Use of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) Seed Inoculation as Alternative Fertilizer Inputs in Wheat and Barley Production

In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on seed incubation of spring wheat and barley. Three bacterial strains were applied singly and in combinations. Seed inoculation with strains significantly affected grain yield (GY), straw (SWY), total yield (TY), and plant nutrient element (PNE) content. In field trials, compared to the control, single inoculations gave GY, SWY, and TY increases by 27.5–31.9%, 1.1–5.3%, and 1.3–11.3% in wheat and 15.1–27.8%, 10.8–15.5%, and 14.5–18.5% in barley, respectively, but mixtures of strains gave increases in GY, SWY, and TY by 54.7%, 2.1%, and 6.7% in wheat and 57.8%, 14.6%, and 17.5% in barley, respectively. According to the results, it was concluded that seed inoculations with PGPR and mixture inoculation might satisfy nitrogen requirements, but Bacillus megaterium M3 and MIX (Bacillus subtilis OSU142, B. megaterium M3, Azospirillum brasilense Sp245) inoculation provided greater PNE concentrations than mineral fertilizer application for wheat and barley under field conditions.     

Inoculation of Earthworms and Plant Growth–Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) for the Improvement of Vegetable Growth via Enhanced N and P Availability in Soils

A pot trial was conducted to investigate the single, dual, and triple inoculation of earthworms or plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), including nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) (Azotobacter chroococcum HKN-5) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) (Bacillus megaterium HKP-1), on the growth of Brassica parachinenesis and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability in soils. All of the five inoculation treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased the shoot growth of B. parachinenesis. The greatest shoot and root biomass were recorded in the triple inoculation of earthworm, NFB, and PSB. All of the five inoculation treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased the concentrations of ammonium (NH₄ ⁺)-N, NO_x-N, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)–extractable P in soils. Based on plant growth and availability of N and P in soils, the present study suggested that the triple inoculation may be a promising approach for reducing the need for chemical fertilizers in growing vegetables.     

Effects of earthworms and plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on availability of nitrogen,phosphorus, and potassium in soil

Both earthworms and plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are ubiquitous and important for promoting circulation of plant macronutrients. Two series of laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of earthworm casts and activities on the growth of PGPR, and the inoculation of earthworms and PGPR on the availability of N, P, and K in soils, respectively. During a short incubation period (0–34 h), the extracts of earthworm (Pheretima guillelmi)‐worked soil significantly (p < 0.05) increased the abundance of the three species of PGPR, including N‐fixing bacteria (NFB) (Azotobacter chroococcum HKN‐5), phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria (PSB) (Bacillus megaterium HKP‐1), and K‐solubilizing bacteria (KSB) (B. mucilaginous HKK‐1), in Luria‐Bertani (LB) broth. There were synergistic effects of dual inoculation of earthworms and PGPR on increasing the concentrations of NH$ _4^+ $ ‐N, (NO$ _3^- $ + NO$ _2^- $ )‐N, NaHCO₃‐extractable P, and NH₄OAc‐extractable K in the corresponding soils. Bioavailable N (the sum of NH$ _4^+ $ ‐N and [NO$ _3^- $ + NO$ _2^- $ ]‐N) in the dual inoculation was 4 to 24 times those inoculated with earthworms or NFB alone, respectively. The significantly higher concentrations of bioavailable N and P in the dual inoculation of earthworms and NFB or PSB may be due to the higher abundance of PGPR and/or higher activities of urease and acid phosphatase than those of single inoculation of NFB or PSB, respectively. Dual inoculation of earthworms and PGPR would be most effective in reducing the need for chemical fertilizers in agriculture.     

Integrated Use of Nitrogen Fertilization and Microbial Inoculation: Change in the Growth and Chemical Composition of White Cabbage

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of seed and seedling inoculation by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on nitrogen use efficiency, growth, yield, and chemical composition of cabbage at varying levels of nitrogen (N). Data revealed that N alone or in combination with PGPR either as seed or seedling inoculation significantly improved growth, yield, and nutrients of cabbage. PGPR inoculations were more efficient than non-inoculated controls in terms of yield and yield parameters. This study showed that seed and seedling inoculation increased yield and yield parameters as well as chlorophyll reading value and stomatal conductance versus controls. Applications of mineral fertilizers with microbial applications save 25% of mineral fertilizers yet give 33% more yield versus full doses of mineral application without microbial applications. Both seed and seedling treatments increased the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) rates by 45, 53, 58, 45, and 40%, and 49, 59, 68, 69, 60, and 55%, respectively.     

PGPR复混肥料对旱地甘蔗的施用效应

对4个不同配方的PGPR(侧孢芽孢杆菌)复混肥料在旱地甘蔗上进行比较试验.结果表明,PGPR有明显增产增糖增收效果,蔗茎产量比对照增产幅度为11401～15932kg/hm2 ,增产11.7%～16.3%;含糖量比对照增产幅度为1529～2386kg/hm2 ,增产11.1%～17.3%;农业收入比对照增值幅度为2879～4947元/hm2,增值12.9%～17.7%;工业产值比对照增值幅度为5151～8351元/hm2,增值11.6%～18.8%.     

