Abstract
Desert ecosystems are vulnerable due to the lack of soil moisture, sunlight intensity, sudden temperature fluctuations, poor humus, soil salinity, water and wind-induced erosion. The rhizosphere biological community of desert plants can play an essential role in overcoming these harsh environmental conditions due to the production of plant growth regulators and secondary metabolites. Bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of Haloxylon ammodendron, Capparis Spinosa, and Nitraia schoberi, dominant and native plants in the Hajiabad desert region, Semnan, Iran. After physiological and phylogenetic identification of isolates, some plant growth-promoting traits, such as auxin production, phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, salinity, and drought tolerance, were investigated. The results showed that Gram-positive spore-forming bacilli were dominant in the rhizosphere bacterial community of desert plants in the Hajiabad region. The predominance of these bacterial species indicates the prevalence of drought and salinity in the rhizosphere of studied plants. Assessing plant growth-promoting traits of the rhizosphere bacterial community revealed that 58.0% of the isolates were able to dissolve in-soluble phosphate, and isolates Microbacterium oxydans CaK2 and Bacillus subtilis NiGh2 were able to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Also, Bacillus subtilis HaTa2, isolated and screened from the rhizosphere of Haloxylon ammodendron, had the highest auxin production (34.2 µg IAA. mL−1) in 120 min among the isolates. Bio-priming of Nitraria schoberi seeds with native isolates of Bacillus subtilis NiGh5, Bacillus subtilis NiGh4, and Bacillus tequilensis NiGh7 increased the germination index by 11.0, 18.0, and 38.0%, respectively, compared to the control.
Graphical abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Availability of Data and Material
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Code Availability
Not applicable.
References
Ahkami AH, White RA, Handakumbura PP, Jansson C (2017) Rhizosphere engineering: enhancing sustainable plant ecosystem productivity. Rhizosphere 3:233–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2017.04.012
Alsharif W, Saad MM, Hirt H (2020) Desert microbes for boosting sustainable agriculture in extreme environments. Front Microbiol 11:1666. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01666
Belov AA, Cheptsov VS, Vorobyova EA (2018) Soil bacterial communities of Sahara and Gibson deserts: physiological and taxonomical characteristics. AIMS Microbiol 4(4):685. https://doi.org/10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.685
Beneduzi A, Moreira F, Costa PB, Vargas LK, Lisboa BB, Favreto R, Passaglia LMP (2013) Diversity and plant growth promoting evaluation abilities of bacteria isolated from sugarcane cultivated in the South of Brazil. Appl Soil Ecol 63:94–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.08.010
Bhatnagar A, Bhatnagar M (2005) Microbial diversity in desert ecosystems. Curr Sci 89:91–100
Bric JM, Bostock RM, Silverstone SE (1991) Rapid in situ assay for indoleacetic acid production by bacteria immobilized on a nitrocellulose membrane. Appl Environ Microbiol 57(2):535–538. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.57.2.535-538.1991
Chandra S, Askari K, Kumari M (2018) Optimization of indole acetic acid production by isolated bacteria from Stevia rebaudiana rhizosphere and its effects on plant growth. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 16(2):581–586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgeb.2018.09.001
Cheng Z, McConkey BJ, Glick BR (2010) Proteomic studies of plant–bacterial interactions. Soil Biol Biochem 42(10):1673–1684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.05.033
Chowdhury SP, Schmid M, Hartmann A, Tripathi AK (2007) Identification of diazotrophs in the culturable bacterial community associated with roots of Lasiurus sindicus, a perennial grass of Thar Desert. India Microb Ecol 54(1):82–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9174-1
Collins CH, Lyne PM, Grange JM (1989) Microbiological methods, 6th edn. Butterworths, London
Compant S, Clément C, Sessitsch A (2010) Plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizo-and endosphere of plants: their role, colonization, mechanisms involved and prospects for utilization. Soil Biol Biochem 42(5):669–678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.11.024
Deshmukh AJ, Jaiman RS, Bambharolia RP, Patil VA (2020) Seed biopriming—a review. Int J Econ Plants 7(1):038–043. https://doi.org/10.23910/2/2020.0359
