Inoculation of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 Reduces Stomatal Conductance in Salt Stressed Tomato
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Increasing the quality of produce, such as tomatoes, without compromising yield is a top priority given today’s increased customer awareness for quality fruit. Hydroponic production achieves high yield but often at the cost of quality of the commodity. This project aimed to determine the potential benefits of foliar and root inoculations of the plant growth promoting bacteria Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 on tomato plants grown in a semi-hydroponic setting under high electrical conductivity conditions. Tomatoes were planted in April 2023 and inoculated upon transfer of the seedlings to their final pots. Treatments included a control with no inoculant, a foliar inoculant spray, a root inoculation via chitosan-immobilized bacteria, and a combination foliar and root inoculation. Measurements were taken twice weekly using PhotosynQ MultispeQ 2.0 and a LI-COR LI-600 porometer/fluorometer. Preliminary results indicate that M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculation significantly reduces stomatal conductance in tomato plants. This reduction in stomatal conductance is strongest in foliar and combination treatments but is present and significant across all treatments. Results for fluorescence parameters were varied between the devices. Photosystem 2 quantum efficiency in light (PhiPS2) was not significantly different based on Li-600 measurements, but was significantly lower in the foliar treatment, and significantly higher in the combination treatment based on MultispeQ measurements. From our preliminary data, we can conclude that foliar application of M. oryzae CBMB20 affects stomatal conductance in tomato plants, potentially due to hormonal signaling at the leaf level, and that more data and further analyses are required to elucidate fluorescence parameters.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Mario Bretfeld
Inoculation of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 Reduces Stomatal Conductance in Salt Stressed Tomato
Increasing the quality of produce, such as tomatoes, without compromising yield is a top priority given today’s increased customer awareness for quality fruit. Hydroponic production achieves high yield but often at the cost of quality of the commodity. This project aimed to determine the potential benefits of foliar and root inoculations of the plant growth promoting bacteria Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 on tomato plants grown in a semi-hydroponic setting under high electrical conductivity conditions. Tomatoes were planted in April 2023 and inoculated upon transfer of the seedlings to their final pots. Treatments included a control with no inoculant, a foliar inoculant spray, a root inoculation via chitosan-immobilized bacteria, and a combination foliar and root inoculation. Measurements were taken twice weekly using PhotosynQ MultispeQ 2.0 and a LI-COR LI-600 porometer/fluorometer. Preliminary results indicate that M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculation significantly reduces stomatal conductance in tomato plants. This reduction in stomatal conductance is strongest in foliar and combination treatments but is present and significant across all treatments. Results for fluorescence parameters were varied between the devices. Photosystem 2 quantum efficiency in light (PhiPS2) was not significantly different based on Li-600 measurements, but was significantly lower in the foliar treatment, and significantly higher in the combination treatment based on MultispeQ measurements. From our preliminary data, we can conclude that foliar application of M. oryzae CBMB20 affects stomatal conductance in tomato plants, potentially due to hormonal signaling at the leaf level, and that more data and further analyses are required to elucidate fluorescence parameters.