Evidence that fresh weight measurement is imprecise for reporting the effect of plant growth-promoting (rhizo)bacteria on growth promotion of crop plants

Eight greenhouse experiments were performed to compare the effect of seven plant growth-promoting (rhizo)bacteria (PGPR/PGPB) on fresh and dry weights of four crop plants. This has been done to validate if fresh weight measurements of plant variables can serve as reliable values when reporting the effect of these bacteria on plant growth. These experiments show that the growth promotion effects by the tested PGPR/PGPB, including Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GB03, Bacillus subtilis IN-937B, Bacillus altitudinis INR7, and Pseudomonas mandelii 89B-27 in corn and cucumber and Azospirillum brasilense Cd, A. brasilense Sp 245, and Azospirillum lipoferum Br 17 in pepper and tomato, varied significantly between fresh and dry weights of shoot, root, and/or whole plant in the repeated greenhouse experiments. These results support our hypothesis that using fresh weight determination for assessing plant growth promotion by beneficial bacteria is inherently faulty. Therefore, it is recommended that dry weight determination rather than fresh weight determination is used for plant growth promotion tests.     

甘薯块根产量性状生态变异及其与品质的相关性

选用"徐薯25"与"徐22-5"去雄杂交得到的105个后代材料, 在我国主要甘薯种植区4个不同生态点(徐州市、烟台市、万州市和南昌市)进行种植试验, 研究不同生态环境下甘薯产量性状的变异规律及其与品质性状间的相关性。结果表明, 除茎叶干率的基因型与环境互作差异未达显著水平外, 其余性状的基因型、环境以及基因型与环境互作差异均达显著水平, 主要产量性状表现为环境效应远大于基因型效应和基因型×环境互作效应。不同生态条件下, 主要产量性状的变幅很广, 单株鲜薯重变异系数最大, 单株干薯重变异系数次之, 而薯块烘干率的变异系数最小。在4个不同生态环境条件下, 徐州点的茎蔓长与单株分枝数最大, 茎粗与单株结薯数最小; 烟台点的茎粗、单株茎叶鲜重、茎叶干重和鲜薯重最高, 茎叶干率最低; 南昌点的茎蔓长、单株茎叶鲜重和茎叶干重最低, 薯块烘干率、茎叶干率、单株结薯数及干薯重最高; 万州点的薯块烘干率、单株分枝数、鲜薯重和干薯重最小。结合相关性结果可知, 在所有供试地点中, 单株鲜薯重与蛋白质含量显著负相关, 表明甘薯高产、高蛋白质育种工作难度较大。     

Nutrients Uptake in Shoots and Biomass Yields and Roots and Nutritive Value of Zuri Guinea Grass Inoculated with Plant Growth-promoting Bacteria

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) inoculation in Zuri guinea grass [Megathyrsus (syn. Panicum) maximus] on shoot dry weight (SDW) and root dry weight (RDW) yield, morphological compositions, number of tillers, and nutrients concentrations in SDW. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions in a randomized block design consisting of eight treatments with five replicates. The inoculation with the Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 strains of Azospirillum brasilense and Pseudomonas fluorescens or co-inoculation with Rhizobium tropici and Ab-V6, with nitrogen (N) fertilization, as well as re-inoculations of the plants after cuttings were taken were evaluated. The plant growth-promoting bacteria and N fertilization promoted increases in SDW and RDW yield, tillers dry weight, relative chlorophyll index (RCI) and nutrients uptake in shoots of Zuri guinea grass. There were effects of re-inoculation the PGPB by P. fluorescens in shoots, N, magnesium (Mg) and boron (B) concentration in SDW.     

