ABSTRACT
Beneficial plant-microbe interactions lead to physiological and biochemical changes that may result in plant-growth promotion. This study evaluated the effect of the interaction between sugarcane and endophytic bacterial strains on plant physiological and biochemical responses under two levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization. Six strains of endophytic bacteria, previously selected as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), were used to inoculate sugarcane mini stalks, with and without N fertilization. After 45 days, biomass production; shoot nutrient concentrations; foliar polyamine and free amino acid profiles; activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthase; and the relative transcript levels of the GS1, GS2, and SHR5 genes in sugarcane leaves were determined. All six endophytic strains promoted sugarcane growth, increasing shoot and root biomass, plant nutritional status, and the use efficiency of most nutrients. The inoculation-induced changes at the biochemical level altered the foliar free amino acid and polyamine profiles, mainly regarding the relative concentrations of citrulline, putrescine, glycine, alanine, glutamate, glutamine, proline, and aspartate. The transcription of GS1, GS2, and SHR5 was higher in the N fertilized seedlings, and almost not altered by endophytic bacterial strains. The endophytic strains promoted sugarcane seedlings growth mainly by improving nutrient efficiency. This improvement could not be explained by their ability to induce the production of amino acid and polyamine composts, or GS1, GS2, and SHR5, showing that complex interactions may be associated with enhancement of the sugarcane seedlings' performance by endophytic bacteria. The strains demonstrated biotechnological potential for sugarcane seedling production.
ABSTRACT
O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a resposta de dois cultivares de café (sensível e tolerante ao alumínio - Al), à inoculação de Gigaspora margarita e Glomus etunicatum, em Latossolo Vermelho do cerrado, com diferentes saturações por bases (30, 45 e 53 %). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, com delineamento inteiramente casualizado e em esquema fatorial 2x3x3, consistindo de 2 cultivares de (tolerante e sensível a Al), 3 tratamentos com micorriza (com inoculação de duas espécies de FMA e sem inoculação) e 3 níveis de saturação por bases do solo (V%), com cinco repetições por tratamento. As variáveis foram: altura da planta, diâmetro do caule, área foliar, massa da matéria seca da parte aérea, massa da matéria fresca de raiz, atividade da redutase do nitrato, teor de clorofila, colonização micorrízica e número de esporos. Os isolados de micorrizas proporcionaram maior crescimento do cafeeiro em solo ácido com alta concentração de Al, porém esta resposta foi verificada para ambos os cultivares quando colonizados por G. margarita. Os cultivares avaliados não mostraram diferenças quanto à tolerância ao Al quando não micorrizados.
The aim of this study was evaluate the response of two coffee cultivars (tolerant and sensitive to aluminum - Al), inoculated or not by two arbuscular mycorriza fungi (AMF), Gigaspora margarita and Glomus etunicatum, in cerrado Oxisol, with different base saturation. This experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions, with a complete randomized design, in a 2x3x2 factorial scheme, consisting of 2 cultivars (tolerante and sensitive to Al), 3 treatments with mycorrhizal (inoculated with two species of AMF and without inoculation) and 3 levels of soil base saturation (30, 45 and 53 V%), with five replicates per treatment. The variables were: plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, nitrate reductase activity, chlorophyll concentration, root colonization and number of AMF spores. Mycorrhizae isolates promoted greater response of coffee plants, in acid soil with high concentration of Al, but this response was observed for both cultivars when plants were colonized by G. margarita. The cultivars evaluated showed no differences in Al tolerance when non inoculated.