Impact of an antarctic rhizobacterium on root traits and productivity of soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L.)

Inoculation of crop plants with beneficial root-associated microorganisms may be a useful strategy for sustainable intensification agriculture. In recent years, interest has grown in using rhizobacteria from extreme environments to develop high-performing inoculants, as some strains possess plant-growth promoting traits and increase host fitness under abiotic stress. Only two vascular plant species – Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) are currently found on the continent, one most Earth. Few studies have examined rhizosphere associated these their potential contribution nutrition, productivity, stress tolerance. The present study assesses novel rhizobacterium extracted Deschampsia antarctica, Pseudomonas sp. ATCC PTA-122608, improve growth soybean (Glycine max L.) investigates underlying mechanisms. Soybean were 118 days glasshouse growth, root systems analyzed. both bacterial treatment sometimes kaolin substrate increased biomass, production medium-diameter coarse roots, nodulation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum, total biomass production, C/N accumulation. These results indicate that PTA-122608 inoculation can promote nutrition potentially via modification system architecture enhancement soybean-rhizobia symbiosis. Broadly, our work demonstrates economically nutritionally important crops influencing architectural plant-microbe interactions.