Co-inoculation with Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai F promotes the growth of sweet cherry rootstock Gisela 6 under salt stress - Research findings

Sep 30, 2026

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Soil salinization restricts sweet cherry production, yet evidence on whether plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can mitigate salt stress in sweet cherry remains limited. This study evaluated whether co-inoculation with Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai F improves salt tolerance in Gisela 6 seedlings. MIX treatment reduced salt-induced stress, increased plant height and biomass, enhanced photosynthetic performance and gas exchange, boosted soluble sugars, proline, and antioxidant enzyme activities, while lowering ROS-associated O2•- and H2O2 accumulation. Principal component analysis and correlation analyses supported stronger stress alleviation than control.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Soil salinization and salt-stress mechanisms

PGPR as a sustainable strategy

Results and Discussion

Effects of MIX inoculation on growth and stress indicators

Physiological, photosynthetic, and antioxidant responses

Correlations and principal component analysis

Conclusion

Co-inoculation enhances salt resistance and biomass

[www. nature.com/scientificreports](www. nature.com/scientificreports) OPEN Co-inoculation with Pantoeaananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai F promotes the growth of sweet cherry rootstock Gisela 6 under salt stress ZeTao1,2, Guojie Chen1,2, Fangdong Li3, Deguo Lyu1,2, Jiali He1,2􀀍 & Sijun Qin1,2􀀍 Soil salinization, caused by the extensive use of inorganic fertilizers, has restricted the development of the sweet cherry industry. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial bacteria that colonize the area around the roots, playing a crucial role in promoting plant growth, alleviating salt stress, and enhancing crop productivity. However, few studies have investigated whether PGPR can alleviate salt stress in sweet cherry. This study aimed to investigate whether co-inoculation (MIX) of Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai F isolated from the rhizosphere of Zea mays L. could improve salt tolerance in seedlings of the common cherry (Prunus avium) rootstock Gisela 6. The results indicated that MIX inoculation alleviated salt stress and enhanced plant height and biomass. Under 100 mM salt stress, the MIX strain inoculant treatment significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate (14.38%), transpiration rate (22.61%), stomatal conductance (15.63%), total soluble sugar content (18.72%), free proline content (23.79%), superoxide dismutase activity (19.53%), and peroxidase activity (21.96%) but reduced the O2•- (16.99%) and H2O2 contents (17.59%) in Gisela 6 compared to CK without PGPR inoculation. After the MIX treatment, multiple indices showed strong correlations and improved salt stress resistance. In addition, principal component analysis showed that under 100 mM salt concentration, the MIX strain exhibited the largest separation from CK and had the strongest alleviating effect on plant salt stress. These results suggest that co-inoculation with the strains P. ananatis D1-28 and B. aryabhattai F effectively alleviated salt stress, improved plant photosynthetic capacity, and increased plant biomass by regulating antioxidant defense system and osmotic adjustment substances. Keywords Cherry, Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, Salt stress, Reactive oxygen metabolism Soil salinization seriously threatens the sustainable development of horticultural production; however, its intensity and frequency are expected to increase worldwide owing to the extensive use of inorganic fertilizers and worsening conditions caused by climate change1,2. Approximately 20% of the world’s arable land is affected by salt stress, and the saline-alkali land area is expanding year by year3. Salt stress limits plant growth and development by inducing osmotic stress, ionic toxicity, and oxidation stress4,5. High concentrations of salt ions in soil decrease the extracellular osmotic potential, leading to cell water loss6. Subsequently, a large number of salt ions enter the cell, causing an ion homeostasis imbalance and toxic effects in plants7. Finally, a large accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) will destroy cellular components, thus affecting plant morphology and physiological and biochemical reactions8. Researchers have applied various methods to improve the resistance of plants to salt stress, including breeding and cultivation methods9. Among them, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been widely used because they offer a green, environmentally friendly technology with diverse defense mechanisms10–12. Reports 1College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road Shenhe District, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China. 2Key Lab of Fruit Quality Development and Regulation of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China. 3Yantai Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Yantai, People’s Republic of China. 􀀍 email: [hejiali1017@163.com](hejiali1017@163.com); [qsj1975@syau.edu.cn](qsj1975@syau.edu.cn) [www. nature.com/scientificreports/]

FAQs

What was the main objective of the study on sweet cherry rootstock Gisela 6?

To determine whether co-inoculation with Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai F can improve salt tolerance in Gisela 6 seedlings under salt stress.

What growth and physiological improvements did MIX inoculation produce under 100 mM salt stress?

MIX inoculation alleviated salt stress and increased plant height and biomass, along with higher net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and soluble sugar content.

How did MIX inoculation affect reactive oxygen species (ROS) under salt stress?

Compared with the control, MIX reduced O2•- and H2O2 contents while increasing antioxidant defense markers such as superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by Jacob