Interactions between halotolerant nitrogen-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under saline stress

• Published in: Frontiers in microbiology 2024-03, Vol.15, p.1288865-1288865
• Main Authors: Ji, Chao, Ge, Yuhan, Zhang, Hua, Zhang, Yingxiang, Xin, Zhiwen, Li, Jian, Zheng, Jinghe, Liang, Zengwen, Cao, Hui, Li, Kun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; halotolerant nitrogen-fixing bacteria; Microbiology; nitrogen fertilization; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; salt stress
• ISSN: 1664-302X; 1664-302X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1288865

Soil salinity negatively affects crop development. Halotolerant nitrogen-fixing bacteria (HNFB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are essential microorganisms that enhance crop nutrient availability and salt tolerance in saline soils. Studying the impact of HNFB on AMF communities and using HNFB in biofertilizers can help in selecting the optimal HNFB-AMF combinations to improve crop productivity in saline soils. We established three experimental groups comprising apple plants treated with low-nitrogen (0 mg N/kg, N0), normal-nitrogen (200 mg N/kg, N1), and high-nitrogen (300 mg N/kg, N2) fertilizer under salt stress without bacteria (CK, with the addition of 1,500 mL sterile water +2 g sterile diatomite), or with bacteria [BIO, with the addition of 1,500 mL sterile water +2 g mixed bacterial preparation (including HG-15 and JC-K3)]. HNFB inoculation significantly increased microbial biomass and the relative abundance of beta-glucosidase-related genes in the rhizosphere soil under identical nitrogen application levels (