Revegetation of a lakeside barren area by the application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

The growth stimulation of wild plants by several bacterial species showing plant growth-promoting capabilities was examined in a barren lakeside area at Lake Paro, Korea. Microbial numbers and activities in the field soil were monitored for 73 days after inoculation of the bacteria. The acridine orange direct counts for the total soil bacterial populations ranged between 2.0-2.3x10(9) cells/g soil and 1.4-1.8x10(9) cells/g soil in the inoculated and uninoculated soils, respectively. The numbers of Pseudomonas spp., which is known as a typical plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and the total microbial activity were higher in the inoculated soil compared to those in the uninoculated soil. The average shoot and root lengths of the wild plants grown in the inoculated soil were 17.3 cm and 12.4 cm, respectively, and longer than those of 11.4 cm and 8.5 cm in the uninoculated soil. The total dry weight of the harvested wild plants was also higher in the inoculated soil (42.0 g) compared to the uninoculated soil (35.1 g). The plant growth-promoting capabilities of the inoculated bacteria may be used for the rapid revegetation of barren or disturbed land, and as biofertilizer in agriculture.