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Diversity and characterization of culturable bacterial endophytes from Zea mays and their potential as plant growth-promoting agents in metal-degraded soils

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Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the phylogenetic diversity of culturable bacterial endophytes of Zea mays plants growing in an agricultural soil contaminated with Zn and Cd. Endophytic bacterial counts were determined in roots and shoots, and isolates were grouped by random amplified polymorphic DNA and identified by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. Endophytes were further characterized for the production of plant growth-promoting (PGP) substances, such as NH3, siderophores, indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide and extracellular enzymes, and for the capacity to solubilize phosphate. The endophytes producing higher amounts of IAA were screened for their tolerance to Zn and Cd and used as bioinoculants for maize seedlings grown in the Zn/Cd-contaminated soil. The counts of endophytes varied between plant tissues, being higher in roots (6.48 log10 g−1 fresh weight) when compared to shoots (5.77 log10 g−1 fresh weight). Phylogenetic analysis showed that endophytes belong to three major groups: α-Proteobacteria (31 %), γ-Proteobacteria (26 %) and Actinobacteria (26 %). Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium, Variovorax and Curtobacterium were among the most represented genera. Endophytes were well-adapted to high Zn/Cd concentrations (up to 300 mg Cd l−1 and 1,000 mg Zn l−1) and showed ability to produce several PGP traits. Strains Ochrobactrum haematophilum ZR 3-5, Acidovorax oryzae ZS 1-7, Frigoribacterium faeni ZS 3-5 and Pantoea allii ZS 3-6 increased root elongation and biomass of maize seedlings grown in soil contaminated with Cd and Zn. The endophytes isolated in this study have potential to be used in bioremediation/phytoremediation strategies.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Funds from FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through projects PTDC/AGR/CFL/111583/2009 and PEst-OE/EQB/LA0016/2013. S.I.A. Pereira wishes to acknowledge a research grant from FCT (Ref. SFRH/BPD/65134/2009) and Fundo Social Europeu (Programa Operacional Potencial Humano (POPH), Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN)). The authors also thank to COST FA1103: Endophytes in Biotechnology and Agriculture.

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  1. CBQF—Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina—Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal

    S. I. A. Pereira & P. M. L. Castro

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  1. S. I. A. Pereira
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Pereira, S.I.A., Castro, P.M.L. Diversity and characterization of culturable bacterial endophytes from Zea mays and their potential as plant growth-promoting agents in metal-degraded soils. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 14110–14123 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3309-6

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