Raimonda Mažylytė defended her thesis entitled "Influence of soil microbiome composition and functionality on plants' vegetative processes" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biology.
Scientific supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eglė Lastauskienėnė (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biology) from October 01, 2020, till September 30, 2022; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Audrius Gegeckas (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biology) from October 01, 2022, till September 2024.
Composition of the Dissertation Defense Board: Chairperson - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Raimondas Šiukšta (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biology); Dr. Daiva Burokienė (State Scientific Research Institute, Nature Research Centre, Natural Sciences, Biology); Dr. Dukas Jurėnas (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry); Dr. Vida Časaitė (Vilnius University, Life Science Center, Natural Sciences, Biology);
Prof. Dr. Vytautas Liakas (Vytautas Magnus University, Agricultural Science, Agronomy, A 001). Research on gender differences in spatial abilities can contribute to a better understanding of how these abilities are related to sex hormones and women’s hormonal status, revealing broader mechanisms of central nervous system functioning.
In recent years, a decline in soil fertility has been recorded worldwide. The main factors contributing to reduced soil fertility are global climate change, rising temperatures, soil moisture and water scarcity shifts, and the rapid depletion of organic and mineral substances available for plant growth. With the rapid development of biotechnology, bioproducts are increasingly being employed to restore degraded soils. These products improve the efficiency of plant nutrition, trigger changes in vital and structural processes, and enhance both crop yield and quality.
Within this project, an innovative bioproduct prototype was developed to support plant vegetative processes. It combines microorganisms isolated and selected from the rhizosphere of various agricultural plants, which release biologically active compounds that promote plant growth and development. The scientific study identified the most compatible microbial composition capable of providing plants with an adequate nutrient supply and resilience to both abiotic and biotic stresses.
Laboratory-scale fermentation processes were also developed, enabling the cultivation of several different bacterial genera within a single environment. Such results may be applied to large-scale industrial fermentation processes in the future. The fermentation-derived bioproducts Priestia sp. IIIDEG4, Paenibacillus sp. IIIDEG36 + Priestia sp. IIIDEG93, and Bacillus sp. IJAK27 + Pseudomonas sp. IJAK44 + Streptomyces sp. IJAK91 were identified as competitive microbiological products, distinguished by unique properties and high effectiveness for agricultural applications.
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