Potentialities of Wheat-Associated Bacterial Diversity as Growth Promoter of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Context: Some microorganisms stimulate plant growth. Accordingly, this study focused on wheat-associated bacterial diversity to select promising strains for farming. Aim: To select promising strains that stimulate wheat growth, with a wheat-associated bacterial diversity. Methods: The bacteria from the rhizosphere and interior of wheat plants were isolated (cultivars Cuba C 204 and I 399). Its nitrogen fixing potential was characterized in vitro, along with the microorganisms’ capacity to solubilize nutrients and antagonistic activity against Fusarium sp and Curvularia lunata. The strains were introduced in wheat seeds under semi-controlled conditions, and their effect on growth indicators were evaluated. Results: Several microorganisms were isolated, such as four strains classified as Bacillus, four Azotobacter, and two of them as Azospirillum, depending on their morphology. All the microorganisms were capable of fixing the nitrogen from the atmosphere. Except for one strain, they solubilized nutrients, and showed antagonistic activity against F. graminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. oxysporum, and C. lunata. Its inoculation in wheat demonstrated the feasibility of using bacterial diversity associated with the plant species to stimulate 21-day-old plantlet growth from cultivars Cuba C 204 and I 399. Conclusions: There is a microbial diversity associated with the wheat plants with a potential to stimulate in vitro and in vivo growth. Some of these microorganisms have promising features to obtain a new product for cropping, which can increase yields in the Cuban conditions