UC Berkeley

Plant endophytic bacteria live inside host plants, can be isolated from surface-sterilized plant tissues, and are non-pathogenic. These bacteria can assist host plants in obtaining more nutrients and can improve plant growth via multiple mechanisms. Certain Gram-negative Burkholderia species, including rhizobacteria, bioremediators, and biocontrol strains, have been recognized for their plant-growth-promoting abilities, while other isolates have been identified as opportunistic plant or human pathogens. In this study, we observed the auxin production, siderophore synthesis, and phosphate solubilization abilities of B. seminalis strain 869T2. Our results demonstrated that strain 869T2 promoted growth in Arabidopsis, ching chiang pak choi, pak choi, loose-leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and Chinese amaranth. Leafy vegetables inoculated with strain 869T2 were larger, heavier, and had more and larger leaves and longer and heavier roots than mock-inoculated plants. Furthermore, inoculations of strain 869T2 into hot pepper caused increased flower and fruit production, and a higher percentage of fruits turned red. Inoculation of strain 869T2 into okra plants resulted in earlier flowering and increased fruit weight. In conclusion, the plant endophytic bacterium Burkholderia seminalis 869T2 exerted positive effects on growth and production in several plant species.