2025, Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part D
Interaction between aeroponic nutrient mists and microbial colonization on root surfaces: implications for crop health
Author(s): Mei-Ling Hsu, Chia-Wei Lin and Yu-Han Cheng
Abstract: This study investigates how aeroponic nutrient mist properties interact with root-surface microbial colonization and influence crop health, using tomato as a model fruit vegetable crop. Aeroponic systems provide a unique root-zone environment characterized by fluctuating moisture films, high oxygen availability and direct exposure to nutrient-rich aerosols, yet the microbiological implications of mist regime design remain poorly understood. We evaluated the combined effects of mist droplet size and wet-dry cycling (fine/short vs. coarse/long), nutrient formulation (standard vs. adjusted) and microbiome management (uninoculated control vs. beneficial consortium) using a randomized complete block design. Fine-droplet, short-cycle misting significantly enhanced plant growth, nutrient status and marketable yield, especially when paired with the adjusted nutrient formulation and beneficial microbial inoculation. Disease incidence was lowest in these optimized treatments, corresponding with reductions in opportunistic pathogens and enrichment of beneficial taxa such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Trichoderma. Amplicon sequencing revealed that mist regime was the primary determinant of root-surface microbial community structure, while beneficial inoculation shifted communities toward higher diversity and favourable functional profiles. Correlation analysis showed strong positive associations between beneficial taxa and yield, and negative associations between pathogen abundance and disease outcomes. Together, these findings indicate that aeroponic nutrient mists serve as an ecological interface capable of steering microbiome assembly and plant health outcomes, and that integrating optimized mist design, nutrient chemistry and targeted microbial inoculation can substantially improve both productivity and resilience. This research provides a mechanistic foundation for microbiome-informed aeroponic system design and offers practical strategies for enhancing crop performance, disease suppression and food safety in controlled-environment horticulture.
DOI: 10.22271/micro.2025.v6.i2d.270
Pages: 319-326 | Views: 102 | Downloads: 49
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How to cite this article:
Mei-Ling Hsu, Chia-Wei Lin, Yu-Han Cheng. Interaction between aeroponic nutrient mists and microbial colonization on root surfaces: implications for crop health. J Adv Microbiol Res 2025;6(2):319-326. DOI: 10.22271/micro.2025.v6.i2d.270
