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Differential growth responses of Brachypodium distachyon genotypes to inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

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Abstract

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can associate and enhance the growth of important crop grasses. However, in most cases, the molecular mechanisms responsible for growth promotion are not known. Such research could benefit by the adoption of a grass model species that showed a positive response to bacterial inoculation and was amenable to genetic and molecular research methods. In this work we inoculated different genotypes of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon with two, well-characterized PGPR bacteria, Azospirillum brasilense and Herbaspirillum seropedicae, and evaluated the growth response. Plants were grown in soil under no nitrogen or with low nitrogen (i.e., 0.5 mM KNO3). A variety of growth parameters (e.g., shoot height, root length, number of lateral roots, fresh and dry weight) were measured 35 days after inoculation. The data indicate that plant genotype plays a very important role in determining the plant response to PGPR inoculation. A positive growth response was observed with only four genotypes grown under no nitrogen and three genotypes tested under low nitrogen. However, in contrast, relatively good root colonization was seen with most genotypes, as measured by drop plate counting and direct, microscopic examination of roots. In particular, the endophytic bacteria H. seropedicae showed strong epiphytic and endophytic colonization of roots.

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Acknowledgments

Research was financially supported by the National Institute of Science and Technology-Biological Nitrogen Fixation, INCT-FBN, through the Brazilian Research Council—CNPq/MCT and the Cîencia Sem Fronteiras Program, Brazil (fellowships supporting F.P.A and. V.C S.P). Support was also provided by grants DE-FOA-0000223 and DESC0013978 (to G.S.) from the Department of Energy, Office of Biological and Environmental Research.

Author contribution

F.P.A. participated in this study, its design and coordination, performed the experiments, data collection, interpretation of the data and drafted the manuscript; V.C.S.P. participated in the experiment perform and data collection specially in the microscopy figures; A.C.M.A. participated in the design and coordination of the study; E.M.S. participated in the design and coordination of the study and performed the measurement; F.P. participated in the design and coordination of the study; G.S. conceived of the study, and participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisions of Plant Science and Biochemistry, C. S. Bond Life Science Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Fernanda P. do Amaral & Gary Stacey

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil

    Vânia C. S. Pankievicz, Emanuel M. de Souza & Fabio Pedrosa

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88034-001, Brazil

    Ana Carolina M. Arisi

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  1. Fernanda P. do Amaral
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  2. Vânia C. S. Pankievicz
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Correspondence to Gary Stacey.

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do Amaral, F.P., Pankievicz, V.C.S., Arisi, A.C.M. et al. Differential growth responses of Brachypodium distachyon genotypes to inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Plant Mol Biol 90, 689–697 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-016-0449-8

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