The Multiple Activities and the Plant Beneficial Potential of Bacillus spp. Derived from the Permafrost of Western Siberia

Olga V Domanskaya,Alexey S Vasilchenko,Aleksandr V Iashnikov,Nina A Bome,Anastasia V Vasilchenko

doi:10.3390/agronomy11112347

Olga V Domanskaya, Alexey S Vasilchenko + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112347

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Abstract

Agents of biological control are an important part of traditional agriculture, as well as organic farming. However, in the climatic conditions of countries that are located in cold and temperate regions, plant protection requires particular biocontrol agents that have adapted to environments with low and unstable temperatures. This work presents the biocontrol potential and plant-promoting activity of Bacillus spp. that was isolated from permafrost sediments in Western Siberia. It was found that all of the studied strains (n = 10) were able to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and chitinolytic enzymes at low positive temperatures (5 °C). The antifungal activity of cold-tolerant bacilli against Microdochium sp., Fusarium spp., and Alternaria sp was recorded. In greenhouse and field conditions, the selected strains (B. simplex 948P-1 (IAA-producing) and B. megaterium 312 (with antifungal activity)) were assessed in comparison to a commercially available fungicide (tebuconazole) and biofungicide (B.subtilis 26D). It was found that the bacilli in the seed germination assay exhibited low phytotoxicity and there was no significant advantage over the conventional fungicides in the yield stimulation assay. However, the twin consortia of B. megaterium 312 and B. simplex 948P-1 was able to increase winter wheat yields by 50% (compared to the untreated group), and by 70% (compared to the commercial biofungicide-treated group). Moreover, applying the twin consortia of Bacillus spp. significantly reduced the infection rate of Fusarium spp. in first-generation wheat grain.

Highlights

The bioclimatic potential of different northern regions is not homogeneous and is considered less favorable for the cultivation of various crops
When cultured at 5 ◦C, antifungal activity was shown in both B. megaterium 312 and B. cereus 875, while at the higher temperature, only B. cereus 875 inhibited fungal growth (Table 1)
To our knowledge, there is no report that focuses on the plant growth-promoting activity or plant protection ability of permafrost-derived bacteria

Summary

Introduction

The bioclimatic potential of different northern regions is not homogeneous and is considered less favorable for the cultivation of various crops. In the European Union (EU), the regional cropland areas typically comprise 0 to 25 percent of the total land area [1,2]. It is possible to highlight some of the features of crop production in cold regions. The growth and productivity of many economically important plant species are sensitive to the temperature conditions. A periodic decrease in temperatures to the nonfreezing level (0–15 ◦C) causes chilling stress in plants [3]. The general symptoms that occur in response to chilling injuries in horticultural plants are surface lesions, discoloration due to loss of chlorophyll, plant death, and accelerated senescence [4]

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