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Elemental composition of strawberry plants inoculated with the plant growth‐promoting bacterium A zospirillum brasilense REC 3, assessed with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X ‐ray analysis
Author(s) -
GuerreroMolina M. F.,
Lovaisa N. C.,
Salazar S. M.,
DíazRicci J. C.,
Pedraza R. O.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1111/plb.12114
Subject(s) - inoculation , nutrient , biology , bacteria , composition (language) , shoot , horticulture , scanning electron microscope , biomass (ecology) , botany , food science , agronomy , materials science , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , composite material , genetics
The elemental composition of strawberry plants ( F ragaria ananassa cv. M acarena) inoculated with the plant growth‐promoting bacterium A zospirillum brasilense REC 3, and non‐inoculated controls, was studied using scanning electron microscopy ( SEM ) and energy dispersive X ‐ray ( EDS ) analysis. This allowed simultaneous semi‐quantification of different elements in a small, solid sample. Plants were inoculated and grown hydroponically in 50% or 100% H oagland solution, corresponding to limited or optimum nutrient medium, respectively. Bacteria‐inoculated plants increased the growth index 45% and 80% compared to controls when grown in 100% and 50% Hoagland solution, respectively. Thus, inoculation with A . brasilense REC 3 in a nutrient‐limited medium had the strongest effect in terms of increasing both shoot and root biomass and growth index, as already described for A zospirillum inoculated into nutrient‐poor soils. SEM ‐ EDS spectra and maps showed the elemental composition and relative distribution of nutrients in strawberry tissues. Leaves contained C , O , N , N a, P , K , C a and C u, while roots also had S i and C l. The organic fraction ( C , O and N ) accounted for over 96.3% of the total chemical composition; of the mineral fraction, Na had higher accumulation in both leaves and roots. A zospirillum ‐inoculated and control plants had similar elemental quantities; however, in bacteria‐inoculated roots, P was significantly increased (34.33%), which constitutes a major benefit for plant nutrition, while C u content decreased (35.16%).