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Santander C, González F, Pérez U, Ruiz A, Aroca R, Santos C, Cornejo P, Vidal G. Enhancing Water Status and Nutrient Uptake in Drought-Stressed Lettuce Plants ( Lactuca sativa L.) via Inoculation with Different Bacillus spp. Isolated from the Atacama Desert. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:158. [PMID: 38256712 PMCID: PMC10818642 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Drought is a major challenge for agriculture worldwide, being one of the main causes of losses in plant production. Various studies reported that some soil's bacteria can improve plant tolerance to environmental stresses by the enhancement of water and nutrient uptake by plants. The Atacama Desert in Chile, the driest place on earth, harbors a largely unexplored microbial richness. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of various Bacillus sp. from the hyper arid Atacama Desert in the improvement in tolerance to drought stress in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata, cv. "Super Milanesa") plants. Seven strains of Bacillus spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of the Chilean endemic plants Metharme lanata and Nolana jaffuelii, and then identified using the 16s rRNA gene. Indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity were assessed. Lettuce plants were inoculated with Bacillus spp. strains and subjected to two different irrigation conditions (95% and 45% of field capacity) and their biomass, net photosynthesis, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, oxidative damage, proline production, and phenolic compounds were evaluated. The results indicated that plants inoculated with B. atrophaeus, B. ginsengihumi, and B. tequilensis demonstrated the highest growth under drought conditions compared to non-inoculated plants. Treatments increased biomass production and were strongly associated with enhanced N-uptake, water status, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic activity. Our results show that specific Bacillus species from the Atacama Desert enhance drought stress tolerance in lettuce plants by promoting several beneficial plant traits that facilitate water absorption and nutrient uptake, which support the use of this unexplored and unexploited natural resource as potent bioinoculants to improve plant production under increasing drought conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Santander
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (C.S.); (F.G.); (U.P.); (A.R.); (C.S.)
- Grupo de Ingeniería Ambiental y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070411, Chile
| | - Felipe González
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (C.S.); (F.G.); (U.P.); (A.R.); (C.S.)
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención Biología Celular y Molecular Aplicada, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile
| | - Urley Pérez
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (C.S.); (F.G.); (U.P.); (A.R.); (C.S.)
| | - Antonieta Ruiz
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (C.S.); (F.G.); (U.P.); (A.R.); (C.S.)
| | - Ricardo Aroca
- Departamento de Microbiología del Suelo y la Planta, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain;
| | - Cledir Santos
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (C.S.); (F.G.); (U.P.); (A.R.); (C.S.)
| | - Pablo Cornejo
- Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota 2260000, Chile
- Centro Regional de Investigación e Innovación para la Sostenibilidad de la Agricultura y los Territorios Rurales, CERES, La Palma, Quillota 2260000, Chile
| | - Gladys Vidal
- Grupo de Ingeniería Ambiental y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070411, Chile
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Meinzer M, Ahmad N, Nielsen BL. Halophilic Plant-Associated Bacteria with Plant-Growth-Promoting Potential. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2910. [PMID: 38138054 PMCID: PMC10745547 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The salinization of soils is a growing agricultural concern worldwide. Irrigation practices, drought, and climate change are leading to elevated salinity levels in many regions, resulting in reduced crop yields. However, there is potential for a solution in the microbiome of halophytes, which are naturally salt-tolerant plants. These plants harbor a salt-tolerant microbiome in their rhizosphere (around roots) and endosphere (within plant tissue). These bacteria may play a significant role in conferring salt tolerance to the host plants. This leads to the possibility of transferring these beneficial bacteria, known as salt-tolerant plant-growth-promoting bacteria (ST-PGPB), to salt-sensitive plants, enabling them to grow in salt-affected areas to improve crop productivity. In this review, the background of salt-tolerant microbiomes is discussed and their potential use as ST-PGPB inocula is explored. We focus on two Gram-negative bacterial genera, Halomonas and Kushneria, which are commonly found in highly saline environments. These genera have been found to be associated with some halophytes, suggesting their potential for facilitating ST-PGPB activity. The study of salt-tolerant microbiomes and their use as PGPB holds promise for addressing the challenges posed by soil salinity in the context of efforts to improve crop growth in salt-affected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKay Meinzer
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA;
| | - Niaz Ahmad
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE-C), Pakistan Institute for Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan;
| | - Brent L. Nielsen
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE-C), Pakistan Institute for Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan;
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Jang S, Choi SK, Zhang H, Zhang S, Ryu CM, Kloepper JW. History of a model plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Bacillus velezensis GB03: from isolation to commercialization. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1279896. [PMID: 37885658 PMCID: PMC10598611 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1279896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus velezensis strain GB03 is a Gram-positive rhizosphere bacterium known for its ability to promote plant growth and immunity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the research on GB03 from its initial discovery in Australian wheat fields in 1971 to its current applications. Recognized as a model plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), GB03 has exhibited outstanding performance in enhancing the growth and protection of many crop plants including cucumber, pepper, wheat, barley, soybean, and cotton. Notably, GB03 has been reported to elicit plant immune response, referred to as induced systemic resistance (ISR), against above-ground pathogens and insect pests. Moreover, a pivotal finding in GB03 was the first-ever identification of its bacterial volatile compounds, which are known to boost plant growth and activate ISR. Research conducted over the past five decades has clearly demonstrated the potential of GB03 as an eco-friendly substitute for conventional pesticides and fertilizers. Validating its safety, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency endorsed GB03 for commercial use as Kodiak® in 1998. Subsequently, other compounds, such as BioYield™, were released as a biological control agent against soil-borne pathogens and as a biofertilizer, utilizing a durable spore formulation. More recently, GB03 has been utilized as a keystone modulator for engineering the rhizosphere microbiome and for eliciting microbe-induced plant volatiles. These extensive studies on GB03 underscore its significant role in sustainable agriculture, positioning it as a safe and environmentally-friendly solution for crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seonghan Jang
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Keun Choi
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biosystems and Bioengineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Huiming Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shouan Zhang
- Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida-IFAS, Homestead, FL, United States
| | - Choong-Min Ryu
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biosystems and Bioengineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Joseph W. Kloepper
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
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