Screening and characterization of endophytic Bacillus and Paenibacillus strains from medicinal plant Lonicera japonica for use as potential plant growth promoters
Experimental study demonstrates plant growth promotion and fungal biocontrol by endophytic bacteria in wheat, highlighting their potential as agricultural biofertilizers.
Key Points
To isolate and characterize endophytic bacterial strains from the medicinal plant Lonicera japonica and assess their capacity to promote crop growth and inhibit fungal pathogens.
Isolated 48 endophytic bacteria from surface-sterilized Lonicera japonica tissues across four plantations, selecting six strains for downstream characterization.
Identified strains via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and evaluated in vitro plant growth-promoting traits, fungal inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, and morphological effects on fungal mycelia.
Assessed plant growth parameters in vivo by inoculating wheat seedlings and measuring shoot length, root length, biomass, and chlorophyll content.
Strain 124 exhibited highest phosphate solubilization (45.6 mg/L) and ACC deaminase activity (47.3 nmol/mg/h), whereas strain 170 generated the highest indoleacetic acid levels (49.2 mg/L) alongside cellulase and pectinase activities.
Wheat seedling growth increased notably following inoculation, with strain 130 demonstrating the most pronounced increases in shoot length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, and chlorophyll content relative to controls.
Regression analysis confirmed significant positive correlations between bacterial enzyme (cellulase and pectinase) activities and mycelial inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, as well as between indoleacetic acid production and wheat root length.