在受控条件下植物促生菌对扁豆的生长，结瘤和养分积累的效应

Application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been shown to increase legume growth and development under field and controlled environmental conditions. The present study was conducted to isolate plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from the root nodules of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) grown in arid/semi-arid region of Punjab, Pakistan and examined their plant growth-promoting abilities. Five bacterial isolates were isolated, screened in vitro for plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics and their effects on the growth of lentil were assessed under in vitro, hydroponic and greenhouse (pot experiment) conditions. All the isolates were Gram negative, rod-shaped and circular in form and exhibited the plant growth-promoting attributes of phosphate solubilization and auxin (indole acetic acid, IAA) production. The IAA production capacity ranged in 0.5-11.0 μg mL-1 and P solubilization ranged in 3-16 mg L-1 . When tested for their effects on plant growth, the isolated strains had a stimulatory effect on growth, nodulation and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake in plants on nutrient-deficient soil. In the greenhouse pot experiment, application of PGPR significantly increased shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight by 65%, 43% and 63% and the increases in root length, fresh weight and dry weight were 74%, 54% and 92%, respectively, as compared with the uninoculated control. The relative increases in growth characteristics under in vitro and hydroponic conditions were even higher. PGPR also increased the number of pods per plant, 1 000-grain weight, dry matter yield and grain yield by 50%, 13%, 28% and 29%, respectively, over the control. The number of nodules and nodule dry mass increased by 170% and 136%, respectively. After inoculation with effective bacterial strains, the shoot, root and seed N and P contents increased, thereby increasing both N and P uptake in plants. The root elongation showed a positive correlation (R2 = 0.67) with the IAA production and seed yield exhibited a positive correlation (R2 = 0.82) with root nodulation. These indicated that the isolated PGPR rhizobial strains can be best utilized as potential agents or biofertilizers for stimulating the growth and nutrient accumulation of lentil.     

抗镉并且产吲哚乙酸的细菌的筛选鉴定及其植物促生作用

植物促生长细菌（plant growth-promoting bacteria,PGPB）在植物修复重金属污染土壤的过程中能够有助于植物生长,从而提高植物的重金属污染土壤的修复能力。作为在重金属污染环境中应用的PGPB首先必须具有重金属抗性。镉是一种毒性很高的重金属,也是常见的环境污染因子之一。在植物中,镉抑制根和茎的生长,影响营养吸收和内环境稳定。现已知的PGPB的作用机制之一是产生植物生长激素如吲哚乙酸（indole acetic acid,IAA）和铁载体（siderophore）。本研究从土壤中筛选获得5株具有镉抗性（〉1.55 mmol/L）且产IAA和铁载体的细菌,这5株菌被编号为DJY、TK-2、TK-6、WM-1、PZ-23。在含镉培养基上,所有5种菌对芥菜根均有不同程度的促生长作用,其中TK-2对芥菜幼苗根萌发和下胚轴延伸的促进效果最为显著;促生效应并不由单一因素决定的,而是多种促生因素的统一协调作用的结果。     

Use of Bioinoculants in Ameliorative Effects on Radish Plants Under Salinity Stress

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on emergence, growth, physiology, and mineral content of radish under salinity stress. The study was conducted in pot experiments using a mixture of soil: sand (1:1 v: v) under greenhouse conditions. Bacillus subtilis EY2, Bacillus atrophaeus EY6, and Bacillus spharicus GC subgrup B EY30 were isolated in highly salty soils in Upper Coruh Valley in Turkey. Seeds were soaked in the bacterial suspension incubated at 27°C for 2 h. Emergence percentage (EP) was reduced and mean emergence time (MET) raised with sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions. Inoculated seeds displayed greater EP and less MET compared to the non-inoculated ones. Salinity negatively affected growth of radish; however, plant growth promoting bacteria treatments positively affected growth parameters such as fresh weight (278% for shoot, 371% for root) and dry weights (250% for shoot, 422% for root) compared to non-treated plants that were challenged with salt stress. Furthermore, selected bacteria caused an increase in uptake of minerals except sodium (Na) compared to the non-treated controls in both salt stress and salt stress absence. Sodium concentration of plant leaves was increased by salt stress while bacterial inoculation decreased its concentration. Bacterial treatments increased chlorophyll content and decreased electrolyte leakage of plants in saline conditions. Leaf relative water content (LRWC) of plants in the salt stress condition increased with bacterial application, but reduced without bacterial application. The present study suggests that PGPB seed treatments can ameliorate the deleterious effects of salt stress on radish plants and PGPB could offer an economical and simple application to reduce problems of radish production in an Aridisol caused by high salinity.     

