Coffee and cacao are strategic tropical crops increasingly threatened by climate change, soil degradation, and disease outbreaks. In this context, Trichoderma has emerged as a multifunctional microorganism with significant ecological roles and biotechnological applications. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the functions of Trichoderma in coffee ( Coffea spp.) and cacao ( Theobroma cacao ) agroecosystems using a combined bibliometric and systematic review approach. Bibliometric analyses of 266 documents indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (1985–2025) revealed sustained publication growth, with Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region as leading contributors. Six major thematic clusters were identified, encompassing biological control, plant growth promotion, biotechnology, and fungal diversity. The systematic review confirmed that Trichoderma colonizes diverse ecological niches (rhizosphere, endosphere, phyllosphere) and acts through mycoparasitism, antibiosis, nutrient solubilization, and induced systemic resistance. Evidence highlights its effectiveness against key pathogens ( Moniliophthora spp., Phytophthora spp., Hemileia vastatrix ) and its contribution to host growth and stress tolerance. Less explored applications include heavy-metal bioremediation, waste bioconversion, mycorrhizal interactions, and entomopathogenic potential. However, gaps remain regarding strain variability under field conditions and underexplored avenues such as cadmium remediation in cacao. Overall, the findings position Trichoderma as a cornerstone microbial resource for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of coffee and cacao agroecosystems.

Optimizing fertilizer management is essential for reducing salinity-related risks and improving nutrient efficiency in ornamental plant production. Fertilization enhances plant performance; however, excessive nutrient inputs can disrupt substrate chemistry, elevate salinity, and promote nitrogen leaching—particularly in containerized systems with limited rooting volume. This study evaluated the growth, physiological performance, and soil–plant nutrient dynamics of Sabal palmetto (cabbage palm) cultivated under six fertilization regimes over 180 days in a subtropical shade-house environment. Treatments ranged from a single baseline application of 15 g per plant (T0) to a cumulative 75 g (T5) using granular slow-release fertilizer. Morphological traits (plant height: 26–70 cm; leaf number: 4–18) and physiological indices (atLEAF⁺: 34.3–66.4; NDVI: 0.26–0.77) were monitored every 30 days. Substrate nitrogen and carbon concentrations increased from 0.57% and 41.78% at baseline to 1.24% and 42.94% at 180 days, while foliar nitrogen ranged from 1.46% to 2.57%. Fertilization significantly influenced all parameters (p < 0.05). Higher fertilization levels elevated electrical conductivity, salinity, and nitrogen leaching, with principal component analysis revealing strong positive associations among total nitrogen, electrical conductivity, and salinity. Moderate fertilization (T2 = 45 g) maintained favorable substrate chemistry, high foliar nitrogen, and balanced canopy growth with minimal nutrient losses. Sensor-based chlorophyll indices (atLEAF⁺ and NDVI) correlated strongly (r = 0.71, p < 0.001), confirming their reliability as non-destructive diagnostics for nitrogen management. These findings demonstrate that integrating optical monitoring with adaptive fertilization mitigates substrate salinization, sustains ornamental quality, and promotes the sustainable cultivation of Sabal palmetto in urban horticultural systems.

