Microbial allies against drought stress: an optimized screening method to improve seedling survival for forest restorations.
Magosch S, Barrera C, Bölz A, Pritsch K, Rothballer M
Climate Adaptation
As droughts become more frequent, the microbes living in forest soil could be a natural, low-cost tool for helping trees survive — which means healthier forests, cleaner air, and more resilient parks and green spaces for everyone.
Scientists collected tiny microbes — bacteria and fungi — from the roots of trees in drought-prone forests in Germany. They tested over a thousand of these microbes to find ones that help young trees grow better or survive without much water. They found a handful of bacteria that gave seedlings a real boost, and some fungi that were remarkably tough under dry conditions — all of which could one day be used like a probiotic treatment for trees planted in restoration projects.
Key Findings
1,292 bacteria and 59 fungi were isolated from Norway spruce and European beech roots; the most common bacteria genus was Paraburkholderia (121 isolates).
6 bacterial strains significantly promoted seedling growth under normal watering, while 2 strains improved survival and root length specifically under drought stress.
A new 24-well plate lab system was developed to efficiently screen microbe-seedling interactions under drought, enabling larger-scale testing than previously possible.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers identified beneficial soil microbes from drought-stressed German forests that help tree seedlings survive dry conditions, developing a practical lab screening method to find the best candidates for forest restoration projects.
Abstract Preview
Improving drought tolerance of tree seedlings by plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) is a promising approach for nature-based forest restoration. Identifying suitable microorganisms requi...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Street trees cut heat deaths by 39 percent in European cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Picea abies, the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.