Dinesh R, Anandaraj M, Kumar A, Bini YK, Subila KP, Aravind R (2015) Isolation, characterization, and evaluation of multi-trait plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for their growth promoting and disease suppressing effects on ginger. Microbiol Res 173:34–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2015.01.014
Dobereiner JO, Day JM (1975) Nitrogen fixation in the rhizosphere of tropical grasses. Cambridge University Press, London, United Kingdom, Nitrogen fixation by free-living microorganisms
Eida AA, Ziegler M, Lafi FF, Michell CT, Voolstra CR, Hirt H, Saad MM (2018) Desert plant bacteria reveal host influence and beneficial plant growth properties. PLoS One 13:e0208223. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208223
Emami S, Alikhani HA, Pourbabaee AA, Etesami H, Sarmadian F, Motesharezadeh B, Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi R (2022) Performance evaluation of phosphate-solubilizing fluorescent pseudomonads in minimizing phosphorus fertilizer use and improving wheat productivity: a two-year field study. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00726-3
Emami S, Alikhani HA, Pourbabaei AA, Etesami H, Motasharezadeh B, Sarmadian F (2018) Improved growth and nutrient acquisition of wheat genotypes in phosphorus deficient soils by plant growth-promoting rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 64(6):719–727. https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2018.1510284
Emami S, Alikhani HA, Pourbabaei AA, Etesami H, Sarmadian F, Motessharezadeh B (2019) Effect of rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria with multiple plant growth promoting traits on wheat growth. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26(19):19804–19813. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05284-x
Goswami D, Dhandhukia P, Patel P, Thakker JN (2014) Screening of PGPR from saline desert of Kutch: growth promotion in Arachis hypogea by Bacillus licheniformis A2. Microbiol Res 169(1):66–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2013.07.004
Gouda S, Kerry RG, Das G, Paramithiotis S, Shin HS, Patra JK (2018) Revitalization of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for sustainable development in agriculture. Microbiol Res 206:131–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2017.08.016
Hayat R, Ahmed I, Sheirdil RA (2012) An overview of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for sustainable agriculture. In: Ashraf M, Öztürk M, Ahmad M, Aksoy A (eds) Crop production for agricultural improvement. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 557–579
He A, Niu S, Yang D, Ren W, Zhao L, Sun Y, Meng L, Zhao Q, Paré PW, Zhang J (2021) Two PGPR strains from the rhizosphere of Haloxylon ammodendron promoted growth and enhanced drought tolerance of ryegrass. Plant Physiol Biochem 161:74–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.02.003
Howieson JG, De Meyer SE, Vivas-Marfisi A, Ratnayake S, Ardley JK, Yates RJ (2013) Novel Burkholderia bacteria isolated from Lebeckia ambigua–a perennial suffrutescent legume of the fynbos. Soil Biol Biochem 60:55–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.01.009
Khan MA, Asaf S, Khan AL, Adhikari A, Jan R, Ali S, Imran M, Kim KM, Lee IJ (2019) Halotolerant rhizobacterial strains mitigate the adverse effects of NaCl stress in soybean seedlings. Biomed Res Int. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9530963
Köberl M, Müller H, Ramadan EM, Berg G (2011) Desert farming benefits from microbial potential in arid soils and promotes diversity and plant health. PLoS One 6:e24452. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0024452
Kour D, Rana KL, Yadav N, Yadav AN, Kumar A, Meena VS, Singh B, Chauhan VS, Dhaliwal HS, Saxena AK (2019) Rhizospheric microbiomes: biodiversity, mechanisms of plant growth promotion, and biotechnological applications for sustainable agriculture. In: Kumar A, Meena V (eds) Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for agricultural sustainability. Springer, Singapore, pp 19–65
Mandeel QA (2002) Microfungal community associated with rhizosphere soil of Zygophyllum qatarense in arid habitats of Bahrain. J Arid Environ 50(4):665–681. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.2001.0864
Martirosyan V, Steinberger Y (2014) Microbial functional diversity in the phyllosphere and laimosphere of different desert plants. J Arid Environ 107:26–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2014.04.002
Michel BE, Kaufmann MR (1973) The osmotic potential of polyethylene glycol 6000. Plant Physiol 51(5):914–916. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.51.5.914
