Erika Medeiros

• Doctor
• Professor at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco

Plant breeding can influence the bacterial community in the rhizosphere. However, the effect of plant breeding on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the PGPR community in the rhizosphere of parental and segregating generations during lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) breeding. Four lima bean genot...

Soil biological properties are sensitive indicators of land use changes. In particular, they have been widely used to assess the effects of land degradation and restoration. In this study, we evaluated soil biological properties in degraded and short‐term (<5 years) restored lands in the Brazilian semiarid region to determine whether restoration ef...

The study of bacterial communities and their interactions is crucial for understanding ecosystem functioning. However, the interactions between bacterial groups and their potential functions are affected by vegetation types, mainly by more or less rich and diverse vegetation found within the Brazilian Cerrado. Thus, this study assessed the co-occur...

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are an effective tool for improving nutrients in agricultural systems; however, their efficacy depends on successful colonization in soils. To address this challenge, biochar has been identified as an effective material for enhancing soil ecosystem services and can serve as a protective for PGPB. However, the...

Similar to humans, plants experience microbiome imbalance, which increases their vulnerability to pathogens. In a recent study, Ketehouli et al. applied a soil microbiome transplant (SMT) to restore the microbiome balance, which potentially reduced the severity of leaf diseases. Here, we examine this approach, highlighting its limitation and offeri...

O estudo foi conduzido para investigar as propriedades de biochars produzidos a partir de diferentes materiais, com foco na capacidade de adsorção e dessorção de fosfato, elemento decisivo para a gestão eficiente do fósforo em solos agrícolas. Foram analisados três tipos de biochar: lodo de esgoto, cama de frango e madeira de cajueiro. A composição...

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) are a sustainable alternative to reduce livestock environmental impacts and restore degraded pastures due to their higher diversity, increased forage production and quality, enhanced soil quality, and C storage. Legume-based silvopastoral systems also contribute through biological nitrogen fixation by the legume componen...

Flipped Classroom (FC) approach has gained widespread acceptance across various education levels, particularly in higher education settings. Flipped Classroom represents a method employed to stimulate student learning, enhance academic performance, and foster student motivation and engagement. This approach involves the utilization of pre-class mat...

Biochar is an effective material for enhancing soil ecosystem services. However, the specific impacts of biochar on microbial indicators, particularly in degraded soils, remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar produced from cashew residues and sewage sludge, in a highly degraded soil, on microbial indicators. W...

The Caatinga biome in Brazil is renowned for its rich aboveground biodiversity. However, approximately 19% of this biome has experienced desertification, severely affecting the soil microbiome. Monitoring these microbial communities is essential to understanding the impacts of desertification and the potential outcomes of restoration efforts. The C...

This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis (MA) of systematic review data on poultry litter biochar (PLB) to answer the following questions: (i) What are the major studies regarding this worldwide? (ii) Which soil chemical attributes are the most affected? and (iii) Does PLB improve soil quality and crop productivity? MA revealed that the applicat...

Agricultural practices influence plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere and, particularly can drive the recruitment of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). This study assessed the PGPB community in soil under no-tillage (NT) and in the rhizosphere of maize and grass under integrated cro-livestock (ICL) to evaluate their influence on the r...

Agricultural production in semi-arid environments represents a significant challenge, as these are areas that have soils with limited nutrient availability and scarcity of precipitation, which require adaptive and innovative strategies. The application of biochar to improve soil quality and increase productivity has been well studied. However, ther...

Sustainable agricultural systems, such as integrated crop-livestock (ICL) and no-tillage (NT), aim to sustainably produce crops and livestock while simultaneously conserving soil and its microbial properties, mainly in tropical regions. However, little is known about how microbial properties respond seasonally to management applied in NT and ICL. T...

Soil quality (SQ) pertains to the intricate and ongoing capacity of soil to function as a thriving ecosystem that supports the growth of plants and animals. However, there is a limited understanding of SQ assessment in mixed forest plantations. Therefore, we formulated and tested the hypothesis that the inclusion of a nitrogen-fixing tree species (...

Land degradation has emerged as a significantly pressing environmental concern, contributing to the decline of soil properties in both arid and semiarid regions. Despite this, there is limited understanding of how degradation and subsequent long-term restoration efforts impact enzymatic stoichiometry in soils of the Brazilian semiarid area. Therefo...