Optimization of plant growth-promoting bacteria-assisted phytostabilization of mine tailings

Recent studies have indicated that plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can improve revegetation of arid mine tailings as measured by increased biomass production. The goals of the present study were first to evaluate how mode of application of known PGPB affects plant growth, and second to evaluate the effect of this inoculation on rhizosphere microbial community structure. PGPB application strategies investigated include preliminary surface sterilization of seeds (a common practice in phytoremediation trials) followed by a comparison of two application methods; immersion and alginate encapsulation. Results with two native desert plant species, Atriplex lentiformis and Buchloe dactyloides, suggest that seed surface sterilization prior to inoculation is not necessary to achieve beneficial effects of introduced PGPB. Both PGPB application techniques generally enhanced plant growth although results were both plant and PGPB specific. These results demonstrate that alginate encapsulation, which allows for long-term storage and easier application to seeds, is an effective way to inoculate PGPB. In addition, the influence of PGPB application on B. dactyloides rhizosphere community structure was evaluated using PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis of bacterial DNA extracted from rhizosphere samples collected 75 d following planting. A comparative analysis of DGGE profiles was performed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). DGGE-CCA showed that rhizosphere community profiles from PGPB-inoculated treatments are significantly different from both uninoculated tailings rhizosphere profiles and profiles from the compost used to amend the tailings. Further, community profiles from B. dactyloides inoculated with the best performing PGPB (Arthro Mix) were significantly different from two other PGPB tested. These results suggest that introduced PGPB have the potential to influence the development of the rhizosphere community structure found in plants grown in mine tailings.     

烟草根表可培养细菌群落组成及典型菌群的促生特性研究

植物微生物组是维护植物生长发育、提升抗逆防病的重要调控因素。为发挥植物微生物促进烟草生长、改善烟草根区微生态功能作用,本研究从烟草根表分离筛选可培养细菌组,并对不同菌株的促生能力进行测定。结果表明：(1)从烟草根表分离并鉴定出可培养菌株310株,隶属于31个属,其中主要为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas);(2)对比分析发现假单胞菌属、芽孢杆菌属、寡养单胞菌属(Stenotrophomonas)和成对杆菌属(Dyadobacter)为4种供试土壤烟草根表共有的细菌类群;(3)对进一步筛选得到的16株菌株进行促生能力的测定,发现6株菌具有固氮能力,5株菌产铁载体,4株菌可溶解无机磷,4株菌产IAA;(4)盆栽试验验证16株菌株的促生效果,其中37.5%的菌株对烟草生长具有显著促进作用,烟草株高、总鲜物质量和地下部干物质量分别比对照提高35.1%、27.9%和30.7%。总之,从烟草根表分离获得多种具有促生能力的菌株,为未来构建促进烟草健康生长的复合菌剂提供了理论基础。     

