The protective effect of Klebsiella on grassland plants under saline soil conditions

Abstract

The inoculation of grassland plants, cultivated under saline conditions, with bacteria of the Klebsiella genus (K. planticola and K. pneumoniae) showed a protective effect of these bacteria. The previously unknown property of Klebsiella pneumoniae to ensure normal plant growth at high sodium chloride levels was identified in this study. Plant inoculation with these bacteria induced optimization of the morphological and physiological properties of grassland plants and increased the number of mitoses in the apical portion of the root, resulting in a less severe decline in mitotic index under saline conditions.

This study also determined the capacity of Klebsiella planticola to penetrate the plant and, hence, facilitate activation of protective mechanisms that enhance the immune status in the plant and improve its resistance to salinity.