Welcome to Acta Prataculturae Sinica ! Today is Share:

Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2024, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (3): 174-185.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2023151

Previous Articles    

Screening and identification of two strains of nitrogen-fixing bacteria from the silage maize rhizosphere and their roles in plant growth promotion

Chao-nan MENG1(), Yu-jie ZHAO1(), Jia-xin CHEN1, Yi-lu ZHANG1, Yan-jia WANG1, Li-rong FENG2, Yu-gang SUN1, Chang-hong GUO1()   

  1. 1.Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Cellular Genetics and Genetic Breeding,College of Life Science and Technology,Harbin Normal University,Harbin 150000,China
    2.Heilongjiang Guohong Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Co. ,Ltd. ,Harbin 150028,China
  • Received:2023-05-08 Revised:2023-06-28 Online:2024-03-20 Published:2023-12-27
  • Contact: Chang-hong GUO

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to screen for high-quality nitrogen-fixing bacteria and evaluate their growth-promoting effects on silage maize (Zea mays). The dilution spread plate method with Ashby solid medium was used to screen and screen ten strains of nitrogen-fixing bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of silage maize. The nitrogen-fixation capabilities of the strains were analyzed. The results indicated that cultures of ZL-2 and ZL-13 exhibited strong nitrogen-fixing abilities (1.07 and 0.95 μg·mL-1, respectively). On the basis of their morphological characteristics, 16S rDNA sequence, and physiological and biochemical characteristics, ZL-2 was identified as Enterobacter cancerogenus, and ZL-13 was identified as Pantoea agglomerans. The growth-promoting characteristics of these two strains were analyzed, and both bacteria were found to secrete ammonium and siderophores, solubilize phosphate, and synthesize indole-3-acetic acid. In a pot experiment, compared with uninoculated silage maize plants, those inoculated with the nitrogen-fixing strains ZL-2 and ZL-13 showed significantly increased plant height, root length, aboveground and underground dry weights, and fresh weight (P<0.05). In a field experiment, compared with uninoculated silage maize plants, those inoculated with one or both of the nitrogen-fixing strains showed significantly increased plant height, stem diameter, yield, crude protein content, and total phosphorus content (P<0.05). Silage maize plants inoculated with these two nitrogen-fixing strains showed significantly increased expression levels of genes related to nitrogen metabolism and ammonia assimilation (ZmAMT-4ZmAMTBZmGOGAT2, and ZmGS1-3) (P<0.05). Therefore, these two nitrogen-fixing bacterial strains have favorable growth-promoting characteristics. Given their important role in enhancing the yield and quality of silage maize, they are valuable resources for the development of microbial agents.

Key words: silage maize, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, ammonium-secreting, growth-promoting function, gene expression