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Characterization of plant growth promoting bacteria from crops in Bolivia

Charakterisierung pflanzenwachstumsfördernder Bakterien von Kulturpflanzen in Bolivien

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Abstract

The use of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) is an economically and environmental friendly alternative to the application of chemical fertilizers resp. pesticides in agriculture. To obtain novel bacterial strains that could be used for plant growth promotion (PGP) in the agriculture of Bolivia, plant associated bacteria derived from horseradish tree (Moringa oleifera), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) were screened for direct and indirect in vitro PGP traits. Subsequently, most promising strains were selected for ad planta studies. According to in vitro experiments, out of 59 tested isolates, 19% were declared as diazotrophs, 41% as solubilizers of phosphorus, 10% were able to reduce the ethylene precursor 1-aminocy-clopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), and 17% exhibited phytohormone (IAA) synthesis. Only a small proportion of rhizo-bacterial strains (7% out of 276) showed in vitro antagonism against plant pathogenic Colletotrichum sp., whereas none of isolated stem and leaf endophytes inhibited growth of Verticillium chlamydosporum or Bipolaris maydis in dual culture. Based on results of in vitro screens, the rhizospheric strains Pectobacterium cypripedii M56, Pantoea agglomerans M72, and P. agglomerans M81 were selected for ad planta applications. Results revealed significant increases in number of beans per black bean plant resp. diameters of flower heads of sunflower plants compared to controls by P. agglomerans M72. We conclude that the assessment and selection of plant associated bacteria based on traits conferring theoretically PGP can provide the basis for the development of new microbial inoculants for agricultural purposes.

Zusammenfassung

Die Anwendung pflanzenwachstumsfördernder Bakterien in der Landwirtschaft kann eine profitable und umweltschonende Alternative zum Einsatz von chemischen Düngemitteln und Pestiziden darstellen. Um neue, bakterielle Pflanzenwachstumsförderer für die bolivianische Landwirtschaft zu gewinnen, wurden pflanzenassoziierte Bakterien von Meerrettichbaum (Moringa oleifera), Sorghumhirse (Sorghum vulgare), Sonnenblume (Helianthus annuus) und Färberdistel (Carthamus tinctorius) isoliert und in vitro auf direkte und indirekte Mechanismen der Pflanzenwachstumsförderung untersucht. Ausgehend von 59 unter Laborbedingungen getesteten Isolaten, waren 19% diazotroph, 41% wurden als Phosphor-Solubilisierer deklariert, 17% zeigten Phytohormonsynthese (IAA) und 10% wurden als Verwerter der Ethy- len-Vorläufer-Substanz 1-Aminocyclopropan-1-Carbonsäure (ACC) erklärt. Nur ein geringer Anteil rhizobakterieller Stämme (7% von 276) zeigte antagonistische Aktivität in vitro gegen das Pflanzenpathogen Colletotrichum sp., während keiner der von Stängeln oder Blättern isolierten Endophyten das Wach stum von Verticillium chlamydosporum oder Bipolaris maydis in Dualkultur inhibieren konnte. Basierend auf den Resultaten der in vitro Tests, wurden die Rhizosphären-Stämme Pectobacterium cypripedii M56, Pantoea agglomerans M72 und P. agglomerans M81 für die Applikation in Freilandexperimenten selektiert, wobei P. agglomerans M72 zu signifikant höheren Bohnenzahlen bei schwarzer Bohne bzw. Blütenkorbdurchmessern bei Sonnenblume im Vergleich zu Kontroll-Behandlungen geführt hat. Die Bewertung und Selektion pflanzenassoziierter Bakterien, basierend auf deren pflanzenwachstumsfördernden Eigenschaften in vitro, stellt die Grundlage für die Entwicklung neuer biologischer Produkte für landwirtschaftliche Zwecke dar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

    M. Fürnkranz, H. Müller & G. Berg

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  1. M. Fürnkranz
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  2. H. Müller
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  3. G. Berg
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Correspondence to G. Berg.

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Fürnkranz, M., Müller, H. & Berg, G. Characterization of plant growth promoting bacteria from crops in Bolivia. J Plant Dis Prot 116, 149–155 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03356303

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