Effect of different light quality and beneficial soil microbes on structural, physiological and functional traits of spinach plants

The addition of beneficial microbes (biofertilisation) to soil plays a critical role in improving cropproductivity affecting plant growth and photosynthesis, nutritional and hormonal balance, and nutrientuptake. The positive results of the interactions between plant and soil microorganisms encourage the shiftfrom conventional soil fertilisation methods to sustainable agriculture, replacing the overuse ofagrochemicals. Beside fertilisation, also the modulation of light, in terms of quantity and quality, exertsimportant outcomes on plant growth and physiology, favouring or not the formation of mycorrhizas in thesoil. Recent studies demonstrate that plants benefit from red light illumination. In this study, we assessed ifand how the red light influences the plant-microbe interaction in Spinacia oleracea L., one of the mostwidely grown vegetables in temperate climates.