- 1a
Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural
Landscape Research (ZALF) , Eberswalder Str 84, 15374 Müncheberg , Germany.
- 2b
Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Chinese
Academy of Science, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese
Academy of Sciences , Urumqi 830011 , P. R China.
- 3c Department of Plant Production , Faculty of Food & Agricultural Sciences , Riyadh 11451 , Saudi Arabia.
- 4d Department of Environmental Sciences , P.O. Box 65, Viikinkaari 2a, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki , Finland.
Abstract
Liquorice
(Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) is one of the most widely used plants in
food production, and it can also be used as an herbal
medicine or for reclamation of salt-affected soils. Under salt stress,
inhibition of plant growth, nutrient acquisition and symbiotic
interactions between the medicinal legume liquorice and rhizobia have
been observed. We recently evaluated the interactions between rhizobia
and root-colonizing Pseudomonas in liquorice grown in potting soil and
observed increased plant biomass, nodule numbers and nitrogen content
after combined inoculation compared to plants inoculated with
Mesorhizobium alone. Several beneficial effects of microbes on plants
have been reported; studies examining the interactions between symbiotic
bacteria and root-colonizing Pseudomonas strains under natural saline
soil conditions are important, especially in areas where a hindrance of
nutrients and niches in the rhizosphere are high. Here, we summarize our
recent observations regarding the combined application of rhizobia and
Pseudomonas on the growth and nutrient uptake of liquorice as well as
the salt stress tolerance mechanisms of liquorice by a mutualistic
interaction with microbes. Our observations indicate that microbes
living in the rhizosphere of liquorice can form a mutualistic
association and coordinate their involvement in plant adaptations to
stress tolerance. These results support the development of combined
inoculants for improving plant growth and the symbiotic performance of
legumes under hostile conditions.
