Metabolites Profiling of Humid Tropic Simulated Bungor Soil Under Biofertilizer Application

Purpose

Biofertilizer application in the agriculture industries is deemed sustainable in the long run given its ability to restore fertility of soil and increase crops productivity through several direct and indirect mechanisms. However, the dissolved fraction (DOM), which is made up of tiny molecules of plant and microbial origin produced by lysed cells and released metabolites as influenced directly through biofertilizer amendment is unknown.

Methods

An untargeted metabolomics profiling was conducted via an in vitro rhizospheric Bungor soil series incubation with IBG Biofertilizer from IBG Manufacturing Sdn Bhd. In this study, a comparative analysis between Ultisols samples inoculated with IBG biofertilizer and control samples was conducted under simulated humid tropic conditions.

Results

18 mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) values with VIP (Variable Importance in Projection) scores exceeding 1 in the IBG biofertilizer-inoculated Ultisol. The annotated metabolites primarily consisted of endogenous compounds, including amino acids, organic acids, nucleic acids, fatty acids, and amines. Notably, a signaling compound, homoserine lactone (m/z 270), exhibited the highest fold changes in response to IBG biofertilizer inoculation on the simulated Ultisol. Furthermore, key metabolic pathways such as Glycerophospholipid metabolism, Glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, Cysteine and methionine metabolism, and Alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were notably affected by IBG biofertilizer inoculation on the simulated soil model.

Conclusions

These findings emphasized the metabolic responses induced by IBG biofertilizer in Ultisols under the simulated humid tropic conditions., which suggests that biofertilizers application have some significant changes on soil metabolites that overall soil productivity could be affected by these potential biomarkers. Understanding these metabolic shifts not only enhances crop productivity but also addresses broader questions of soil health and ecosystem sustainability in the face of climate change and agricultural intensification.