Potential of growth-promoting bacteria in maize (Zea mays L.) varies according to soil moisture

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Araujo, Victor Lucas Vieira Prudencio ; Fracetto, Giselle Gomes Monteiro ; Silva, Antonio Marcos Miranda ; Pereira, Arthur Prudencio de Araujo ; Freitas, Caio Cesar Gomes ; Barros, Felipe Martins do Rego ; Santana, Maiele Cintra ; Feiler, Henrique Petry ; Matteoli, Filipe Pereira ; Fracetto, Felipe Jose Cury ; Cardoso, Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH; v. 271, p. 11-pg., 2023-03-10.

Abstract

Climate change has caused irregularities in water distribution, which affect the soil drying-wetting cycle and the development of economically important agricultural crops. Therefore, the use of plant growth-promoting bac-teria (PGPB) emerges as an efficient strategy to mitigate negative impacts on crop yield. We hypothesized that the use of PGPB (in consortium or not) had potential to promote maize (Zea mays L.) growth under a soil moisture gradient in both non-sterile and sterile soils. Thirty PGPB strains were characterized for direct plant growth-promotion and drought tolerance induction mechanisms and were used in two independent experiments. Four soil water contents were used to simulate a severe drought (30% of field capacity [FC]), moderate drought (50% of FC), no drought (80% of FC) and, finally, a water gradient comprising the three mentioned soil water contents (80%, 50%, and 30% of FC). Two bacteria strains (BS28-7 Arthrobacter sp. and BS43 Streptomyces alboflavus), in addition to three consortia (BC2, BC4 and BCV) stood out in maize growth performance in experiment 1 and were used in experiment 2. Overall, under moderate drought, inoculation with BS43 surpassed the control treatment in root dry mass and nutrient uptake. Considering the water gradient treatment (80-50-30% of FC), the greatest total biomass was found in the uninoculated treatment when compared to BS28-7, BC2, and BCV. The greatest development of Z. mays L. was only observed under constant water stress conditions in the presence of PGPB. This is the first report that demonstrated the negative effect of individual inoculation of Arthrobacter sp. and the consortium of this strain with Streptomyces alboflavus on the growth of Z. mays L. based on a soil moisture gradient; however, future studies are needed for further validation. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/18944-3 - Climatic changes and energetic efficiency in agriculture: focusing on hydric stress, organic management and soil biology
• Grantee: Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira Cardoso
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/27682-0 - Relationship between management systems and soil microorganisms: effects on microbiota and plant growth promoting microorganisms
• Grantee: Filipe Pereira Matteoli
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/20553-8 - Residues removal in eucalyptus forests: influence on the fungi community and phosphorus cycling in soil
• Grantee: Maiele Cintra Santana
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/13436-8 - Mitigation of water stress in maize (Zea mays L.) after arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and growth promoting rhizobacteria inoculation
• Grantee: Antonio Marcos Miranda Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate