ACC deaminase-encoding Pseudomonas putida arrests seed germination: an alternative strategy for grass and weed control

• Published in: Plant and soil 2022-11, Vol.480 (1-2), p.391-406
• Main Authors: Zhou, Di, Zhao, Jia-Ling, Wang, Rui, Wang, Hai-Lin, Herrera-Balandrano, Daniela D., Chen, Tang-Min, Lu, Xiao-Feng, Duan, Xu-Chu, Shahriar, Mahdi, Shi, Xin-Chi, Laborda, Pedro, Wang, Su-Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscisic acid; Agriculture; Analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carboxylic acids; Cyclopropane compounds; Ecology; Enzymes; Evaluation; Genetic aspects; Germination; Grasses; Growth; Influence; Life Sciences; Plant bacterial diseases; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Properties; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas putida; Research Article; Rice; Seed germination; Seeds; Signal transduction; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Weed control; Weeds
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-022-05587-y

Background and aims A recent report indicated that 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-encoding Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibited Arabidopsis germination. The aim of this study was to understand the role of ACC deaminase in germination arrest and evaluate the potential of ACC deaminase-encoding rhizobacteria for grass and weed control. Methods The effect of ACC deaminase-encoding Pseudomonas putida KT2440 (1 × 10 7 to 5 × 10 9 cells/mL) on ‘Nipponbare’ rice germination was evaluated. In addition, the ability of KT2440 to arrest grass and weed germination was assessed in vitro and in plant-soil system. Results KT2440 inhibited rice germination at high concentrations (> 1 × 10 8 cells/mL). The synthesis of the hormone ethylene was downregulated in rice seeds, whereas genes involved in the abscisic acid signaling pathway were upregulated. The mutant KT2440 formed by deleting the ACC deaminase gene had no inhibitory effect. KT2440 also inhibited the germination of crabgrass, quackgrass and Striga asiatica , among other plants studied. Crabgrass germination was reduced by 43% when KT2440 was applied in plant-soil system. Conclusions This study provides new insights regarding the role of ACC deaminase on rhizobacteria-seed interactions. Additionally, this study reveals a new strategy for grass and weed control that may be used in particular cases.