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Agronomy of Microbial Plant Biostimulants

Fernando González-Andrés (PI)

Professor

L-6401-2014

0000-0002-1464-7118

fgona@unileon.es

PHONE NUMBER

+34-987-291-840

Other group members

Antonio Morán

Professor

Xiomar Gómez

Professor

Jorge Cara

Associate Professor

Raúl Mateos

Assistant Professor

Marcia Baquero

Postdoc

Jorge Poveda

Postdoc

María Isabel San Martin

Postdoc

Raquel Pastor-Bueis

PdD Student

Noemí Ortiz

PhD Student

Research lines

  • Microbial plant biostimulants
  • Bioelectrochemical systems for the treatment of wastewater, slurry and other wastes (MEC and MFC). Use of BES for nutrient recovery
  • Production of biochar by pyrolysis and its agronomic use
  • Development of new technologies and materials for the optimization of anaerobic digestion
  • Transformation of CO2 into BES systems and development of bio-cathodes

Representative publications

  • Pastor-Bueis R, Jiménez-Gómez A, Barquero, M, Mateos PF, González-Andrés F (2021) Yield response of common bean to co-inoculation with Rhizobium and Pseudomonas endophytes and microscopic evidence of different colonised spaces inside the nodule. Eur J Agron 122: 126187 (doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2020.126187)
  • Araujo J, Urbano B, González-Andrés F (2020) Comparative environmental life cycle and agronomic performance assessments of nitrogen fixing rhizobia and mineral nitrogen fertiliser applications for pulses in the Caribbean region. J Clean Prod 267: 122065 (doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122065).
  • San-Martín MI, Escapa A, Alonso RM, Canle M, Morán A (2020) Degradation of 2-mercaptobenzothizaole in microbial electrolysis cells: Intermediates, toxicity, and microbial communities. Sci Total Environ 733: 139155 (doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139155).
  • Araujo J, Díaz-Alcántara CA, Urbano B, González-Andrés F (2020) Inoculation with native Bradyrhizobium strains formulated with biochar as carrier improves the performance of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Eur J Agron 113: 125985 (doi:10.1016/j.eja.2019.125985).
  • Alonso RM, Escapa A, Sotres A, Morán A (2020) Integrating microbial electrochemical technologies with anaerobic digestion to accelerate propionate degradation. Fuel 267: 117158 (doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2020.117158).
  • Arenas C, Sotres A, Alonso RM, González-Arias J, Morán A, Gómez X (2020) Pyrolysed almond shells used as electrodes in microbial electrolysis cell. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (doi: 10.1007/s13399-020-00664-7).
  • Pastor-Bueis R, Sánchez-Cañizares C, James EK, González-Andrés F (2019) Formulation of a highly effective inoculant for common bean based on an autochthonous elite strain of Rhizobium leguminosarum phaseoli, and genomic-based insights into its agronomic performance. Front Microbiol 10: 2724 (doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02724).
  • San-Martín MI, Mateos R, Escapa A, Morán A (2019) Understanding nitrogen recovery from wastewater with a high nitrogen concentration using microbial electrolysis cells. J Environ Sci Heal A 54: 472-477.
  • San-Martín MI, Sotres A, Alonso RM, Díaz-Marcos J, Morán A, Escapa A (2019) Assessing anodic microbial populations and membrane ageing in a pilot microbial electrolysis cell. Int J Hydrogen Energ 44: 17304-17315.
  • Flores-Félix JD, Velázquez E, García-Fraile P, González-Andrés F, Silva LR, Rivas R (2018) Rhizobium and Phyllobacterium bacterial inoculants increase bioactive compounds and quality of strawberries cultivated in field conditions. Food Res Int 111: 416-422.
  • Araújo J, Flores-Félix JD, Igual JM, Peix A, González-Andrés F, Díaz-Alcántara CA, Velázquez E (2017) Bradyrhizobium cajani nov. isolated from nodules of Cajanus cajan. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 67: 2236-2241.
  • Carro L, Mulas R, Pastor-Bueis R, Blanco D, Terrón A, González-Andrés F, Peix A, Velázquez E (2017) Delftia rhizosphaerae nov. isolated from the rhizosphere of Cistus ladanifer. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 67: 1957-1960.
  • Pastor-Buies R, Mulas R, Gómez-Barrios X, González-Andrés F (2017) Innovative liquid formulation of digestates for producing a biofertilizer based on Bacillus siamensis: Field testing on sweet pepper. J Plant Nutr Soil Sc 180: 748-758.
  • Marcano IE, Díaz-Alcántara CA, Urbano B, González-Andrés F (2017) Assessment of bacterial populations associated with banana tree roots and development of successful plant probiotics for banana crop. Soil Biol Biochem 99: 1-20.
  • Araújo J, Díaz-Alcántara CA, Velázquez E, Urbano B, González-Andrés F (2015) Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense related strains form nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with Cajanus cajan in Dominican Republic and are efficient biofertilizers to replace N fertilization. Sci Hortic 192: 421-428.

