Impact of Plant Ecotype on Bacillus-Mediated Growth Promotion

This study explored the impact of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens UCMB5113 on the growth of various Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes and mutants, focusing on root architecture. The treatment significantly increased root hair growth in half of the tested accessions, either by increasing the number or length of root hairs. Notably, the root hair-deficient mutant N2259 developed root hairs after treatment, suggesting a potential restoration of calcium ion influx. The study also found that different A. thaliana root exudates affected Bacillus growth differently, with some accessions promoting higher bacterial growth than others. Additionally, the interaction between plant accessions and Bacillus was influenced by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the growth substrate, with Can-0 showing increased root growth and Mt-0 showing repression when exposed to VOCs from Bacillus. These findings highlighted the potential for using specific plant-bacteria interactions to enhance agricultural practices.