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Bio-inoculation of yerba mate seedlings (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) with native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: a sustainable alternative to improve crop yield

Biology and Fertility of Soils volume 51, pages 749–755 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

In this study, the role of native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as bio-inoculants was assessed as an alternative to ameliorate Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill. growth in nursery comparing poorer (soil) versus richer (compost) substrates. Twelve rhizospheric strains isolated from yerba mate plantations were evaluated in vitro for their potential as PGPRs. Three isolates, identified as Kosakonia radicincitans YD4, Rhizobium pusense YP3, and Pseudomonas putida YP2, were selected on the basis of their N2 fixation activity, IAA-like compound and siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization. A highly significant positive effect of bio-inoculation with the native isolates was observed in 5-month-old seedlings cultivated in soil. The highest increase was observed in seedlings inoculated with K. radicincitans YD4 with an increase of 183 % in the dry shoot weight and a 30 % increase in shoot N content. In contrast, in compost, no increment in the dry weight was observed; however, an increase in content in some macronutrients in shoots was observed. Remarkably, when plant biomass was compared between soil and compost, seedlings inoculated with K. radicincitans YD4 in soil produced the highest yields, even though higher yields could be expected in compost due to the richness of this substrate. In conclusion, bio-inoculation of yerba mate seedlings with native PGPR increases the yield of this crop in nursery and could represent a promising sustainable strategy to improve yerba mate growth in low-fertility soils.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the University of Neuchâtel and by PRASY, Instituto Nacional de la Yerba Mate (INYM). We are grateful to the Swiss Government for the Scholarship for Foreign Students and the Comité Ejecutivo de Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica (CEDIT), Provincia de Misiones. We thank the “Fonds des Donations” of the University of Neuchâtel for funding part of the fieldwork. We also thank the Alberto Roth Foundation where the inoculation assay was performed, Barbara Iwasita for the chemical analyses, María Victoria Salomon for providing the strain A. brasilense 245, and Sonia Tarnawski and Margarita Laczeski for their valuable help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland

    V. M. Bergottini, M. Rebord & Pilar Junier

  2. Instituto de Biotecnología Misiones, Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Posadas, 3380, Argentina

    M. B. Otegui & P. D. Zapata

  3. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, EEA Cerro Azul, Cerro Azul, 3313, Argentina

    D. A. Sosa

  4. Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland

    M. Mulot

  5. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, 4056, Switzerland

    J. Zopfi

  6. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, EEA Montecarlo, Montecarlo, 3384, Argentina

    F. Wiss

  7. Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland

    B. Benrey

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  1. V. M. Bergottini
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  2. M. B. Otegui
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  5. M. Mulot
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  9. B. Benrey
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  10. Pilar Junier
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Correspondence to Pilar Junier.

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Bergottini, V.M., Otegui, M.B., Sosa, D.A. et al. Bio-inoculation of yerba mate seedlings (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) with native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria: a sustainable alternative to improve crop yield. Biol Fertil Soils 51, 749–755 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-015-1012-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-015-1012-5

Keywords

  • Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill. (yerba mate)
  • PGPR
  • Bio-inoculants
  • Kosakonia radicincitans