Musa haekkinenii is a compact wild banana species with emerging value in ornamental horticulture, yet its adaptive responses to environmental factors remain underexplored. This study investigated the morpho-physiological and anatomical responses of M. haekkinenii to contrasting light regimes and irrigation water qualities to identify optimal cultivation conditions. A 210-day factorial experiment was conducted under subtropical greenhouse conditions using a split-plot design, with light intensity (full sun vs. shade) and irrigation water quality (reverse osmosis vs. well water) as treatment factors. Plants grown under shaded conditions and irrigated with reverse osmosis water exhibited significant increases in plant height, pseudostem diameter, leaf number, and sucker production, alongside enhanced pigment accumulation and photosynthetic performance. In contrast, full-sun plants irrigated with well water showed reduced growth, lower photosynthetic efficiency, and increased substrate salinity, indicating additive effects of light and osmotic stress. Leaf anatomical analysis revealed greater stomatal size and density under shade, particularly when combined with high-quality irrigation. Multivariate analysis further supported the association of favorable trait expression with shaded conditions and reverse osmosis water. These findings highlight the importance of microenvironmental management in enhancing the physiological stability and ornamental quality of M. haekkinenii, supporting its potential application in sustainable urban landscaping.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is valued for its resilience to abiotic stress; however, germination and seedling establishment remain highly sensitive to salinity. While its salt tolerance at later growth stages has been well studied, strategies to improve early development under high salinity are limited, and the role of halotolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in quinoa has not been systematically investigated. This study assessed the ability of three Azospirillum brasilense strains (BR-11001, BR-11002, and BR-11005) to increase the germination and seedling performance of the cultivar ‘BRS Piabiru’ under saline stress. A 3 × 4 factorial design with three bacterial treatments and four NaCl concentrations (0, 150, 300, and 450 mM) was conducted in a completely randomized arrangement, with four replicates per treatment. Seeds were surface sterilized, inoculated, and incubated at 18 °C under constant light for 10 days. Elevated salinity (≥300 mM NaCl) drastically reduced germination and seedling vigor in the controls. Inoculation with BR-11002 significantly alleviated salinity-induced damage, sustaining over 84% germination at 450 mM and increasing seedling biomass at 300 mM. These findings highlight the potential of halotolerant A. brasilense, particularly BR-11002, as bioinoculants to promote quinoa establishment in salt-affected soils, supporting sustainable agriculture and food system resilience.

Microbial bio-inoculants have been proposed as management tools to enhance crop performance under variable environmental conditions; however, their effectiveness is often influenced by site-specific factors. This study evaluated the effects of bio-inoculation on seed germination and seedling vigor of pea under osmotic stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000), and its interaction with two fertilization levels (75% and 100% of the recommended dose) under field conditions in the Amazonas region of Peru. Under laboratory conditions, germination percentage remained high across all treatments (93.3–100%) and was not affected by bio-inoculation or osmotic potential; however, osmotic stress altered germination dynamics, increasing mean germination time from 1.85–2.09 days at 0 MPa to 2.26–2.43 days at −0.8 MPa, while germination synchrony and seedling vigor decreased as stress increased. The seedling vigor index reached maximum values at −0.2 MPa (4.47–5.29) and declined at −0.8 MPa (1.50–2.00), and multivariate analyses showed that variation in germination responses was mainly associated with germination timing and vigor rather than seed viability. Under field conditions, no significant effects of fertilization level, microbial bio-inoculation, or their interaction were detected on agronomic traits or yield, although variability between locations was observed; plant height ranged from 38.5–46.3 cm in Lamud and from 100.6–108.3 cm in Molinopampa, while grain yield varied from 698–1846 kg/ha and 8771–9919 kg/ha, respectively. Overall, environmental conditions exerted a stronger influence than microbial bio-inoculation on germination dynamics and field productivity, while the findings provide practical guidance for improving pea production with bio-inoculants and optimized fertilization.

Musa haekkinenii is an underutilized ornamental banana with recognized horticultural value but limited conventional propagation due to low vegetative multiplication, high endogenous contamination, and pronounced phenolic oxidation during culture initiation. These constraints necessitate plant tissue culture approaches focused on reliable in vitro establishment and early regeneration. This study evaluated six surface-sterilization treatments and six plant growth regulator (PGR) combinations to assess their effects on contamination control and early morphogenic responses. Contamination speed was monitored over a 30-day period. The control treatment (T0) exhibited the highest contamination (14.21%), followed by ethanol- and sodium hypochlorite–based treatments T1 (7.69%) and T2 (6.44%). Multistep disinfection protocols further reduced contamination to 5.08% (T3) and 2.73% (T4), whereas the ultrasonic-assisted treatment (T5) achieved complete asepsis (0.00%). PGR composition significantly influenced all morphological and physiological traits evaluated ( P ≤ 0.05). Treatments T0, T1, and T5 resulted in nonorganogenic callus formation, T4 supported limited morphogenesis, and T2 induced moderate regeneration. In contrast, the combined application of 5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.2 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ), and 0.2 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (T3) produced the early morphogenic response, characterized by increased shoot and root formation, leaf production, plant height, and chlorophyll indices. Principal component analysis (PCA) summarized treatment responses along a dominant axis explaining 99.52% of the total variance, clearly separating T3 from the remaining treatments. This study provides a quantitative framework for optimizing sterilization strategies and hormonal regulation during in vitro establishment and early regeneration of M. haekkinenii .