Percorrer por autor "Castro, Paula"
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- Application of a PGP bacterial bioinoculant in a vineyard: impact on soil biochemical properties and must compositionPublication . Prieto-Fernández, Ángeles; Pereira, Sofia; Sousa, Ana Sofia; Rodríguez-Garrido, Beatriz; González-Prieto, Serafin; Castro, Paula; Trasar-Cepeda, CarmenThe ReCROP project, funded by the PRIMA-Med programme, focuses on the development of sustainable agricultural production systems through the combined use of biotechnological tools and environmentally friendly agronomic practices to enhance soil functions and health. As part of this project, a PGP bacterial strain was used as a bioinoculant in a vineyard of the Mencía variety, located within the DO Ribeiro region (Galicia, NW Spain). This study presents the results of bioinoculation performed over two consecutive cropping seasons, 2023 and 2024. At the harvest, soil and grape samples were collected from both non-inoculated and inoculated vines. Soil analysis included general characterization, determination of labile C compounds, C and N mineralization, and the measurement of several enzymatic activities. Must was analyzed for pH, sugar content, and organic acids. The bioinoculation led to an increase in labile C compounds, enhanced N mineralization, and stimulated several enzymatic activities. Additionally, preliminary results indicate that the must composition was altered by the bioinoculant, which modified the profile of organic acids.
- Application of a PGP bacterial bioinoculant in a vineyard: impact on soil biochemical properties and must compositionPublication . Prieto-Fernández, Ángeles; Pereira, Sofia; Sousa, Ana Sofia; Rodríguez-Garrido, Beatriz; González-Prieto, Serafin; Castro, Paula; Trasar-Cepeda, CarmenIntroduction: Sustainable agriculture increasingly relies on the use of environmentally friendly practices and biotechnological tools to maintain soil health and productivity. The ReCROP project, funded by the PRIMA-Med programme, aims to enhance soil functions and resilience through integrated cropping systems. As part of this initiative, we evaluated the effects of a plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacterial bioinoculant applied in a vineyard of the Mencía grape variety located in the Ribeiro Denomination of Origin (Galicia, NW Spain). This study explores the bioinoculant's influence on soil biochemical properties and must composition over two growing seasons. Experimental field site: The field trial was conducted in a vineyard located in the Denomination of Origin (D.O.) Ribeiro area, specifically in A Gandarela – Esposende, within the municipality of Ribadavia (Galicia, NW Spain). The vineyard is situated at GPS coordinates 42.2959, -8.1327 and is registered in the SIGPAC system under code 32 70 00 44 148. The site is representative of typical Ribeiro vineyards, characterized by a temperate Atlantic climate. The experimental area covered approximately 0.03 ha and consisted of three plots, each with an approximate area of 100 m². Material and methods: The study was conducted over two consecutive cropping seasons (2023 and 2024) in the described experimental vineyard. A plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacterial strain, Arthrobacter nicotinovorans EAPAA, was used as a bioinoculant. The selected PGP strain presents beneficial traits such as phosphorus solubilization and nitrogen fixation. The strain was cultured in Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) and the inoculum consisted of 500 mL of a bacterial suspension with an optical density of 1.0, applied at the base of each grapevine stock in early spring. In each plot, four grapevines were inoculated and four were treated with 1/3 diluted TSB as controls. At harvest, soil and grape samples were collected from both non-inoculated and inoculated vines. Soil samples were taken at the base of each vine and pooled to obtain one composite sample for the inoculated and one for the non-inoculated treatments per plot. Conclusions: The bioinoculation with the PGP strain Arthrobacter nicotinovorans EAPAA in a Mencía vineyard led to several soil beneficial effects: Improved availability of labile C and labile P; Enhanced soil biological and biochemical activity, particularly of the N and P cycles. The bioinoculation also appears to induce modifications of must composition, which should be further studied to analyse their impact in the vinification process. These findings suggest that the bioinoculant can contribute to improving soil functionality and may influence grape quality, offering a promising strategy for sustainable vineyard management.