Silicon (Si) plays a pivotal role in shaping the core microbiome of the rhizosphere. However, there exists a gap in our understanding regarding the influence of Si on the recruitment of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). This study assessed the PGPR community within the rhizosphere of three sugarcane genotypes (G1-RB021754, G2-RB036066, a...

Soil fertility is key point to pastures systems and drives the microbial communities and their functionality. Therefore, an understanding of the interaction between soil fertility and microbial communities can increase our ability to manage pasturelands and maintain their soil functioning and productivity. This study probed the influence of soil fe...

Land desertification poses a significant challenge in the Brazilian semiarid region, encompassing a substantial portion of the country. Within this region, the detrimental effects of human activities, particularly unsuitable anthropic actions, have resulted in diminished vegetation cover and an accelerated rate of soil erosion. Notably, practices s...

The use of organic compost associated with nitrogen (N) fertilization has been intensively studied, revealing the promotion of changes in soil microbial properties. However, few studies have reported the effect of N application in soil amended with organic compost in the long-term on soil microbial communities. This study assessed the responses of...

Biofertilizers offer a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilizers, by harnessing the power of beneficial microorganisms. These microorganisms promote plant growth and protect crops against diseases, pests, and environmental stressors. Therefore, incorporating biofertilizers into agricultural practices can not only enhance crop yields but a...

● The enzymatic stoichiometry varied between land-use in both soil depth. ● The values of C- and N-acquiring enzymes were higher at 0−5 cm depth. ● Soils under different land-use types in the Brazilian semiarid are P-limited. This study hypothesized that different land-use affect the microbial enzymatic stoichiometry and C-, N-, and P-acquisition i...

The current agricultural scenario faces diverse challenges, among which phytosanitary issues are crucial. Plant diseases are mostly treated with chemicals, which cause environmental pollution and pathogen resistance. In light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the biochar alternative use to chemical inputs fits into at least six of the...

The Macrophomina genus consists of soil-dwelling fungi that infect hundreds of plant species. Macrophomina pseudophaseolina is a recent species reported on different crops and weeds worldwide, which has gained importance due to its aggressiveness and losses caused to crop production. The present investigation revealed the first report on pathogenic...

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar and Trichoderma spp. on soil chemical and biological properties and to determine whether their combined application could be a sustainable alternative in soil cultivated with tomatoes. We hypothesized that the application of biochar and Trichoderma spp. would alter the soil’s chemical an...

Brazilian semi-arid tropical is responsible for the production and export of fine table grapes, but the demand for phosphate fertilizers and other agricultural inputs increases the cost of production and threatens local water bodies by leaching of phosphorus (P). The objectives of this study were to quantify the organic and inorganic fractions of P...

Imazethapyr and flumioxazin are widely recommended herbicides for soybean fields due to their broad-spectrum effects. However, although both herbicides present low persistence, their potential impact on the community of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is unclear. To address this gap, this study assessed the short-term effect of imazethapyr,...

This study hypothesized that different land-use affect the microbial enzymatic stoichiometry and C-, N-, and P-acquisition in Brazilian semiarid soils. Thus, the enzymes β-glucosidase (C-acquiring enzyme), urease (N-acquiring enzyme), and acid phosphatase (P-acquiring enzyme) were assessed in soil samples collected at 0−5 and 5−10 cm depth from a t...

Chromium (Cr) contamination can affect microorganisms in the soil, but the response of the microbial community in the rhizosphere of plants grown in Cr-contaminated soils is poorly understood. Therefore, this study assessed the microbial community, by amplicon sequencing, in the rhizosphere of maize and cowpea growing in uncontaminated (∼6.0 mg kg−...

Bacteria have potential to tolerate and reduce metals. This study evaluated the potential of selected bacterial strains in tolerating and reducing chromium (Cr). Six bacterial strains (Rhizobium miluonense LCC01, LCC04, LCC05, and LCC69; Rhizobium pusense LCC43; and Agrobacterium deltaense LCC50) showed tolerance to Cr(VI) (16 and 32 μg mL −1), red...

Seeds pathogens compromise the production of beans. Seed treatment is used to mitigate the pathogens' incidence and damage; however, the forms of control must be efficient and safe. Our main hypothesis is that synthetic chemicals are the most efficient treatment against bean seed pathogens. Thus, we discuss the controls of pathogens in bean seeds u...

