Biofertilizer with Bacillus pumilus TUAT1 Spores Improves Growth, Productivity, and Lodging Resistance in Forage Rice

Abstract

Bacillus pumilus strain TUAT1 is a plant growth-promoting bacterium (PGPB) applied as a biofertilizer, containing its spores, for rice. In this study, we analyzed the short-term effects of biofertilization on plant growth in the nursery and long-term effects on plant vegetative growth, yield, and lodging resistance in paddy fields using animal feed rice (‘Fukuhibiki’ and line LTAT-29 which was recently officially registered as a cultivar ‘Monster Nokodai 1′) and fodder rice (line TAT-26). The effects of the biofertilization were analyzed under two nitrogen treatments and at two transplanting distances in the field. The application of 107 colony forming units (CFU) mL−1 bacterial spore solution to seeds on plant box significantly improved the initial growth of rice. The biofertilizer treatment with this strain at 107 CFU g−1 onto seeds in nursery boxes increased the nitrogen uptake at the early growth of rice in the field, resulting in higher growth at the late vegetative growth stage (e.g., tiller number and plant height). Furthermore, the improvement of growth led to increases of not only yield components such as the total panicle number (TPN) and the number of spikelets in a panicle (NSP) in LTAT-29 but also the straw yield and quality of TAT-26. The lodging resistances of these forage rice plants were also improved due to the increased root development and photosynthesis creating tougher culms.

Involvement of Peptidoglycan Receptor Proteins in Mediating the Growth-Promoting Effects of Bacillus pumilus TUAT1 in Arabidopsis thaliana

“…2019 , Agake et al. 2021 , 2022a , 2022b ), we focused on roots. A significant increase in root dry weight by B. pumilus TUAT1 inoculation was observed in WT, lym1-2 and cerk1-2 plants, whereas lym3-2 mutant plants showed no increase in root weight ( Fig.…”

“…2018 , 2019 , 2020 , Agake et al. 2021 , 2022a , 2022b , Hasibuan et al. 2021 ) and Arabidopsis ( Borjigin et al.…”

Use of systemic biofertilizers in sugarcane results in highly reproducible increments in yield and quality of harvests

“…Some biofertilizers seem to stimulate tillering in grasses. For example, Agake et al [ 45 ] found an increased tillering rate in two of three varieties of rice inoculated with Bacillus pumilus (approximately 15–30%). In addition to the increased tiller number, these authors were able to detect a statistically higher plant height in biofertilized plants than in control plants.…”

From Lab to Field: Biofertilizers in the 21st Century

“…The complex interactions in nature can mask the effects of biofertilizers, making it difficult to reproduce at field the positive results observed in laboratory [15,178,179]. Along the same lines, the selectivity of the microorganisms towards certain crops may result in different responses to biofertilizer inoculation, with certain plant species showing a higher growth-promoting effect than others [22,178], which highlights the potential of "tailored fertilizers", previously reported.…”

“…Considering that the effectiveness of biofertilizers can be influenced by several factors (e.g., type and concentration of microorganisms, method of application, crop, or environmental conditions) [3,4], it is common for a microbial strain that exhibits good performance in vitro to perform poorly in field trials [177]. The complex interactions in nature can mask the effects of biofertilizers, making it difficult to reproduce at field the positive results observed in laboratory [15,178,179]. Along the same lines, the selectivity of the microorganisms towards certain crops may result in different responses to biofertilizer inoculation, with certain plant species showing a higher growth-promoting effect than others [22,178], which highlights the potential of "tailored fertilizers", previously reported.…”