Restauração do complexo solo-planta-microrganismo em saprolitos: ação combinada de esterco bovino e microrganismos em Mimosa acutistipula

Abstract

The restoration of saprolite-based substrates remains a challenge in restoration ecology due to their physical, chemical, and biological limitations. This study evaluated the effects of cattle manure application (0, 15, 30, and 60 t ha⁻¹) combined with either autochthonous microbial inoculation (ATI, derived from forest soil) or allochthonous inoculation (ALI, composed of Azospirillum brasilense, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and Rhizophagus irregularis) on plant growth, soil quality, and the root proteome of Mimosa acutistipula cultivated in a pelitic rock saprolite substrate. Plant growth was assessed through morphophysiological parameters, whereas soil quality was determined by physical attributes and glomalin production. The root proteome was analyzed using 2D-UPLC coupled with mass spectrometry. Cattle manure was the main factor responsible for the observed improvements. The application rate of 15 t ha⁻¹ produced the greatest benefits, increasing shoot dry mass by 1077%, reducing soil bulk density by 18.3% and penetration resistance by 33.3%, and increasing glomalin production by 41%. Proteomic analyses revealed greater protein abundance, more complex interaction networks, and enrichment of pathways related to photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Higher manure rates resulted in a saturation effect, whereas ATI and ALI produced similar responses. These findings demonstrate that low rates of cattle manure constitute an efficient and cost-effective strategy to improve substrate quality, stimulate plant growth, and promote metabolic processes associated with the recovery of degraded areas. The study provides evidence that low-cost and environmentally sustainable interventions can effectively restore soil–plant–microbiota interactions, offering practical guidance for ecological restoration, revegetation, and the development of adaptive management strategies for nutrient-poor and structurally constrained substrates. Furthermore, the proteomic results reinforce the dynamic role of the plant– microbiota interface in mediating responses to environmental stimuli, highlighting the importance of integrating physiological, physical, and molecular metrics into restoration ecology.