University of Houston study on hemp may lead to more sustainable farming methods
New findings use nature to boost plant growth instead of relying on chemicals
University of Houston
Hemp has become increasingly popular for its versatile uses: CBD-rich varieties are in high demand for pharmaceutical products, while fiber-rich varieties are valued for industrial applications like textiles. Now, a new University of Houston study of hemp microbes, published in the journal Nature, may help scientists create special mixtures of helpful microbes to make hemp plants produce more CBD or have better-quality fibers.
As a community of tiny organisms including microbes, the plant microbiome helps plants absorb nutrients, handle stress and produce valuable compounds.
The study, led by Abdul Latif Khan, assistant professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division, examined the communities of microbiomes living in and around the roots (rhizosphere) and on the leaves (phyllosphere) of four types of hemp plants. Khan’s team also compared how these microorganisms differ between hemp grown for fiber and hemp grown for CBD production.
“In hemp, the microbiome is important in terms of optimizing the production of CBD and enhancing the quality of fiber. This work explains how different genotypes of hemp harbor microbial communities to live inside and contribute to such processes,” reports Khan. “We showed how different types of hemp plants have their own special groups of tiny living microbes that help the plants grow and stay healthy.”
“Understanding these microorganisms can also lead to more sustainable farming methods, using nature to boost plant growth instead of relying heavily on chemicals,” said Waqar Ahmad, the paper’s first author and doctoral student of Khan’s.
Among the findings:
· Microbiome diversity was significantly different in soil, root, leaf, stem - and also in CBD and fiber genotypes.
· Roots and soil showed higher bacterial diversity
· Leaves and stems had higher fungal diversity.
· Bacteria such as Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas and Bacillus were highly present among the hemp plants that produced fiber.
· Microbacterium and Rhizobium were more abundant in CBD-producing hemp as were fungi like Penicillium and Nigrospora, but fungi Alternaria and Gibberella were associated with fiber plants.
“Different genotypes have different microbiomes, affecting physiology, nutrient uptake, stress resilience, and production of secondary metabolites such as CBD. Our findings might suggest that these endophytic microorganisms have a major role in impacting CBD production and high-quality fiber in hemp,” said Khan.
The team included Venkatesh Balan, UH associate professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division; Aruna Weerasooriya, professor of medicinal plants at Prairie View A&M University; and Ram Ray, professor of agronomy at Prairie View A&M University.
Journal
Nature
Article Title
Microbiome diversity and variations in industrial hemp genotypes
Researcher to study how climate warming impacts farm ponds
University of Oklahoma
NORMAN, OKLA. – A University of Oklahoma researcher has received funding from the National Science Foundation to monitor farm ponds across Oklahoma. The research will improve understanding of how small bodies of water respond to human- and climate-based changes.
Farm ponds, like other comparably sized water bodies, are sensitive to environmental changes. When it comes to monitoring their size, the available products provide imperfect pictures: the nationwide product provides high-resolution data with the most accurate view of the water but does not update frequently, and the global surface water product that updates regularly is lower resolution, which does not capture bodies like ponds.
“If we can collect timely information on these ponds, not only can we enhance the resilience of the water availability and the aquatic system but also we may enhance the resilience of social and agricultural production system,” said Chenbing Deng, Ph.D., a professor in the OU Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, who is leading the research.
Deng is a remote-sensing scientist who uses satellite data and aerial photographs to study environmental change. To generate a complete view of these ponds on a sub-seasonal basis, Deng will leverage both optical data and other types of data, such as radar data. Radar can help acquire data on days when satellites are unable to see the ground.
Before coming to OU, Deng’s research focused on changes in urban environments. Now, it has expanded to include rural environments and climate change and adaptation.
“While climate change is related to the urban environment, I’ve actually broadened my research view to include natural environments, such as farm ponds and surface water bodies,” Deng said. “One of the reasons for this change is how relevant such research is to the rural communities in Oklahoma and that the small farm ponds themselves are extremely sensitive to changes in climate.”
He says the data will be collected daily, providing near real-time updates on the changes happening in these ponds, but bi-weekly or even monthly data would be an improvement from what is currently available. Monthly updates will allow researchers to see how human variables, such as construction, impact water. This monitoring will allow Deng to dig deeper into the cause and effect of the populations and environment surrounding these ponds.
“We’ll look at how human beings try to alter or change the landscape, such as through agricultural activities. Or, in the case of climate change, that may be another reason for water changes. There could be a lot of different factors that dominate,” said Deng.
The answers given by these observations will help inform where water should be kept.
While Deng hopes that this can build to focus on a larger geographic area in the future, for now the observations will focus on the Great Plains area, predominantly Oklahoma, with a small amount of Texas as well. “Even doing one state like Oklahoma is already very challenging because of the number of datasets,” said Deng.
He hopes that in the future, the research can span beyond visual observations to include input from farmers and rural community members on their thoughts and perceptions of water.
NORMAN, OKLA. – A University of Oklahoma researcher has received funding from the National Science Foundation to monitor farm ponds across Oklahoma. The research will improve understanding of how small bodies of water respond to human- and climate-based changes.
Farm ponds, like other comparably sized water bodies, are sensitive to environmental changes. When it comes to monitoring their size, the available products provide imperfect pictures: the nationwide product provides high-resolution data with the most accurate view of the water but does not update frequently, and the global surface water product that updates regularly is lower resolution, which does not capture bodies like ponds.
“If we can collect timely information on these ponds, not only can we enhance the resilience of the water availability and the aquatic system but also we may enhance the resilience of social and agricultural production system,” said Chenbing Deng, Ph.D., a professor in the OU Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, who is leading the research.
Deng is a remote-sensing scientist who uses satellite data and aerial photographs to study environmental change. To generate a complete view of these ponds on a sub-seasonal basis, Deng will leverage both optical data and other types of data, such as radar data. Radar can help acquire data on days when satellites are unable to see the ground.
Before coming to OU, Deng’s research focused on changes in urban environments. Now, it has expanded to include rural environments and climate change and adaptation.
“While climate change is related to the urban environment, I’ve actually broadened my research view to include natural environments, such as farm ponds and surface water bodies,” Deng said. “One of the reasons for this change is how relevant such research is to the rural communities in Oklahoma and that the small farm ponds themselves are extremely sensitive to changes in climate.”
He says the data will be collected daily, providing near real-time updates on the changes happening in these ponds, but bi-weekly or even monthly data would be an improvement from what is currently available. Monthly updates will allow researchers to see how human variables, such as construction, impact water. This monitoring will allow Deng to dig deeper into the cause and effect of the populations and environment surrounding these ponds.
“We’ll look at how human beings try to alter or change the landscape, such as through agricultural activities. Or, in the case of climate change, that may be another reason for water changes. There could be a lot of different factors that dominate,” said Deng.
The answers given by these observations will help inform where water should be kept.
While Deng hopes that this can build to focus on a larger geographic area in the future, for now the observations will focus on the Great Plains area, predominantly Oklahoma, with a small amount of Texas as well. “Even doing one state like Oklahoma is already very challenging because of the number of datasets,” said Deng.
He hopes that in the future, the research can span beyond visual observations to include input from farmers and rural community members on their thoughts and perceptions of water.
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