Chapter 7
Tropical Endophytic Bacillus Species
Enhance Plant Growth and Nutrient
Uptake in Cereals
Camila Cristina Vieira Velloso, Vitória Palhares Ribeiro,
Chainheny Gomes de Carvalho, Christiane Abreu de Oliveira,
Ubiraci Gomes de Paula Lana, Ivanildo Evódio Marriel,
Sylvia Morais de Sousa, and Eliane Aparecida Gomes
Abstract Several abiotic factors, such as nutrient deficiency and drought, contribute
to reducing agricultural productivity in the world. Plant growth-promoting bacteria
can enhance crop growth and sustainable crop production. Bacillus is the most
common genus within the Firmicutes group and one of the most predominant plants
endophytic bacteria. Once established within the plant, the ability of these endophytes to promote plant growth occurs due to several mechanisms that include the
acquisition of essential mineral nutrients and modulation of phytohormones. Especially in tropical ecosystems, the ability of endophytic microorganisms to colonize
the internal tissues of plants suggests an ecological advantage. The post-genomic era
is allowing the characterization of unknown genes and the identification of genes
expressed during colonization. A better understanding of how beneficial bacteria
colonize different plant niches will lead to more successful and reliable use of bacterial inoculants. The commercialization of bioinoculants is a reality, however, the
exploration of the more efficient use of these nutrients have the potential to increase
the field of the inoculants and create confidence among the farmers for their use.
Keywords Endophytic bacteria · Phytohormones · Abiotic and biotic stresses ·
Inoculant
C. C. V. Velloso · V. P. Ribeiro · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa
Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei (UFSJ), Praça Dom Helvécio 74, São João
del-Rei-MG, MG 36301-160, Brazil
C. G. de Carvalho · C. A. de Oliveira · U. G. de Paula Lana · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa
Centro Universitário de Sete Lagoas (UNIFEMM), Av. Marechal Castelo Branco, Sete Lagoas,
MG 35701-242, Brazil
C. A. de Oliveira · U. G. de Paula Lana · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa · E. A. Gomes (B)
Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Rodovia MG 424—Km 45—Caixa Postal 285, Sete Lagoas, MG
35701-970, Brazil
e-mail: eliane.a.gomes@embrapa.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. K. Maheshwari and S. Dheeman (eds.), Endophytes: Mineral Nutrient
Management, Volume 3, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 26,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65447-4_7
157
Tropical Endophytic Bacillus Species
Enhance Plant Growth and Nutrient
Uptake in Cereals
Camila Cristina Vieira Velloso, Vitória Palhares Ribeiro,
Chainheny Gomes de Carvalho, Christiane Abreu de Oliveira,
Ubiraci Gomes de Paula Lana, Ivanildo Evódio Marriel,
Sylvia Morais de Sousa, and Eliane Aparecida Gomes
Abstract Several abiotic factors, such as nutrient deficiency and drought, contribute
to reducing agricultural productivity in the world. Plant growth-promoting bacteria
can enhance crop growth and sustainable crop production. Bacillus is the most
common genus within the Firmicutes group and one of the most predominant plants
endophytic bacteria. Once established within the plant, the ability of these endophytes to promote plant growth occurs due to several mechanisms that include the
acquisition of essential mineral nutrients and modulation of phytohormones. Especially in tropical ecosystems, the ability of endophytic microorganisms to colonize
the internal tissues of plants suggests an ecological advantage. The post-genomic era
is allowing the characterization of unknown genes and the identification of genes
expressed during colonization. A better understanding of how beneficial bacteria
colonize different plant niches will lead to more successful and reliable use of bacterial inoculants. The commercialization of bioinoculants is a reality, however, the
exploration of the more efficient use of these nutrients have the potential to increase
the field of the inoculants and create confidence among the farmers for their use.
Keywords Endophytic bacteria · Phytohormones · Abiotic and biotic stresses ·
Inoculant
C. C. V. Velloso · V. P. Ribeiro · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa
Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei (UFSJ), Praça Dom Helvécio 74, São João
del-Rei-MG, MG 36301-160, Brazil
C. G. de Carvalho · C. A. de Oliveira · U. G. de Paula Lana · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa
Centro Universitário de Sete Lagoas (UNIFEMM), Av. Marechal Castelo Branco, Sete Lagoas,
MG 35701-242, Brazil
C. A. de Oliveira · U. G. de Paula Lana · I. E. Marriel · S. M. de Sousa · E. A. Gomes (B)
Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Rodovia MG 424—Km 45—Caixa Postal 285, Sete Lagoas, MG
35701-970, Brazil
e-mail: eliane.a.gomes@embrapa.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. K. Maheshwari and S. Dheeman (eds.), Endophytes: Mineral Nutrient
Management, Volume 3, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 26,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65447-4_7
157