Grants

  • Morán A (PI), González-Andrés F (co-PI), Carrillo Peña DA, Sánchez Morán ME, Blanco Cobián D, Martínez Morán O, Mateos González R, Pastor De Los Bueis R, Ortiz Liébana N, Cara Jiménez J, Escapa González A, Gómez Barrios XA, San Martín Bécares MI, Barquero Quirós MP, Martínez Torres EJ (2019-2023) Bio-based fertilising products as the best practice for agricultural management sustainability. H2020-BBI-JTI-2018.
  • González-Andrés F (PI), Morán A, Gómez Barrios XA, Pastor-Bueis R (2018-2021) Development of a new input for the sustainable agricultura: Mulch from rice straw incorporating plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) and integral mechanization of processes. Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. RTC-2017- 6249-2.
  • González-Andrés F (PI), Terrón Alfonso A, Gómez Barrios XA (2018-2021) Obtention of a biotechnological microbial product against botrytis developing selection strategeis based on genetic analysis. Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. RTC-2017- 6007-2.
  • González-Andrés F (PI), Crespo Barreiro A, Mateos González R, Pelaz Guerra G, Pastor de los Bueis R, Ortiz Liébana N, Salazar Iglesias S, Rodríguez Antuña C, Barquero Quirós MP (2018-2020) REPHOVERY. Development of new fertilisers NPK with biological components. Research contract. Ministry of Science and Innovation. CDTI project. Fertiberia S.A. Spain.
  • Sánchez Morán ME (PI), Rosas Mayoral JG, Cara Jiménez J, González Andrés F, Morán Palao A, Gómez Barrios XA (2017-2019) Obtention of advanced low-carbon bioproducts by means of biomasic residues and bioproducts V2. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. RTC 2016-5834-5.

Patents

  • Mulas García R, González Andrés F, Brañas Lasala J, Mulas García D (2018) A complex mineral fertilizer comprising the rhizobium leguminosarum microorganism, production process and uses thereof. European patent No. EP3085679B1. Under exploitation by FERTIBERIA S.A.
  • Rosas JG, Cara J, Sánchez ME, Moran A (2016) Auto-thermal and mobile pirolizer. Patent No. ES2557492 A1 Spain. University of León (50%) and Mecanotaf S.L. (50%).

Relevant methods

  • Scale-up of fermentative processes
  • Agronomic test of fertilisers and biostimulants
  • Plant-response to biostimulants by means of gene-expression analysis
  • Bio-residues pyrolysis
  • Residual water and residues treatment by means of bioelectrochemical sistemas (BES), MFC y MEC

Collaborations with other national and international research groups

  • Euan K. James (Department of Ecological Sciences Research, James Hutton Institute, UK)
  • Maurizio Zotti (University Federico II, Naples, Italy)
  • Raul Nieto Ángel (Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Texcoco, Mexico)
  • César-Antonio Díaz-Alcántara, Iris E. Marcano, Juan de la Cruz Araujo (Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
  • Carmen Sánchez-Cañizares (Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford University, UK)