- Application of phytomanagement strategies in contaminated areas of the SUDOE spacePublication . Mench, Michel; Garbisu, Carlos; Epelde, Lur; Soussou, Souhir; Soto-Lopez, Manuel; Hernandez, Antonio; Dudoit, Laurent; Vilela, Juan; Castro, Paula; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia; Rodríguez-Garrido, Beatriz; Prieto-Fernandez, Angeles; Monterroso-Martínez, Carmen; Cardoso, Eduardo; Jouveau, Séverin; Burlett, Régis; Delzon, Sylvain; Albareda, Aroa; Sousa, Álvaro Nunes de; Becerril, Jose Maria; Segura, Raphael
- Arthrobacter nicotinovorans EAPAA enhances must attributes: evidence from Spanish and Portuguese case studiesPublication . Sousa, Ana Sofia da Silva; Prieto Fernández, Ángeles; Trasar-Cepeda, Carmen; Castro, Paula; Pereira, Sofia Isabel AlmeidaBackground: Mediterranean agriculture faces severe challenges from soil degradation and water scarcity, intensified climate change, and unsustainable practices, like the overuse of chemicals. These pressures drive biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and declining crop productivity, threatening food security and farming’s long-term viability. Enhancing resilience in agri-food systems requires the combination of sustainable agronomic practices and innovative biotechnological solutions. Among these, the use of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is a currently sought strategy to support crop performance. Despite their proven benefits under controlled conditions, it is essential to widen the assessment of PGPB robustness and stability in real-world situations. Methods: Two case studies in Ribeiro (Spain) and Douro (Portugal) evaluated the effects of Arthrobacter nicotinovorans EAPAA inoculation on grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), focusing on must quality and soil properties. The strain EAPAA has been shown to enhance P solubilization and N2 fixation. Field trials covered an average area of 300 m2 in Spain and 600 m2 in Portugal. Results: Must composition analysis show that inoculation significantly affected sugars and organic acid levels in both sites. In Spain, inoculation increased glucose and fructose by 18% and 31%, respectively; tartaric and malic acid by 17.5% and 9.2%, respectively, and succinic acid by 29.8%- 71.3%, alongside higher soil P available, labile C compounds, and biological activity. In Portugal, sugars increased by 33% and tartaric and malic acids by 50%, improvements that directly influence the quality of the wine. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the adaptability of A. nicotinovorans EAPAA and its beneficial effects on both must quality and soil health.
- Bio-based superabsorbent hydrogels for nutrient releasePublication . Ribeiro, Alessandra B.; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia I. A.; Godinho, Mariana; Sousa, Ana Sofia da Silva; Castro, Paula; Pereira, Carla F.; Casanova, Francisca; Freixo, Ricardo; Pintado, Manuela E.; Ramos, Óscar L.Drought is characterized by a low water precipitation rate, with strong impact on crop productivity, threatening global food production. In this context, the use of soil amendments, such as superabsorbent hydrogels constitute a potential technology for better water use efficiency and higher crop yields. In this work, we synthesised cellulose-based hydrogels, characterized their physical and functional properties, evaluated their impact on the environment, and their potential to be used as a soil amendments. The hydrogel showed pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and conductivity below 10.0 µS cm-1. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed a low intensity peak in the crystallinity region, which was supported by the low crystallinity index (27.3% ± 0.6) verified by Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. The swelling capacity reached more than 200 g of water, the hydrogel showed good resistance to osmotic pressure and high thermostability, which favours the application in hot and arid areas. In addition, no potentially hazardous compound was detected, nor was there any adverse effect on soil microorganisms. Further, the hydrogel was found to be safe for use during seed sowing and for promoting seedling development. In the greenhouse pot experiment, the hydrogels showed a significant increase in maize shoot and root biomass, demonstrating their ability to contribute to the overall water holding capacity of the soil, thereby influencing nutrient availability for more efficient plant growth. In conclusion, the superabsorbent hydrogel exhibited promising characteristics for use as a soil amendment, scalability potential and constitutes a sustainable alternative for agricultural applications.
- Bio-based superabsorbent hydrogels for nutrient-controlled releasePublication . Ribeiro, Alessandra B.; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia I. A.; Godinho, Mariana; Castro, Paula; Pereira, Carla F.; Casanova, Francisca; Freixo, Ricardo; Pintado, Manuela E.; Ramos, Óscar L.The drought is characterized by a low water precipitation rate, with strong impact on the crop productivity, threaten global food production. In this context, the use of soil amendments, such as superabsorbent hydrogels constitute a potential technology for water use efficiency and increase crop yields. In this work, it was synthesised a cellulose-based hydrogel, carrying out its characterisation, evaluated its environmental safety and its potential to be used as a soil amendment. The hydrogel was successfully synthesised using a simple process and inexpensive reagents. The hydrogel showed pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and conductivity below 10.0 µS cm-1. The FTIR showed a low intensity peak in the crystallinity region, which was supported by the low crystallinity index (27.3 % ± 0.6) verified by PXRD analysis. The swelling capacity reached more than 200 g of water, the hydrogel showed good resistance to osmotic pressure and high thermostability, which favours the application in hot and arid areas. Regarding the safety evaluation, no potentially hazardous compound was detected, nor was there any adverse effect on soil microrganisms. In addition, the hydrogel was found to be safe for use during sowing and for promoting seedling development. In the green pot experiment, the hydrogel demonstrated a significant increase in maize biomass, root biomass and potential to serve as a reservoir for soil nutrients. In conclusion, the superabsorbent hydrogel exhibited promising characteristics for use as a soil amendment, scalability potential and constitutes a sustainable alternative for agricultural applications.
