Response of barley to root colonization by Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions

Abstract

Beneficial rhizobacteria strains are of substantial interest as biological plant protection agents in agriculture. Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas have been studied for many years for their role in plant growth and biocontrol. In this study, we analyzed the influence of the commercially available agent Proradix®, which contains the strain Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134, on barley. In controlled infection experiments, we showed that Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 induces resistance to the barley leaf pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis and inhibits the growth of the barley root pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis. In greenhouse experiments, Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134-treated plants showed enhanced growth and yield under nutrient deprivation. In field trials, an increase of yield and straw weight was observed. While the quality of grains, as determined by starch and protein content, was not affected, the yield increased by up to 20%. Our results demonstrate the value of Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 in agronomical applications for barley.

Keywords:

• Proradix®
• plant growth promotion
• induced systemic resistance
• biocontrol
• field trials

Acknowledgements

We thank Georg Gerl for his extraordinary help and insightful advice in performing the field experiments and Dr. Günther Schweizer (LfL Bayern) for the Rhynchosporium secalis infections. Furthermore, we are grateful to Sourcon-Padena GmbH & Co. KG (Dr. Wolfgang Vogt, Karin Mai) for providing Proradix® and for performing the inoculation of the seeds by vacuum infiltration.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

A. Fröhlich^†

†These authors contributed equally to this study

K. Buddrus-Schiemann^†

†These authors contributed equally to this study