2-Ketoglutaric acid (also known as α-ketoglutaric acid or ketoglutaric acid) shows potential as a plant growth regulator in agriculture, with promising effects on enhancing crop yield and quality. Below is an overview of the types of crops it benefits and its specific roles:
I. Major Crop Categories
1. Grain Crops
For crops such as rice, wheat, and maize, 2-ketoglutaric acid promotes root development and enhances the absorption and utilization of key soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This accelerates crop growth and boosts yield.
2. Economic Crops
In crops containing the ketoglutarate dehydrogenase gene, such as sugarcane and sorghum, 2-ketoglutaric acid may play a direct role by promoting photosynthesis and carbon fixation. This improves the crop’s light energy utilization efficiency, increasing yield and quality.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
2-Ketoglutaric acid can enhance the stress tolerance of crops—such as drought and salt tolerance—which is crucial for fruits and vegetables grown under challenging conditions. By improving stress tolerance, it helps maintain normal growth and development, which, in turn, improves yield and quality.
II. Specific Mechanisms of Action
1. Enhancing Nitrogen Absorption
2-Ketoglutaric acid acts as an important carbon skeleton and signaling molecule in the nitrogen assimilation process of plants. It functions as a coenzyme for aminotransferases, aiding in amino acid synthesis and metabolism, thus boosting the plant’s ability to absorb and utilize nitrogen from the soil.
2. Boosting Phosphorus and Potassium Absorption
By regulating root growth and development, 2-ketoglutaric acid enhances the uptake of phosphorus and potassium, essential macronutrients for plant growth. These nutrients are critical for photosynthesis, energy transformation, and other vital physiological processes.
3. Improving Fertilizer Efficiency
The exogenous addition of 2-ketoglutaric acid can improve fertilizer utilization, reducing the amount of fertilizer needed and lowering agricultural costs. This also helps minimize the environmental impact of fertilizer use, aligning with the principles of sustainable agriculture.
4. Promoting Crop Growth
2-Ketoglutaric acid stimulates the synthesis of growth hormones, promotes root development, and accelerates crop growth cycles. This not only increases yield but also improves quality, such as enhancing fruit sugar content and flavor.
5. Enhancing Soil Health
By stimulating soil microbial activity, 2-ketoglutaric acid promotes the growth of beneficial microbes and improves soil structure and fertility. This helps establish a healthy soil ecosystem, creating favorable conditions for long-term crop growth.
In summary, 2-ketoglutaric acid is a highly effective plant growth regulator, demonstrating significant potential for improving crop nutrient absorption, fertilizer efficiency, crop growth, and soil health. This makes it valuable for enhancing crop yield and quality, supporting the goals of sustainable and ecological agriculture.
