horticulturae. - 0567-7572 .- 2406-6168. ; , s. 163-174
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The cascading use of valorized constituents from societal side-streams in growing media (GM), but also the reuse of growing media, has brought increased attention to their biological properties and processes. These processes are complex, dynamic and interconnected. They are a result of the origin and treatment in previous steps of the cascading use as well as in the re-use. Furthermore, they are affected by physical and chemical characteristics in the GM and in the environment that they are exposed to. Thus, the complexity of factors and events shapes the outcome of research studies as well as product development and the manner how such outcome may be interpreted and how manufacturing processes and product quality can be standardized. In addition, the recent development of high-throughput methods for culture independent description of microbial community composition, gathering a copious volume of data, increases the level of complexity even more. To draw clear-cut conclusions on biological characteristics, processes and dynamics in GM, this complex picture needs to be disentangled, a process that already has to be in place at the early step of the study, process or product design. Based on three examples, we describe the power of conceptbased mapping to disentangle biological properties and interactivities in research and product development of GM and hydroponics and show its potential for big data analysis and modeling.
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| 2. |
- Barreiro, Ana, et al.
(author)
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Agricultural Land Degradation in Sweden
- 2023
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In: Impact of Agriculture on Soil Degradation II : A European Perspective. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 9783031320514 ; 121:121, s. 299-323
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The current status of agricultural soils in Sweden is dominated by a tendency of land abandonment in some areas vs. intensification which leads to soil degradation in other areas, like the south of the country. Overgrazing, slash-and-burn agricultural practices or salinization is currently not a problem for Swedish agriculture. On the other hand, soil compaction and erosion represent problems, mostly in some areas of Sweden. Agricultural soils are also exposed to different soil contaminants, pesticides and microplastics which can have negative or unclear effects in the soil ecosystem.
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| 3. |
- Barreiro, Ana, et al.
(author)
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Introducing Perennial Grain in Grain Crops Rotation: The Role of Rooting Pattern in Soil Quality Management
- 2020
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In: Agronomy. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4395. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of the perennial grain intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium(Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey) may have the potential to sustain soil health and fertility through the development of an extensive root system. However, references are scarce to demonstrate its potential influence in a context of a limited perennial grain growth phase, integrated into annual grain crops succession. This study aims at determining how early a perennial crop rooting system differs from that of an annual crop through root development and root traits and microbial indicators. Our results indicate that the two-year-old intermediate wheatgrass promotes a denser and deeper rooting system with proportionally more root biomass and length deeper in the soil profile. From the first growing season, the perennial grain demonstrated a suite of root traits typical of a more resource-conservative strategy, and more belowground-oriented resource allocation. Soil fungal biomass indicators were enhanced. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) indicators were notably found to be improved at 1 m depth during the second growing season. This study provides evidence that grain-based agriculture can benefit from the potential of deeper and long-lived root systems of intermediate wheatgrass to manage soils. The periodic use of a short-term perennial phase in the crop rotation has the potential to improve soil functioning in the long term.
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| 4. |
- Barreiro, Ana, et al.
(author)
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Small-scale agricultural grassland management can affect soil fungal community structure as much as continental scale geographic patterns
- 2021
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In: FEMS Microbiology Ecology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0168-6496 .- 1574-6941. ; 97
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A European transect was established, ranging from Sweden to the Azores, to determine the relative influence of geographic factors and agricultural small-scale management on the grassland soil microbiome. Within each of five countries (factor ‘Country’), which maximized a range of geographic factors, two differing growth condition regions (factor ‘GCR’) were selected: a favorable region with conditions allowing for high plant biomass production and a contrasting less favorable region with a markedly lower potential. Within each region, grasslands of contrasting management intensities (factor ‘MI’) were defined: intensive and extensive, from which soil samples were collected. Across the transect, ‘MI’ was a strong differentiator of fungal community structure, having a comparable effect to continental scale geographic factors (‘Country’). ‘MI’ was also a highly significant driver of bacterial community structure, but ‘Country’ was clearly the stronger driver. For both, ‘GCR’ was the weakest driver. Also at the regional level, strong effects of MI occurred on various measures of the soil microbiome (i.e. OTU richness, management-associated indicator OTUs), though the effects were largely regional-specific. Our results illustrate the decisive influence of grassland MI on soil microbial community structure, over both regional and continental scales, and, thus, highlight the importance of preserving rare extensive grasslands.
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| 5. |
- Barreiro, Ana, et al.