根际促生菌对棉苗盐碱胁迫的缓解效应

为探究根际促生菌(PGPR)对棉苗盐碱胁迫下的缓解效应,采用1株具ACC脱氨酶活性的PGPR菌株P2处理棉花,测定不同质量浓度盐碱胁迫下棉花的相关生理指标。结果表明,在盐碱胁迫下,PGPR能缓解棉苗所受的毒害,且随着盐碱质量浓度的增大缓解作用越明显。在10g/L的混合盐碱胁迫下,P2菌株处理后棉花种子的萌发率提高185%;可溶性糖质量分数升高69.55%,可溶性蛋白质量分数升高43.67%,提高棉花的渗透调节能力;丙二醛摩尔浓度下降35.33%,过氧化物酶活性升高64.9%,降低胁迫对棉花的伤害;同时,叶片的光合能力、根系活力及根系发育情况也明显优于无菌处理。表明具有ACC脱氨酶活性的菌株P2能有效缓解盐碱胁迫对棉苗的抑制,提高棉苗的抗盐碱性。     

Multiphasic characterization of a plant growth promoting bacterial strain,Burkholderia sp.7016 and its effect on tomato growth in the field

Aiming at searching for plant growth promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR), a bacterium strain coded as 7016 was isolated from soybean rhizosphere and was characterized in the present study. It was identified as Burkholderia sp. based on 16 S r DNA sequence analysis, as well as phenotypic and biochemical characterizations. This bacterium presented nitrogenase activity, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid(ACC) deaminase activity and phosphate solubilizing ability; inhibited the growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Gibberella zeae and Verticillium dahliae; and produced small quantities of indole acetic acid(IAA). In green house experiments, significant increases in shoot height and weight, root length and weight, and stem diameter were observed on tomato plants in 30 d after inoculation with strain 7016. Result of 16 S r DNA PCR-DGGE showed that 7016 survived in the rhizosphere of tomato seedlings. In the field experiments, Burkholderia sp. 7016 enhanced the tomato yield and significantly promoted activities of soil urease, phosphatase, sucrase, and catalase. All these results demonstrated Burkholderia sp. 7016 as a valuable PGPR and a candidate of biofertilizer.     

Evaluation of genetic diversity and plant growth promoting activities of nitrogen-fixing bacilli isolated from rice fields in South Brazil

Several strains of bacilli, mainly species of the genera Bacillus and Paenibacillus, displaying important plant growth promoting (PGP) characteristics were isolated from seven distinct rice production zones of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Of 296 isolates, 155 were from rhizospheric soil and 141 from bulk soil. In order to evaluate the diversity among the isolates of each bacterial population the Shannon index was used on a 70% similarity basis. Diversity indices varying from 2.27 to 5.51 were obtained. Using principal coordinate analysis (PCA) to correlate bacterial diversity with soil parameters, it was found that soil pH was the characteristic most closely related to bacilli diversity. The bacilli isolated were also analyzed for some PGP activities. Of those 296 isolates, 94 and 148 produced between 0.1 and 30 μg of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ml⁻¹ in vitro after 72 and 144 h of incubation, respectively. Twenty-two isolates were able to solubilize phosphate and 32 isolates produced siderophores. Paenibacillus and Bacillus genera were the most prominent groups in the rhizosphere and soil populations analyzed. Paenibacillus borealis was the most frequent species in both locations. The isolate SVPR30, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as a strain of Bacillus sp., was chosen for in vivo greenhouse experiments and proved to be very efficient in promoting a significant increase in the roots and shoot parts of rice plants. The identification and isolation of PGP bacilli from temperate and subtropical soils, which combine the ability to fix nitrogen with the production of substances capable to promote the plant growth, could significantly increase productivity of grain crops in Brazil.     

植物根际促生菌促进小麦生长及提高其抗旱性的研究进展

干旱胁迫是影响小麦生长发育与产量形成最主要的非生物胁迫因子,近年来化肥的过量使用及全球气候变化产生的不利影响,导致小麦在生长过程中受到的干旱胁迫危害日趋严重。植物根际促生菌(PGPR)不仅可以协助小麦提高养分利用率,促进其生长发育,还能够通过自身作用或产生多种代谢产物协助小麦抵御干旱胁迫。本文归纳总结了PGPR促进小麦生长及提高其抗旱性的研究进展,为利用PGPR提高小麦促生抗旱的研究奠定了理论基础。     

Influence of an indigenous European alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn) rhizobacterium (Bacillus pumilus) on the growth of alder and its rhizosphere microbial community structure in two soils

Europeanalder seedlings were inoculated with a suspension of the putative plant growthpromoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) Bacillus pumilus (CECT5105), or left non-inoculated (controls) in two different soils, and grownundercontrolled conditions. Soil A showed a thick texture, slightly acidic with ahigh mineral nitrogen content, while soil B showed a thin texture, basic andwith a lower nitrogen content. At each sampling time, over an 8-week period,shoot and root systems of the plants were measured, nodules counted, and shootand root length and surface were determined. In addition, changes in themicrobial rhizosphere structure were evaluated by the phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA) profile extracted directly from the rhizosphere soil. The increasesdetected in shoot surface were significant only in soil A, while the rootsystemwas affected in both soils. In soil A, inoculation with B.pumilus caused a perturbation that subsequently disappeared, whilethe rhizosphere community structure was seriously altered in soil B. Allbiometric parameters were enhanced to a greater extent in soil A, in which theinoculum did not alter the existing rhizosphere communities and nutrientavailability was better.