Application of plant growth-promoting bacteria associated with composts and macrofauna for growth promotion of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) were reported to influence the growth, yield, and nutrient uptake by an array of mechanisms. We selected seven different plant growth-promoting traits and antagonistic ability to screen 207 bacteria isolated from composts. Fifty-four percent of PGPB were from farm waste compost (FWC), 56% from rice straw compost (RSC), 64% from Gliricidia vermicompost (GVC), and 41% from macrofauna associated with FWC. Twelve isolates based on different plant growth-promoting traits and seed vigor index were evaluated at glasshouse for plant growth-promoting activity on pearl millet. Seven isolates significantly increased shoot length and ten isolates showed significant increase in leaf area, root length density, and plant weight. Maximum increase in plant weight was by Serratia marcescens EB 67 (56%), Pseudomonas sp. CDB 35 (52%), and Bacillus circulans EB 35 (42%). Plant growth-promoting activity of composts and bacteria (EB 35, EB 67, and CDB 35) was studied together. All the three composts showed significant increase in growth of pearl millet, which was 77% by RSC, 55% by GVC, and 30% by FWC. Application of composts with bacteria improved plant growth up to 88% by RSC with EB 67, 83% with GVC and EB 67. These results show the synergistic effect of selected bacteria applied with composts on growth of pearl millet.     

Potential for enhancement of root growth and nodulation of soybean co-inoculated with Azospirillum and Bradyrhizobium in laboratory systems

The potential enhancement of root growth and nodulation in vegetable soybean (AGS190) was studied with application of Azospirillum brasilense (Sp7) and A. lipoferum (CCM3863) co-inoculated with two Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains (TAL102 and UPMR48). Significant root growth stimulation and nodulation were observed in Azospirillum as well as during its co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium. Nodule formation is linked with the initiation of new roots; nodules were almost absent even in Bradyrhizobium inoculated plant due to the absence of new roots development in clipped rooted seedlings. Total root length, root number, specific root length, root dry matter, root hair development and shoot dry matter were significantly increased by Azospirillum alone and its co-inoculum. Co-inoculated plants significantly influenced the number of nodules and its fresh weight. A. brasilense seemed to perform better in root growth and nodule development compared to A. lipoferum.     

低氮胁迫对谷子苗期性状的影响和耐低氮品种的筛选

筛选和培育耐低氮能力强的作物品种,是提高作物氮素利用效率,减少氮肥施用量,降低环境污染的有效措施。本研究以45份谷子品种为试材,采用水培的方法,在低氮(0.1mmol·L~(-1))和正常氮(5mmol·L~(-1))条件下,测定苗高、根长和根数等22个氮效率相关指标,采用综合耐低氮系数法以及基于主成分分析的隶属函数法评价参试谷子品种的耐低氮性。结果表明,与正常氮条件相比,低氮胁迫下,谷子苗期根长、根冠比、地上部氮素生理效率、地下部氮素生理效率、单株氮素生理效率有不同程度提高,其余17个指标都有不同程度降低。两种评价方法均根据45个谷子品种的耐低氮能力将其划分为强耐低氮型、耐低氮型、中间型、较敏感型和敏感型5类。筛选出耐低氮性较强的品种5份,编号分别为11、14、17、35和39。利用GGE双标图对品种-耐低氮相关指标的分析表明,编号39和14的耐低氮品种主要耐低氮性状为地下部干重、地下部鲜重、根长;编号为11、35和17的耐低氮品种主要耐低氮性状为地上部鲜重、叶片数、叶宽、叶长、单株氮累积量、地上部氮累积量、单株干质量、地上部干重、地下部氮累积量、根数、苗高和SPAD。可见不同谷子品种的耐低氮机制存在一定差异,研究结果可为谷子耐低氮品种的选育提供材料基础。     

Plant growth promoting bacteria increases biomass,effective constituent,and modifies rhizosphere bacterial communities of Panax ginseng

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to introduce and explore plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) indigenous to ginseng, and to evaluate their ability to improve production and quality, and effect on rhizosphere niche in ginseng.

Materials and methods: Endophytic bacteria were isolated from root, stem, and leaf of ginseng from different sites and genotype in China and Korea, screened based on their beneficial properties as PGPB. Nine bacterial isolates were selected according to their plant growth properties including soluble phosphate and potassium, ammonia, auxin and siderophore producing, ACC deaminase, and antagonistic pathogen as well. Changes in ginseng after PGPB inoculation were evaluated with respect to the non-inoculated control.

