Stenocereus queretaroensis a source of endophytic plant growth promoting bacteria for cropping Zea mays

Abstract

Healthy growth of Zea mays requires NH4NO3 as nitrogen fertilizer (NF), and its uptake is important to avoid loss of the NF. An alternative solution to enhance the root uptake capacity of Z. mays of NF at a dose to supply Z. mays demand without compromise its health; with beneficial entophytic genera and species of Stenocereus queretaroensis of the type Burkholderia vietnamiensis and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus. The objectives of this research were: a) to select from the interior of roots of Stenocereus queretaroensis: B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus, b) to analyze the growth of Z. mays with B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus and NF at 50%. B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus were recovered from the roots of S. queretaroensis and inoculated on Z. mays seed with NF. Using the response variables: percentage of emergency, phenology and biomass to seedling and flowering, the experimental data were analyzed by ANOVA-Tukey (P ≤ 0.05). The percentage of emergency, phenology, and biomass at seedling and flowering of Z. mays with B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus at 50% of NH4NO3, registered numerical values with statistical difference compared to those obtained in Z. mays without B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus only with NF at 100% or relative control (RC). This supports that B. vietnamiensis and G. diazotrophicus, entophytes of S. queretaroensis, invading the interior of Z. mays roots, converted metabolites related to root physiology into phytohormones that allowed maximum root uptake of NH4NO3 at 50%