Optimizing Maize Growth and Water Use Efficiency Using Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Microbial Inoculants

The Faculty of Biotechnology is holding the Biotalk ‘Optimising Maize Growth and Water Use Efficiency Using Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Microbial Inoculants’ on 28 March at 14:00.

Sofia Almeida Pereira is our guest speaker.

Over the past decade, significant efforts have focused on mitigating water scarcity’s impact on maize growth through plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and soil water retainers (e.g., biochar and hydrogels). Biochar has proven effective in enhancing soil structure, improving aggregation, and increasing water use efficiency, while hydrogels significantly boost maize biomass by improving soil moisture retention and nutrient availability. These strategies may offer promising solutions for sustaining maize production under water-scarce conditions.