Results and Conclusions: The PGPB isolates were identified as genera Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Rhizobium, Stenotrophomonas, Erwinia, Ochrobactrum, Enterobacter and Pantoea based on 16S rRNA sequences. Inoculation of G209 and G119 increased not only plant height, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight, but also root activity and the amount of ginsenosides significantly. In particular, using the Illumina Miseq platform, the native bacterial community of rhizospheric soil maintained high community diversity and increased abundance of specific bacteria. Therefore, they may be play a crucial role in sustainable ginseng cultivating in farmland.     

Effect of inoculation with wild type Azospirillum brasilense and A. irakense strains on development and nitrogen uptake of spring wheat and grain maize

Under the controlled conditions of the greenhouse and by varying some biotic and abiotic factors, we tried to identify some of the factors critical to obtain successful Azospirillum inoculation. Spring wheat and grain maize were inoculated with different concentrations of the wild type strains A. brasilense Sp245 and A. irakense KBC1, and grown in a substrate with varying concentrations of organic matter (OM) and N fertiliser. The inoculum concentration was one of the factors that influenced most the outcome of an inoculation experiment on wheat, with lower inoculum concentrations (10⁵-10⁶ cfu plant^-1) stimulating root development and plant dry weight and higher inoculum concentrations (10⁷-10⁸ cfu plant^-1) having no effect or sometimes even inhibiting root development. The effect of inoculation was most pronounced at low to intermediate N fertilisation levels, while the OM content of the substrate had no effect. Inoculation was found to affect early plant and root development, plant and root dry weight, grain yield and the N-uptake efficiency of plants. However, inoculation did not change the N concentration in plants or grains. In addition, a difference in the ability of both strains to stimulate plant growth and N uptake of wheat and maize was observed, with A. brasilense Sp245 having most effect on spring wheat and A. irakense KBC1 being more effective on grain maize. The significance of the obtained results for agriculture is discussed.     

高密度短生育期基质栽培对甘薯产量和品质的影响

为给高密度短生育期基质栽培的甘薯实生系筛选提供依据,本研究采用122份甘薯品系,进行密度25株·m^-2、生育期60 d的基质栽培(T1)与密度5株·m^-2、生育期90 d的大田常规栽培(T2)的对比试验,测定单株重、单株结薯数和典型薯块的单薯重、直径、长度等产量性状以及干物质、胡萝卜素、花青素、熟薯可溶性糖、熟薯还原糖含量和熟薯食味等品质性状,研究高密度短生育期基质栽培对甘薯产量和品质的影响,并与大田常规栽培90 d的产量、品质性状进行关联分析。结果表明,与T2相比,T1除了花青素含量差异较小外,块根的产量和品质性状均明显下降。在产量性状上,2种栽培方法间的单株重、单薯重、单株结薯数均呈显著正相关,薯块形状呈弱正相关。在品质性状上,与T2相比,T1微型薯的花青素、胡萝卜素、干物质、熟薯可溶性糖、熟薯还原糖含量和食味均存在劣变型、稳定型和优变型3种品质变化类型,但2种栽培方法间的薯块品质性状均呈极显著正相关。因此,利用高密度短生育期基质栽培,可以进行微型薯的薯肉色、干物质含量和食味品质筛选以及单株重、结薯数、典型薯块重量和形状的早熟性筛选,为早熟优质食用甘薯选育的实生系筛选提供新方法。     

Comparative efficiency of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria under greenhouse conditions for promoting growth and aloin-A content of Aloe barbadensis