(author)
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Soil bacteria respond to regional edapho-climatic conditions while soil fungi respond to management intensity in grasslands along a European transect
- 2022
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In: Applied Soil Ecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0929-1393 .- 1873-0272. ; 170
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soil microbial community structure is determined by environmental conditions and influenced by other factors, such as the intensity of the land use management. Studies addressing the effect of environmental factors and management on grassland soil microbial communities at the continental scale are missing, and the wide range of ecosystem services provided by these ecosystems are thus also wanting. To address this knowledge gap, this study presents data on grassland soil microbial communities along a pan-European agro-ecological gradient. The transect included five geographical locations (Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal mainland, Portugal Azores). At each location, soils were collected in two regions characterized by favourable and less favourable conditions for plant growth. In each of these ten regions, grasslands along a gradient of management intensity were selected, i.e. grassland under intensive, less intensive and extensive management. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) was used to characterize the microbial community structure (PLFA pattern) in relation to climatic and soil properties. Over the whole geographical range, the environmental properties determined the soil microbial community structure. In Sweden and Switzerland, the regional growth conditions had the strongest influence on the soil microbial communities, while in Germany, Portugal mainland and Azores the management intensity was more important. Splitting up this whole community response into individual groups reveals that, in general, saprotrophic fungal biomarkers were highest in extensively managed grasslands while bacterial biomarkers differed mainly between the regions. We conclude that at the transect level, climate and soil properties were the most important factors influencing soil bacterial community structure, while soil fungal groups were more responsive to grassland management intensity. Overall agricultural sustainability could benefit from informed soil health promoting management practices, and this study contributes to such knowledge, showing the importance of management for the soil microbial biomass and community structure.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Dimitrova Mårtensson, Linda-Maria, et al.
(author)
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Agronomic performance, nitrogen acquisition and water-use efficiency of the perennial grain crop Thinopyrum intermedium in a monoculture and intercropped with alfalfa in Scandinavia
- 2022
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In: Agronomy for Sustainable Development. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1774-0746 .- 1773-0155. ; 42
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The perennial forage grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & Dewey, commonly known as intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) or by the commercial name Kernza (TM), is being developed as a perennial grain crop, i.e. being bred for its improved agronomic performance and food qualities. Intercropping legumes and grasses is a strategy for improving resource use and sustainability in cropping systems. Here, we show for the first time the agronomic performance of IWG as a perennial cereal grown as a monocrop and as an intercrop (alternate row, 0.5:0.5) with Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa/lucerne) in southern Sweden. The seeds of cycle 3 IWG were accessed from The Land Institute (TLI) of Salinas, Kansas, USA, and used to establish a local seed production plot (in 2014) for the establishment of the perennial systems (in 2016) utilised in this study. Both the monocrop and intercrop were sown with 25 cm row spacing with alternate rows of IWG and alfalfa in the intercrop (i.e. replacement design) with unknown sowing density. Intercropping provided sustained IWG grain production under the dry conditions of 2018, but also in the following year. This was evidently associated with a higher nitrogen accumulation in intercropped practice. Thus, intercropping seems to have stabilised the IWG grain production in the dry conditions of 2018, when the grain production in the intercrop was similar to that of the monocrop in the same year. This result was further supported by the lower discrimination against C-13 (as an indicator of water use efficiency) in the intercrop components compared to the sole crop in 2018. The lower discrimination indicates high water use efficiency in the intercropped IWG in comparison to the IWG in monoculture, and we conclude that intercropping perennial cereal grain crops with legumes provides better growing conditions in terms of nitrogen acquisition, and water status, to cope with more extreme drought spells expected from climate change.
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| 8. |
- Dimitrova Mårtensson, Linda-Maria, et al.
(author)
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Det fleråriga spannmålet Kernza™ som ett element i växtföljden: En pilotstudie om metoder för att bryta beståndet och dess förfruktseffekter på rödbeta
- 2022
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In: LTV-fakultetens faktablad.
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Other publication (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Fleråriga spannmål, baljväxter och oljeväxter representerar ett paradigmskifte inom jordbruket och har potential att bidra till ökad hållbarhet i produktionssystemen1 . En flerårig spannmålsgröda, såsom perenn vetegräs (Kernza™; Thinopyrum intermedium; bild 1) har många miljömässiga fördelar jämfört med ettårig spannmål2,3,4. I ekologiska växtföljder använder vi fleråriga vallgrödor för att bryta livscykeln för ogräs5 och för att bygga upp markens bördighet och kvalitet6 . Här kan Kernza™ utgöra ett alternativ med sin tilläggstjänst för att producera en kärnskörd för humankonsumtion. Icke-kemiska metoder för att bryta en flerårig örtartad gröda är önskvärt i ekologisk där vallar ofta plöjs. Plöjning kan ha positiva effekter på markstrukturen men negativa effekter på markens innehåll av organiskt material7 , aktiv markmikrobiell biomassa8 , daggmaskförekomst9 och därmed jordens bördighet och kvalitet10. Vidare bygger ogräshanteringen i ekologisk produktion främst på mekanisk markstörning, så som falsk såbädd innan huvudgrödan etableras11 eller radhackning i de redan etablerade grödorna12. Forskning på odlingsåtgärder i ett odlingssystemperspektiv är viktigt för att vi ska kunna dra nytta av de många funktioner som fleråriga spannmålsgrödor, som Kernza™, erbjuder. Forskning om växtföljdseffekter av IWG är fortfarande begränsad. Detta faktablad presenterar resultaten från ett försök där ett femårigt bestånd av Kernza™ avbrutits och använts för odling av rödbeta (Beta vulgaris subsp. Vulgaris, bild 2). I det ena försöket tittade vi på tre olika strategier för att bryta beståndet med Kernza™ och följde därefter förfruktseffekter av Kernza™ på rödbeta. I våra studier har vi testat följande hypoteser: När vi avslutar ett bestånd Kernza™ så antar vi att oönskad återväxt av Kernza™ är lägre efter djupare än efter mera grund jordbearbetning. När vi avslutar ett bestånd Kernza™ så antar vi att skörden av den efterföljande rotfrukten, rödbetan, samt ogrästillväxten, lägst efter djupare än efter mera grund jordbearbetning. När vi avslutar ett bestånd Kernza™ så antar vi att markens egenskaper är bättre bevarade efter ytligare än efter djupare jordbearbetning.