- Bioaugmentation of Aerobic Granular Sludge with specialized degrading granules treating 2-fluorophenol wastewaterPublication . Oliveira, Ana S.; Amorim, Catarina L.; Zlopasa, Jure; Lin, Yumei; Loosdrecht, Mark C. M. van; Castro, PaulaThe industry growth has been accompanied by an increase in the amount of industrial chemicals being released into the environment. Indigenous microbial communities in wastewater biotreatment processes are not always effective in removing xenobiotics. This work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a new bioaugmentation strategy in an aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor (AGS-SBR) system fed with 2-fluorophenol (2-FP). Bioreactor performance in terms of phosphate and ammonium removal, 2-FP degradation and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was evaluated. The new bioaugmentation strategy consisted in producing granules using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from AGS as a carrying matrix and a 2-FP degrading strain, Rhodococcus sp. FP1. The produced granules were used for the bioaugmentation of a reactor fed with 2-FP. Shortly after bioaugmentation, the produced granules broke down into smaller fragments inside the bioreactor, but 2-FP degradation occurred. After 8 days of bioaugmentation, 2-FP concentration inside the reactor started to decrease, and stoichiometric fluorine release was observed 35 days later. Phosphate and ammonium removal also improved after bioaugmentation, increasing from 30% to 38% and from 20 to 27%, respectively. Complete ammonium removal was only achieved when 2-FP feeding stopped, and phosphate removal was not recovered during operation time. COD removal also improved after the addition of the produced granules. The persistence of Rhodococcus sp. FP1 in the reactor was followed by qPCR. Rhodococcus sp. FP1 was detected 1 day after in the AGS and up to 3 days after bioaugmentation at the effluent. Nevertheless, the 2-FP degradative ability remained thereafter in the granules. Horizontal gene transfer could have happened from the 2-FP degrading strain to indigenous microbiome as some bacteria isolated from the AGS, 3 months after bioaugmentation, were able to degrade 2-FP. This study presents a promising and feasible bioaugmentation strategy to introduce specialized bacteria into AGS systems treating recalcitrant pollutants in wastewater.
- Bioaugmented aerobic granular sludge reactor with a dye-decolorizing yeast for dye removal from textile industry wastewaterPublication . Mendes, Marta; Moreira, Irina; Moreira, Patrícia; Pintado, Manuela; Castro, PaulaTextile industry is a worldwide economic activity that generates high volumes of harmfuleffluents used in fabric processing that are discharged in the environment causing potentialdamages to the aquatic ecosystems [1]. These discharged effluents loaded with synthetic dyes,salt and other chemicals, are resistant to biodegradation and persistent in water, and areresponsible for toxicity and mutagenic effects on the aquatic life [2]. Biological methods aregenerally considered more environmentally friendly and of major relevance [3]. Therefore,biological alternatives to aid the decolorization of dyes in textile wastewaters need to beimplemented. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology has excellent potential inbiodegradation of many pollutants, due to the anoxic/anaerobic zones within granules and theirincreased tolerance to toxicity [4].The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of decolorization of textile effluents using abioaugmented aerobic granular sludge reactor. A proved decolorizing yeast, isolated from atextile wastewater treatment plant, was selected for its dye decolorization capacity, and usedto bioaugment the bioreactor while forming the granules from activated sludge. Theincorporation of the yeast with the granules was followed by plating and following the yeastwithin the microbial community. A commonly used textile azo dye was added to the reactor tofollow the biodegradation by the bioaugmented aerobic granular sludge and the efficiency ofthe process in decolorizing the effluent at varying operational parameters was followed to assessif this is a solution for a safer discharge of such effluents.
- Biodegradation of bisphenol A and bisphenol S by labrys portucalensis strain F11Publication . Novo, Ana; Moreira, Irina S.; Castro, Paula
- Can the agriculture microbiome be utilised for suppressing zoonotic pathogens in plant foods?Publication . Brennan, Fiona; Alsanius, Beatriz; Allende, Ana; Burgess, Kaye; Moreira, Helena; Johannessen, Gro; Castro, Paula; Uyttendaele, Mieke; Trunchado, Pilar Trunchado; Holden, Nicola