This study was conducted with Aloe barbadensis in order to investigate the efficacy of four phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Pseudomonas synxantha 10223, Burkholderia gladioli 10242, Enterobacter hormaechei 10240 and Serratia marcescens 10241 to solubilize Mussorie rock phosphate (MRP) and to evaluate its effects on growth, soluble P content and P uptake compared with control, i.e. uninoculated plants. Pot experiments were conducted in a greenhouse, in soil supplemented with MRP. Each PSB treatment showed different effects on different plant growth parameters. The maximum increase in leaf length (23.7%), total number of leaves (33.33%) and dry rind weight (69.10%) was observed in plants treated with P. synxantha 10223 compared with control. Whereas, maximum increase in root length (23.43%), fresh leaves weight (79.03%), dry gel weight (113.08%) and total gel volume (112.10%), was observed in plants treated with S. marcescens 10241 compared with uninoculated plants. Maximum increase in aloin-A content [114.92% (per g dry gel weight) and 322.32% (per plant dry gel weight)] was observed in plants treated with P. synxantha 10223 compared with control plants. Root colonization by inoculated PSB as estimated by RAPD technique showed that all PSB were able to survive in the rhizosphere of Aloe plants.     

Adequate range of boron nutrition is more restricted for root nodule development than for plant growth in young soybean plant

A pot experiment was conducted under growth chamber conditions to determine the lower and upper critical levels of boron (B) for plant growth, nodule development, and nodule acetylene reduction activity (ARA) in young soybean plants. Plants of a soybean cultivar, Tachinagaha, were grown in pots containing river sand to which a nutrient solution with different B levels was added and were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum A1017. At 8, 12, and 16 d after sowing (DAS), among the plants supplied with the solution at 0, 1.0, and 2.0 mg B L^-1 , plants with 1.0 mg B L^-1 showed the highest values for dry shoot and fresh root weight, root length, total number of developing nodules and meristematic nodules (DMN), and ARA. At 20 DAS plants grown with 11 B levels (0-2.0 mg L^-1) were compared. The B critical deficiency levels for soybean dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, root length, DMN, number of complete nodules, and ARA were approximately 46, 35, 34, 57, 60, and 50 mg B kg^-1 dry matter, and the critical toxicity levels were approximately 114, 137, 134, 97, 104, and 89 mg B kg^-1 dry matter, respectively. The optimum B levels for the growth characters were approximately 34 to 137 mg B kg^-1 dry matter. The optimum range of B levels for nodule formation and function was more restricted than that for the growth characters. Based on the results of treatments with various B concentrations, 0.4 mg B L^-1 was found to be the concentration most beneficial for all the growth characters including nodule formation at the early stage (20 DAS) of development of soybean plants.     

丛枝菌根对酸枣实生苗耐盐性的影响

本文研究了在土中加入不同量NaCl条件下 (0、1 5、3 0、4 5gkg-1干土 )接种丛枝菌根真菌 (AMF)Glomusmosseae对盆栽酸枣 (ZizyphusspinosusHu)实生苗生长及耐盐性的影响。结果表明 ,无论接种与否 ,植株的高度、根茎叶的干鲜重均随土壤NaCl浓度的增加而降低 ,而根、茎、叶和整株的Na浓度及Na全量均随土壤NaCl浓度的增加而增大。在土壤盐浓度相同的条件下 ,接种AMF植株的生长量 (株高、鲜重、干重等 )和叶片的叶绿素含量显著高于不接种植株。接种AMF的植株茎、叶中Na浓度低于不接种植株 ,而根中Na浓度、植株Na总量显著高于不接种植株。盐浓度最大的接种处理 ,其植株生长量和叶片叶绿素含量均高于不加盐不接菌处理。播种时进行盐胁迫处理和播种后 4 0d开始进行盐胁迫处理对菌根的侵染率、植株生长的影响差异不显著。上述四种盐浓度播种时进行盐处理的接种AMF植株的总干重比不接种植株分别提高 16 4 %、14 9%、4 8%、35 % ,在播种后 4 0d进行盐处理的接种AMF的植株比不接种植株分别提高 194 %、12 7%、72 %、4 6 %。结果证明 ,酸枣实生苗具有较强的耐盐性 ,其生长对菌根真菌有很强的依赖性 ,接种菌根真菌提高了其耐盐能力。     

