Influence of Nicotine Released in Soils to the Growth of Subsequent Maize Crop, Soil Bacteria and Fung

Abstract

Nicotine is a major secondary metabolite of tobacco plant. Nicotine is secreted from the tobacco plant roots, while it is stored in leaf vacuoles. However, some amount of nicotine is released to the soil environment through root exudation. Nicotine released in rhizosphere improves nitrogen, calcium, iron, and zinc uptake; and thus promotes seedlings emergence and vigour, chlorophyll contents and growth of maize as a subsequent crop. However, nicotine also negatively affects multiplication of some beneficial bacteria and fungi, and availability of potassium and phosphorus as well. Therefore, released nicotine may affect the productivity of food crops like maize when cultivated as a subsequent crop to tobacco in the same land. Nonetheless, the fast growing inedible leguminous sun hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) crop can be grown immediately after tobacco harvest before subsequent maize crop, in order to replenish soil fertility and proliferation of beneficial soil bacteria/fungi.The information derived from this review may provide useful insights to smallholder farmers of tobacco and maize crops on the suitability of rotating the two crops with the aim of sustainable intensification. © 2019 Friends Science Publishers