A biomassa microbiana tem grande responsabilidade nas transformações biogeoquímicas no solo, sendo eles os maiores encarregadas pela mineralização, imobilização e disponibilização de nutrientes as plantas, algumas técnicas de espectrometria de massa estão sendo amplamente utilizadas, a fim de se conhecer como essas transformações acontecem na bioma...

Soil desertification has a significant social, economic, and environmental impact worldwide. Mycorrhizal diversity remains poorly understood in semiarid regions impacted by desertification, especially in Brazilian drylands. More importantly, positive impacts of grazing exclusion on mycorrhizal communities are still incipient. Here, we hypothesized...

Forage cactus (Nopalea cochinillifera L.) is highly efficient in water use and biomass production for animal feed in arid regions; however, soil fungi Fusarium solani (Fs) and Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Lt) pose a threat to this plant. This study evaluated the antagonistic potential of nine Thricorderma spp. against these pathogens. Thricorderma aur...

Tropical dry areas in Brazil cover approximately 1 million km² and are significant contributors to soil carbon (C) loss to the atmosphere. This study is part of a large project that has evaluated the effects of land cover type variation on chemical and biological attributes in a reference area of the Brazilian semi-arid region. Five different land...

Soils from Brazilian semiarid regions are highly vulnerable to desertification due to their geology, climate, human actions, and intensive land use that contribute to desertification. Therefore, areas under desertification have increased in the Brazilian semiarid region and it has negatively changed the soil bacterial and archaeal communities and t...

The enzymatic stoichiometry allows assessing microbial C, N, and P acquisition, being used to indicate a nutrient limitation in soils. This study evaluated the enzymatic stoichiometry in soils from different physiognomies of the Brazilian Cerrado, trying to indicate a possible nutrient limitation in these areas. The enzymes β-glucosidase (BG), urea...

The root soil interface harbors complex microbial interactions that influence plant and soil health. A better understanding of using of biochar derived from different waste sources with Trichoderma spp. (TRI), and the relationship between plant disease and environmental parameters would assist setting priorities. Here, we hypothesized that biochar...

During a survey of mucoralean diversity in three different fragments of upland forest located in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, Brazil, 14 species of Mucor were recorded; twelve of them reported for the first time from upland forest areas. We propose a replacement name for Mucor septatus nom. illeg. and present detailed descriptions and illust...

Phosphorus (P) plays a vital role in many aspects of plant growth and development. The low amount of available P in agricultural soils reduces crop productivity and phosphate fertilizers are often applied. However, due to the high affinity of P for the soil constituents, the availability of this element becomes limited to plants. Thus, alternative,...

Soils comprise a huge fraction of the world's biodiversity, contributing to several crucial ecosystem functions. However, how the forest-to-pasture conversion impact soil bacterial diversity remains poorly understood, mainly in the Caatinga biome, the largest tropical dry forest of the world. Here, we hypothesized that forest-to-pasture conversion...

The aim of the present study was to optimize the production of cellulolytic enzymes by C. gloeosporioides URM 7080 isolated from leaf lesions in Manihot esculenta showing symptoms of anthracnose. Cassava bran (MA) and crushed forage cactus (PA) were used as substrates for submerged fermentation at the concentrations of 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%; initial p...

A better understanding of the use of biochar with Trichoderma spp. (TRI), considered the most studied tool for biological control, would increase our ability to set priorities. However, no studies exist using the two inputs on plant disease management. Here, we hypothesized that biochar and TRI would be used for the management of soilborne plant pa...

The addition of biochar to the soil has been seen as a potential and low-cost important tool in the management of tomato diseases. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biochar from different sources applied to the sandy soil against bacterial wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in tomatoes. We set up two experim...

Seeds associated to fungal pathogens are efficient vehicles for disease dissemination in the field. Such pathogens affect the seed quality and longevity, causing a decrease or loss of germination, discoloration, necrosis, and decay, in addition to leading to the production of mycotoxins in some pathosystems. To control them several synthetic chemic...

Pradoo wood biochar has been tested in order to explore sustainable solutions to the development of agriculture on poor sandy soils in marginal areas in Northeast Thailand. Some basic physicochemical properties of biochar, e.g. pore size distribution, cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area (SSA), water and nutrient adsorption, were d...

Métodos contraceptivos ou anticoncepcionais são todos os recursos utilizados por homens e mulheres para evitar gravidez e doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Um dos principais métodos contraceptivos de difusão mundial são os contraceptivos hormonais orais, conhecidos como pílulas anticoncepcionais, estes têm sido amplamente utilizados pela populaçã...

