Endophytic Bacillus subtilis ED24 from Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf. roots enhances wheat performance and shapes rhizosphere microbiota.
Oulkhir FE, Biskri L, Bargaz A, Errafii K, Allaoui A
Soil Health
The scraggly desert shrubs that outlast everything else in arid landscapes aren't just surviving — they're sheltering bacterial partners in their roots that could help home vegetable gardens build the kind of disease-suppressive, nutrient-cycling soil it normally takes years of careful composting to achieve.
Scientists collected bacteria living inside the roots of a spiny desert shrub native to Morocco, then tested whether those bacteria could help wheat grow better. Wheat seeds treated with the bacteria sprouted more reliably, grew taller plants with bigger leaves, and produced more grain — all without adding extra fertilizer. As a bonus, the treated soil ended up with more helpful microorganisms and fewer of the harmful fungi that can devastate crops.
Key Findings
Wheat germination improved from 83% to 96% with bacterial inoculation, and shoot height increased 17% (52.76 cm vs. 44.98 cm) while leaf area jumped 50% (46.2 vs. 30.82 cm²).
Inoculated plants showed 67% higher shoot potassium uptake (106.6 vs. 63.92 mg/pot) and modest gains in grain protein (19.50% vs. 18.39%) and crude fiber content.
Bacterial inoculation enriched beneficial rhizosphere organisms including Rhizobium and Streptomyces while measurably reducing populations of pathogenic Fusarium fungi in the soil.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Bacteria isolated from the roots of a drought-hardy Moroccan desert shrub (Ziziphus lotus, a wild jujube) significantly improved wheat germination, plant size, and grain yield in greenhouse trials, while also enriching beneficial soil microbes and suppressing fungal pathogens like Fusarium.
Abstract Preview
Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf. is a resilient shrub native to Morocco's arid and semi-arid regions. This study aimed to isolate and characterize plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) from the root endo...
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