Acetic Acid Bacteria as Plant Growth Promoters

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Abstract

Different genera and species of the family Acetobacteraceae (e.g., Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, Gluconacetobacter johannae, Gluconacetobacter azotocaptans, Swaminathania salitolerans, Acetobacter peroxydans, and Acetobacter nitrogenifigens) were found associated with diverse plant species, colonizing the inner tissues and roots. Several of these species are capable of promoting plant growth through special mechanisms such as the biological nitrogen-fixing process, phytohormone production, mineral solubilization, and antagonistic effect against pathogens, among others. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are valuable for agriculture as a tool for improving crop performance and environmental conditions, as they may reduce or avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

From an agricultural point of view, to achieve a sustainable crop production to feed the growing human population, strategic biotechnological approaches should be considered in crop management, including nutritional and phyto-sanitary aspects. Therefore, the use of PGPB is one of the possible approaches. Research and field trials of PGPB over decades in the present and past century have opened up new horizons for their biotechnological application. In this chapter, information on N2-fixing acetic acid bacteria (AAB), their ecology, their physiological and genetic characteristics, the mode of action of AAB as plant growth promoters, and their biotechnological application is presented.

Keywords

Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus Gluconacetobacter johannae Gluconacetobacter azotocaptans Gluconacetobacter kombuchae (Komagataeibacter kombuchae) Swaminathania salitolerans Acetobacter peroxydans Acetobacter nitrogenifigens 
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© Springer Japan 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of Agronomy and ZootechnicsNational University of TucumánTucumánArgentina

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