Mining Microbial Niches: Sources of Bacteria for Enhancing Plant Growth and Resilience to pH, Salinity, Drought and Phytophthora infestans
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Type
article
Volume
17
Issue
5
Abstract
Enhancing plant resilience is crucial for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem health in an era of climate change and the global
spread of plant pathogens. The strategic exploitation of diverse ecological niches to isolate microorganisms that promote plant
growth, suppress pathogens and tolerate abiotic stress conditions is paramount. Here, 21 bacterial strains were isolated from
three distinct sources: digestate produced from straw feedstock, Quercus ilex roots mycorrhised with Tuber aestivum, and a
peperino stone fountain. These isolates were assigned to eight genera, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Burkholderia,
Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Exiguobacterium and Sphingobacterium, all linked to plant growth promotion, stress mitigation and
pathogen control. Tests for plant- growth- promoting and biocontrol activities included indole acetic acid, siderophores, hydrogen
cyanide, cellulase and chitinase and phosphate/potassium solubilisation. Efficacy against Phytophthora infestans and tolerance
to salinity, pH and drought were also assessed. Functional patterns varied by isolation source, suggesting niche- specific ad-
aptation. Although all isolates displayed metabolic versatility, peperino stone strains exhibited higher tolerance to acidity and
drought, while isolates from straw digestate and mycorrhizal roots tolerated alkalinity. Most isolates are promising for P. infes-
tans control. These findings highlight the importance of targeted microbial sourcing in developing effective biofertilisers and
biopesticides, offering sustainable solutions to agricultural and environmental challenges.
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