Root Colonization by Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 and Impact on the Indigenous Rhizosphere Bacterial Community of Barley

Over the last few decades, the ability of rhizosphere bacteria to promote plant growth has been considered to be of scientific, ecological, and economic interest. The properties and mechanisms of interaction of these root-colonizing bacteria have been extensively investigated, and plant protection agents that are based on these bacterial strains have been developed for agricultural applications. In the present study, the root colonization of barley by Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134, that is contained in the commercially available plant protection agent Proradix®, was examined using the fluorescence in situ hybridization method with oligonucleotide probes and specific gfp-tagging of the inoculant strain in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy. In the first phase of root colonization, the inoculant strain competed successfully with seed and soil-borne bacteria (including Pseudomonads) for the colonization of the rhizoplane. Pseudomonas sp. DSMZ 13134 could be detected in all parts of the roots, although it did not belong to the dominant members of the root-associated bacterial community. Gfp-tagged cells were localized particularly in the root hair zone, and high cell densities were apparent on the root hair surface. To investigate the impact of the application of Proradix® on the structure of the dominant root-associated bacterial community of barley, T-RFLP analyses were performed. Only a transient community effect was found until 3 weeks post-application.