Beatrice Berger
Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Germany
Title: Harnessing Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria for Sustainable Agriculture
Biography
Biography: Beatrice Berger
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Conserving arable soils is one of the major challenges in agronomy for our and future generations. Using beneficial native microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting bacteria contributes to sustainability in agricultural systems and helps maintain stable yields and product quality. However, the growth-promoting effects of candidate strains observed in pot trials often disappear under field conditions.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Kosakonia radicincitans was isolated from winter wheat; after establishing cultivation of the strain under laboratory conditions, biological atmospheric nitrogen fixing and phytohormone producing ability was demonstrated. Systemic application of K. radicincitans on glasshouse-grown plants revealed significant growth-promoting effects on various vegetables and crop plants. We evaluated the plant growth potential of K. radicincitans in radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus L.), maize (Zea mays) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) when plants were grown under glasshouse and field conditions.
Findings: Leaf- and tuber weights of inoculated radish plants were significantly increased by up to 25%, biomass of maize up to 30% and grain yield gain in winter wheat was demonstrated to be up to 20% after bacterial application under field conditions.
Conclusion & Significance: We demonstrate the capability of K. radicincitans to persist in plants and promote plant growth under field conditions. Therefore, K. radicincitans is a promising candidate for further processing as a growth-promoting product in sustainable agriculture.