Biochar has been used to reuse the agro-industrial wastes and improve soil quality. Several studies have been carried out to show the impact of biochar on physical and chemical soil attributes. However, there are still gaps regarding the effects on as microbial biomass and enzymatic activities that are important to determine sensitive indicators to...

The current agricultural scenario faces a range of challenges, with phytosanitary ones being paramount. In most cases, plant diseases are treated with chemicals; however, they cause environmental pollution and face the acquired resistance of pathogens. Alternatively, biochar is a valuable tool for inducing the systemic resistance of plants since it...

Banana crops require large amounts of fertilizers to maintain nutrients levels and achieve satisfactory yields. The use of biological fertilizers combined with organic waste is an efficient and sustainable option for agricultural production. Therefore, this study evaluated the use of a biological fertilizer combined with sewage sludge to make nutri...

Biochar is a product rich in carbon, which improve the soil attributes and crop yield. In the Brazilian tropical dry region, common bean is cultivated under rainfed, in poor, acidic, and with low water retention soils. This work aims to evaluate the effect of biochar on soil physical and chemical attributes, on evapotranspiration (ET), water use ef...

The resistance induction becomes an alternative to control microorganisms that attacks like plants. Little is known about the dose and its effect on the enzymatic activities associated with the induction of resistance of pepper plants under anthracnose attack. The objective of this study was to evaluate the severity and to estimate the enzymatic ac...

The processing of cassava roots for starch extraction in factories generates a large amount of cassava wastewater (CW), which is rich in nutrients that are beneficial to plants. The reuse of this agro-industrial by-product is important for farmers and the environment as an alternative means to support soil fertility and plant production. Lettuce is...

The effects of coffee biochar residue combined with cow manure fertilizer on soil chemical attributes, microbial biomass, and structure and abundance of the soil microbial community are not fully understood. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of coffee biochar combined with cow manure on chemical and microbial attributes i...

Common bean is usually cropped under rainfed conditions and in soils with low pH and water retention, in the sub-humid and semiarid regions of Brazil. To improve soil conditions, smallholder farmers commonly use cattle manure. However, manure is available in limited amounts, insufficient to fertilize all cropping areas. Thus, other amendments, such...

Biochar is a material produced by the pyrolysis of agro-industrial waste, which has become one of the most promising management tools to improve soil quality. The aim was to determine the effects of incorporating biochar from different coffee wastes in sandy soil, cropped with maize, on soil chemical and microbial attributes. The experiment followe...

How to cite: Lima JRS, Souza RMS, Santos ES, Souza ES, Oliveira JES, Medeiros EV, Pessoa LGM, Antonino ACD, Hammecker C. Impacts of land use changes on soil respiration in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Rev Bras Cienc Solo. 2020;44:e0200092. ABSTRACT: Soil respiration represents the largest flux of CO 2 emission from terrestrial ecosystems, being...

Soil respiration (Rs) is the largest flux of CO2 emission from terrestrial ecosystems and an important component of global carbon balance. Small variations in Rs can promote large alterations on atmospheric CO2 concentration, it is therefore necessary to find management practices that reduce Rs and increase total organic carbon (TOC). Biochar appli...

Soil microbial attributes are the most sensitive indicators of changes in soil quality caused by land use. The restoration of areas with salinity and sodicity problems via revegetation has a significant impact on soil attributes. Understanding the response of microbial indicators is essential to maintain the bioavailability of soil organic matter a...

O biochar é produto da degradação térmica de materiais orgânicos na presença limitada de oxigênio (pirólise), e sua adição aos solos influencia nos atributos químicos, físicos e em comunidades microbianas. A produção do biochar pode ser uma alternativa para o reaproveitamento de resíduos da agro-indústria. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar...

O lodo de esgoto (LE) é um resíduo sólido, oriundo de Estações de Tratamentos de Esgoto (ETE), rico em matéria orgânica, sendo capaz de melhorar as propriedades físicas, químicas e biológicas do solo. Contudo, o LE pode apresentar em sua composição elementos tóxicos e agentes patogênicos que trazem malefícios para saúde humana e para o meio ambient...

Trichoderma spp. are an alternative to increase plant growth and as biological control agents of diseases. Biochar added to soil and Trichoderma can result in the enhancement of crop development and can aid in preventing fertilizer run-off, improving plant health, retaining soil moisture, and helping plants through drought periods. However, a knowl...

The melon belongs to the family of commercially important cucurbitaceous in the world. However, the production of this crop can be very problematic in some places due to management practices and the climatic instability. Amongst the different options available to overcome these obstacles, the use of biochar often promoted for providing multiple ben...

Two specimens of Mucor variicolumellatus L. Wagner & G. Walther were isolated from soil samples collected in an upland rainforest area located in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Their identity were confirmed by morphophysiology and ITS rDNA sequence analysis. Both specimens are distinguished from other species within the Mucor circinelloides complex by p...

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 903-914. Martins Filho, A. P.; de Medeiros, E. V.; Lima, J. R. S.; Duda, G. P.; Silva, W. M.; Antonino, A. C. D.; Silva, J. S. A., Oliveira1, J. B.; Hammecker, C. 903

This study aimed to evaluate the production of fungal chitosan (FuChi) from Mucorales fungi cultivated in a cashew apple juice (CAJ) and cheese whey (CW) mixture, and to determine the growth-inhibitory effect of this biopolymer against Fusarium solani CFF109 and Scytalidium lignicola CMM1098, which cause root rot disease in cassava plants. Cunningh...

As mudanças no uso da terra podem provocar alterações no regime hídrico de várias regiões do mundo. Na região agreste de Pernambuco, essas mudanças consistem, principalmente, na retirada da Caatinga para a implantação de pastagens e culturas agrícolas. Contudo, pouco se sabe sobre o efeito dessas mudanças nos componentes do balanço hídrico. Desse m...

Protein hydrolysates originating from egg white have already been reported to be bioactive and, among their biological activities, possess the antioxidant property that protects the body from early ageing and diseases linked to oxidation. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of hydrolysates obtained by the...

The marketable banana fruit is climatic and therefore has a short maturation period, which means shorter shelf life. Properly stored storage becomes of great value so that such transformations do not harm the commercialization of fruit. However, research is needed to provide more affordable maturation alternatives for smallholder and domestic consu...

O município de São João é um dos maiores produtores de feijão comum (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) de Pernambuco, contudo apresenta solos arenosos, com baixos teores de nutrientes e de retenção de água, o que limita a produtividade do feijão. O biochar tem sido muito utilizado para aumentar a retenção de água e pode ser uma alternativa para a região. Dess...

Caatinga is a Brazilian dry ecosystem that occupies around 1 million km(2) and is one of the largest tropical dry forests of the world. About 46% of the area that was originally covered has been deforested. Land use can cause pronounced reduction in soil carbon stocks that play a major role in the global carbon cycle. The objective of this study wa...

The Brazilian dry forest occupies an area of about 1 million km² approximately 46% of which has been deforested. Many studies have been done on the effects of this on productivity and soil chemical attributes. However, little is known about soil enzymatic activity, which is sensitive to environmental changes. The objective of this study was to eval...

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os atributos físicos e os sólidos solúveis totais (SST) de tomates comercializados em mercados de pequeno a grande porte na cidade de Garanhuns-PE e submetidos à diferentes formas de armazenamento. Os frutos foram coletados, aleatoriamente, em quatro tipos de estabelecimentos comerciais (quitanda, mercado d...

Plant growth promotion by microorganisms may be a viable alternative to increase lettuce production through pathogens control and nutrients absorption increase. Trichoderma and Pseudomonas genus are examples of widely studied microorganisms with the capacity to promote plant growth. However, there are still gaps regarding the action of the combined...

RESUMO A podridão negra da mandioca causada por Scytalidium lignicola vem se tornando uma doença importante para os estados produtores devido a grandes perdas de produção. Por isso o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de fontes e doses de matéria orgânica isolada e adicionada a solo arenoso sob a supressividade do crescimento miceli...

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is of great importance due to its high protein and energy content for human diet. Among the major diseases of bean culture is anthracnose, caused by the development of the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Resistance induction becomes an alternative to control this microorganism; among the most commonly use...

Plant growth promotion by microorganisms may be a viable alternative to increase lettuce production through pathogens control and nutrients absorption increase. Trichoderma and Pseudomonas genus are examples of widely studied microorganisms with the capacity to promote plant growth. However, there are still gaps regarding the action of the combined...

Yeasts have been used to manage a large number of plant diseases, but little is known about the mechanisms used by these biocontrol agents. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the antagonistic effect of yeasts against Rhizoctonia solani and possible mechanisms of action in cowpea plants. Seventy yeast isolates were obtained from le...