Maize production and mining are essential for the economy of the North West Province, and researchers at the North-West University (NWU) are now looking at how microorganisms can protect maize from climate challenges and mining by-products.

Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola and two PhD graduates, Saheed Adekunle Akinola and Dr Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro, recently published research articles looking at the benefits and essential services provided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) for sustainable maize production in the province.

They explored the diversity, functions and drought tolerance abilities of these microorganisms, and found that a crucial element of improved maize production is the mining of rhizosphere – the metagenome of maize – to determine the functional roles of these organisms.

Prof Babalola says sustainable food production is a global challenge amid climate change and increasing populations. However, conventional crop production using agrochemicals presents human health and environmental challenges.

“To combat these challenges various strategies are employed, which include the use of PGPM. These organisms provide several services and benefits to plants. They play a crucial role in nutrient acquisition, secreting plant hormones, control of plant pathogens, and alleviating abiotic stress in plants.”

She says the extensive use of certain agricultural practices for intensified crop production to meet the need of increasing populations has led to land degradation, pest infestation and ecosystem disruption.

Land degradation has multiple interconnected causes and effects, resulting in loss of vegetative cover, soil erosion, nutrient depletion, decreasing water quality and quantity, and loss of biodiversity. Consequently, this contributes to losses in crop productivity and susceptibility to various abiotic and biotic stresses.

According to Prof Babalola, PGPMs play major roles in the metabolism of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur in the rhizosphere of maize.

“These organisms also facilitate the acquisition and metabolism of iron, a component of the prosthetic group and an important element in the activation of metabolic pathways in living organisms. Iron stresses in plants can be alleviated by microorganisms,” she says.

“Furthermore, we identified microorganisms possessing genes that protect plants from abiotic and biotic stresses. Extreme conditions of drought exacerbate crop productivity, causing nutrient immobilisation and salt accumulation in soils, making them dry, saline, unhealthy and infertile. Genes that mitigate drought and salinity stress in maize, and those protecting against pathogen attack, were identified,” adds Prof Babalola.

The North West Province is rich in mineral resources, which can impair plant growth due to anthropogenic activities.

“We found pathways responsible for resistance/tolerance to toxic metals and cyanide in microorganisms present in the rhizosphere of maize. This shows that these organisms can adapt to metal-polluted environments and help to mitigate the effects of toxic metals on maize plants.

“The adaptability of these organisms will ensure growth and development of maize, sustainable production and will mitigate the effects of climate change on maize production in the province.”

Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola