RHIZOSPHERE COLONIZATION OF DIFFERENT CROPS WITH GROWTH-PROMOTING PSEUDOMONAS AND RHIZOBIUM-BACTERIA

Selected plant growth promoting Pseudomonas and Rhizobium bacteria colonized after inoculation the rhizosphere of wheat, maize, rape, oil radish, pea, alfalfa, and sugar beet in pot experiments. They were not able to move into the phyllosphere. The rate of migration in non-rooted soil was very small. The survival of inoculated bacteria, especially in deeper soil layers, was favoured be seed inoculation in combination with peat as carrier. Soil types (loamy sand, sandy loam, chernozem) had different effects on the strain specific colonization of the crops. No clear relations could be found between the amount of bacterial colonization and growth stimulation effect.