Murray RGE, Doetsch RN, Robinow CF (1994) Determinative and cytological light microscopy. In: Gerhardt P, Murray RGE, Wood WA, Krieg NR (eds) Methods for general and molecular bacteriology. ASM Press, Washington, DC, pp 21–41
Nawaz H, Hussain N, Ahmed N, Javaiz ALAM (2021) Efficiency of seed bio-priming technique for healthy mungbean productivity under terminal drought stress. J Integr Agric 20(1):87–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(20)63184-7
Patel S, Jinal HN, Amaresan N (2017) Isolation and characterization of drought resistance bacteria for plant growth promoting properties and their effect on chilli (Capsicum annuum) seedling under salt stress. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol 12:85–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2017.09.002
Pathak D, Lone R, Khan S, Koul KK (2019) Isolation, screening and molecular characterization of free-living bacteria of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and their interplay impact on growth and production of potato plant under mycorrhizal association. Sci Hortic 252:388–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.02.072
Pathania P, Bhatia R, Khatri M (2020) Cross-competence and affectivity of maize rhizosphere bacteria Bacillus sp. MT7 in tomato rhizosphere. Sci Hortic 272:109480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109480
Pourbabaee AA, Bahmani E, Alikhani HA, Emami S (2016) Promotion of wheat growth under salt stress by halotolerant bacteria containing ACC deaminase. JAST 18(3):855–864
Rajput L, Imran A, Mubeen F, Hafeez FY (2013) Salt-tolerant PGPR strain Planococcus rifietoensis promotes the growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated in saline soil. Pak J Bot 45(6):1955–1962
Norris JR, Ribbons D (1972) Methods in microbiology. Academic Press
Ribeiro VP, Marriel IE, Sousa SMd, Lana UGdP, Mattos BB, Oliveira CAD, Gomes EA (2018) Endophytic Bacillus strains enhance pearl millet growth and nutrient uptake under low-P. Braz J Microbiol 49:40–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjm.2018.06.005
Saharan BS, Nehra V (2011) Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria: a critical review. Life Sci Med Res 21:1–30
Sandhya VZAS, Grover M, Reddy G, Venkateswarlu B (2009) Alleviation of drought stress effects in sunflower seedlings by the exopolysaccharides producing Pseudomonas putida strain GAP-P45. Biol Fertil Soils 46(1):17–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-009-0401-z
Schinner F, Öhlinger R, Kandeler E, Margesin R (1996) Methods in soil biology. In: Marshall KC (ed) Springer science & business media. Springer, Boston, pp 7–46
Skujinš J (1984) Microbial ecology of desert soils. In: Marshall KC (ed) Advances in microbial ecology advances in microbial ecology. Springer, Boston, MA, pp 49–91
Sperber JI (1958) Release of phosphate from soil minerals by hydrogen sulphide. Nature 181(4613):934–934. https://doi.org/10.1038/181934a0
Tchakounté GVT, Berger B, Patz S, Fankem H, Ruppel S (2018) Community structure and plant growth-promoting potential of cultivable bacteria isolated from Cameroon soil. Microbiol Res 214:47–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2018.05.008
van Gestel NC, Reischke S, Bååth E (2013) Temperature sensitivity of bacterial growth in a hot desert soil with large temperature fluctuations. Soil Biol Biochem 65:180–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.05.016
Vessey JK (2003) Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria as biofertilizers. Plant Soil 255(2):571–586. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026037216893
Vurukonda SSKP, Vardharajula S, Shrivastava Shrivastava MSkZA (2016) Enhancement of drought stress tolerance in crops by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Microbiol Res 184:13–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2015.12.003
Funding
The authors received financial support from the Student Affairs Organization (Ministry of Science, Research & Technology of IRAN) (87464) for doing this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors have contributed equally to this study.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Abadi, N.E.M., Pourbabaee, A.A., Kaboli, S.H. et al. Identification of the Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities Associated with Native Desert Plants in the Hajiabad Desert Region. Int J Environ Res 17, 41 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-023-00533-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-023-00533-x