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| 9. |
- Dimitrova Mårtensson, Linda-Maria
(author)
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Determining the footprint of breeding in the seed microbiome of a perennial cereal
- 2024
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In: Environmental Microbiome. - 2524-6372. ; 19
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Seed endophytes have a significant impact on plant health and fitness. They can be inherited and passed on to the next plant generation. However, the impact of breeding on their composition in seeds is less understood. Here, we studied the indigenous seed microbiome of a recently domesticated perennial grain crop (Intermediate wheatgrass, Thinopyrum intermedium L.) that promises great potential for harnessing microorganisms to enhance crop performance by a multiphasic approach, including amplicon and strain libraries, as well as molecular and physiological assays.Results Intermediate wheatgrass seeds harvested from four field sites in Europe over three consecutive years were dominated by Proteobacteria (88%), followed by Firmicutes (10%). Pantoea was the most abundant genus and Pantoea agglomerans was identified as the only core taxon present in all samples. While bacterial diversity and species richness were similar across all accessions, the relative abundance varied especially in terms of low abundant and rare taxa. Seeds from four different breeding cycles (TLI C3, C5, C704, C801) showed significant differences in bacterial community composition and abundance. We found a decrease in the relative abundance of the functional genes nirK and nifH as well as a drop in bacterial diversity and richness. This was associated with a loss of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacilli, which could be partially compensated in offspring seeds, which have been cultivated at a new site. Interestingly, only a subset assigned to potentially beneficial bacteria, e.g. Pantoea, Kosakonia, and Pseudomonas, was transmitted to the next plant generation or shared with offspring seeds.Conclusion Overall, this study advances our understanding of the assembly and transmission of endophytic seed microorganisms in perennial intermediate wheatgrass and highlights the importance of considering the plant microbiome in future breeding programs.
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| 10. |
- Dimitrova Mårtensson, Linda-Maria
(author)
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Earthworm populations and diversity under annual and perennial wheat in a North to South gradient in Western Europe
- 2023
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In: European Journal of Soil Biology. - 1164-5563 .- 1778-3615. ; 119
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The challenge to sustain food security while halting the loss of biodiversity and soil quality might be achieved by a transformation in agriculture from high-input management of annual crops to a more nature-based solution introducing perennial cropping systems. This study analysed earthworm communities (numbers, biomass, ecological categories) and diversity over two years, from annual wheat and perennial intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium, Kernza (R)) within the EU-Biodiversa project NAPERDIV from Southern to Northern Europe. Study sites in France, Belgium and Sweden represented diverse soil, climatic and plant growth conditions. In total, 16 species were identified with IWG in France having the highest (13) and annual wheat in Belgium and Sweden the lowest (7) species numbers. Improved biodiversity under perennial wheat was indicated by alpha-diversity indices (Simpson index, Shannon-Weaver index, Evenness). Earthworm abundance and biomass were generally significantly higher in IWG across the three sites (GLMM model). The overall mean earthworm number under IWG was 424.7 No. m(-2) compared to 164.7 No. m(-2) for annual wheat. Mean earthworm biomass under IWG was 83.7 g m(-2) relative to 45.9 g m(-2) under annual wheat, respectively. Remarkably, mean number of juvenile earthworms was several times higher on IWG sites relative to the annual comparatives. Moreover, endogeic and epigeic earthworms were supported on the IWG plots. Beta diversity (Sorensen coefficient) emphasised highest similarity between Belgium and Sweden and lowest between France and Sweden, indicating a possible South to North distribution within Western Europe. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis showed discrete clusters for study sites and species distribution (including the subtypes of Allolobophora chlorotica) in relation to soil parameters (pH, soil texture, TOC, TN, WHC, C-N ratio). The CCA additionally discriminated between annual and perennial plots in France. In summary, earthworm communities were more diverse under IWG and seemed to follow a South to North gradient.
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