A novel mineral composition increases soybean crop yield by mitigating stress induced by ultraviolet-A and -B radiation

Abstract

Abstract Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an important environmental abiotic stress that affects the yield potential of agricultural crops, and few practical solutions are available for protecting large-scale field cultivation. The present study assessed the protective effect of a novel mineral composition principally based upon microparticles of crystal and insoluble quartz sand applied over the top of plants to mitigate the stress effects of UV-A or UV-B radiation. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) plants were cultivated under three alternative UVR exposure scenarios (no UV, +UV-A, +UV-B) to compare treated and untreated plants with that composition. Measurements of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents demonstrated the effects of +UV-A and +UV-B on plants and the effectiveness of the foliar treatment in mitigating such stress. Biometric assessment showed that root weight, foliar biomass, and number of pods of untreated plants were negatively impacted by both +UV-A and +UV-B, whereas in treated plants, the damages for both +UV-A and +UV-B were almost entirely mitigated. The results of this study endorse the use of a promising tool for growers to achieve sustainable yield in soybeans and potentially other field crops in the face of increasing challenges due to climate change.