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Physiological changes and growth promotion induced in poplar seedlings by the plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus subtilis JS

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus subtilis JS on the growth and physiological changes of Populus euramericana and Populus deltoides × P. nigra. Poplar seedlings were treated with B. subtilis JS and their growth was monitored for up to 120 d. Three different types of treatments [control, B1 (B. subtilis:double-distilled water, 1:100, v/v), and B2 (1:50)] were established. B. subtilis JS enhanced seedling height by 62% and total biomass by 37% after 120 d. Physiologically, the photosynthetic rate increased by 54%, and the total chlorophyll (Chl) content, foliage nitrogen and phosphate content were significantly higher after treatment with B2 than that of the control. These results suggest that the total Chl content is directly related to not only the photosynthetic capacity of the foliage but also to the nitrogen content, indicating that the strain JS may promote the growth of poplar.

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Abbreviations

B1:

Bacillus subtilis JS inoculation with double-distilled water (dilution rate of 1 in 100)

B2:

Bacillus subtilis JS inoculation with double-distilled water (dilution rate of 1 in 50)

CarT:

total carotenoid

ChlT:

total chlorophyll

CFUs:

colonyforming units

DDW:

double-distilled water

E :

transpiration rate

gs:

stomatal conductance

NLeaf :

total nitrogen content of leaf

PGPR:

plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

PLeaf :

phosphate content of leaf

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

RGR:

relative growth rate

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SRCs:

short rotation coppice cultures

TF:

triphenyl formazan

TTC:

triphenyltetrazolium chloride

WUE:

water-use efficiency

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul, 02504, Korea

    J. H. Jang, S. -H. Kim, I. Khaine, M. J. Kwak, H. K. Lee, T. Y. Lee & S. Y. Woo

  2. Division of Forest Tree Improvement, National Institute of Forest Science, Suwon, 16631, Korea

    W. Y. Lee

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  1. J. H. Jang
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  2. S. -H. Kim
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Correspondence to S. Y. Woo.

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Acknowledgements: This work was carried out with the support of the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ01168801) Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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Jang, J.H., Kim, S.H., Khaine, I. et al. Physiological changes and growth promotion induced in poplar seedlings by the plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus subtilis JS. Photosynthetica 56, 1188–1203 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0801-0

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