Hydrolytic enzyme activities in maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) roots inoculated with Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and Glomus intraradices

Two strains of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Pal 5, UAP5541) and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices increased both the shoot and root dry weight of sorghum 45 days after inoculation, whereas they had no effect on the shoot and root dry weight of maize. Co-inoculation (Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus plus Glomus mosseae) did not increase the shoot and root dry weight of either plant. There was a synergistic effect of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus on root colonization of maize by Glomus intraradices, whereas an antagonistic interaction was observed in the sorghum root where the number of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and the colonization by Glomus intraradices were reduced. Plant roots inoculated with Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and Glomus intraradices, either separately or together, significantly increased root endoglucanase, endopolymethylgalacturonase and endoxyloglucanase activities. The increase varied according to the plant. For example, in comparison with non-inoculated plants, there were higher endoglucanase (+328%), endopolymethylgalacturonase (+180%) and endoxyloglucanase (+125%) activities in 45-day old co-inoculated maize, but not in 45-day old sorghum. The possibility is discussed that hydrolytic enzyme activities were increased as a result of inoculation with Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, considering this to be one of the mechanisms by which these bacteria may increase root colonization by AM fungi.     

The number of bacteria in the rhizosphere during plant development: relating colony-forming units to different reference units

 The number of bacteria was determined during the growth of chrysanthemum plants on young (tip) and old (base) root parts. We assessed if the same conclusions could be drawn on the dynamics of bacterial populations during plant development when different reference units were used to express the bacterial counts. The results indicated that the total number of bacteria on the base decreased significantly during plant development, when expressed per root length, per root fresh weight or per root surface. The number of bacteria on the tip only decreased significantly when expressed per root length. Using the unit of dry weight of adhering soil, contradictory results were obtained for both base and tip; in general, the number of bacteria increased significantly during plant development. Thus, different reference units may lead to different conclusions. Root surface seemed to be the best unit to use, but the use of this unit requires time-consuming measurements. Regression analyses indicated that the reference unit "root surface" was highly correlated with root fresh weight (R ²=93%). Thus, once this relation is determined, the less time-consuming unit can be measured in the experimental work. To analyse the data, the colony-forming units should be expressed per root surface. Besides bacterial numbers during plant development, we assessed whether the bacterial populations collected showed different growth rates on agar plates. The growth rates of bacteria from the tip and base and different development stages of the plants showed differences, indicating differences in the metabolic state of the collected populations. Received: 9 December 1997     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affect the growth,nutrient uptake and water status of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in two types of coal mine spoils under drought stress

Drought stress greatly affects the growth and development of plants in coal mine spoils located in the Inner Mongolia grassland ecosystem. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase plant tolerance to drought. However, little is known regarding the contribution of AMF to plants that are grown in different types of coal mine spoils under drought stress. To evaluate the mycorrhizal effects on the drought tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in weathered (S1) and spontaneously combusted (S2) coal mine spoils, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices on the growth, nutrient uptake, carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry and water status of maize under well-watered, moderate and severe drought stress conditions. The results indicated that drought stress increased mycorrhizal colonization and decreased plant dry weights, nutrient contents, leaf moisture percentage of fresh weight (LMP), water use efficiency (WUE) and rehydration rate. A high level of AMF colonization ranging from 65 to 90% was observed, and the mean root colonization rates in S1 were lower than those in S2. In both substrates, inoculation with R. intraradices significantly improved the plant growth, P contents, LMP and WUE and decreased the C:P and N:P ratios of plants under drought stress. In addition, maize grown in S1 and S2 exhibited different wilting properties in response to AMF inoculation, and plant rehydration after drought stress occurred faster in mycorrhizal plants. The results suggested that inoculation with R. intraradices played a more positive role in improving the drought stress resistance of plants grown in S2 than those grown in S1. AMF inoculation has a beneficial effect on plant tolerance to drought and effectively facilitates the development of plants in different coal mine spoils.