AUTHOR=Luo Yang , Wang Fang , Huang Yaolong , Zhou Meng , Gao Jiangli , Yan Taozhe , Sheng Hongmei , An Lizhe 

TITLE=Sphingomonas sp. Cra20 Increases Plant Growth Rate and Alters Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure of Arabidopsis thaliana Under Drought Stress

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01221

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2019.01221

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The rhizosphere is colonized by a mass of microbes, including bacteria capable of promoting plant growth that carry out complex interactions. Here, by using a sterile experimental system, we demonstrate that <italic>Sphingomonas</italic> sp. Cra20 promotes the growth of <italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</italic> by driving developmental plasticity in the roots, thus stimulating the growth of lateral roots and root hairs. By investigating the growth dynamics of <italic>A. thaliana</italic> in soil with different water-content, we demonstrate that Cra20 increases the growth rate of plants, but does not change the time of reproductive transition under well-water condition. The results further show that the application of Cra20 changes the rhizosphere indigenous bacterial community, which may be due to the change in root structure. Our findings provide new insights into the complex mechanisms of plant and bacterial interactions. The ability to promote the growth of plants under water-deficit can contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture.</p>