Enhancement of Chilling Resistance of Inoculated Grapevine Plantlets with a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium, Burkholderia phytofirmans Strain PsJN

In vitro inoculation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chardonnay explants with a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Burkholderia phytofirmans strain PsJN, increased grapevine growth and physiological activity at a low temperature. There was a relationship between endophytic bacterial colonization of the grapevine plantlets and their growth at both ambient (26°C) and low (4°C) temperatures and their sensitivities to chilling. The major benefits of bacterization were observed on root growth (11.8- and 10.7-fold increases at 26°C and 4°C, respectively) and plantlet biomass (6- and 2.2-fold increases at 26°C and 4°C, respectively). The inoculation with PsJN also significantly improved plantlet cold tolerance compared to that of the nonbacterized control. In nonchilled plantlets, bacterization enhanced CO₂ fixation and O₂ evolution 1.3 and 2.2 times, respectively. The nonbacterized controls were more sensitive to exposure to low temperatures than were the bacterized plantlets, as indicated by several measured parameters. Moreover, relative to the noninoculated controls, bacterized plantlets had significantly increased levels of starch, proline, and phenolics. These increases correlated with the enhancement of cold tolerance of the grapevine plantlets. In summary, B. phytofirmans strain PsJN inoculation stimulates grapevine growth and improves its ability to withstand cold stress.