Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation

An alkaline pH in soils reduces Fe availability, limiting Fe uptake, compromising plant growth, and showing chlorosis due to a decrease in chlorophyll content. To achieve proper Fe homeostasis, dicotyledonous plants activate a battery of strategies involving not only Fe absorption mechanisms, but al...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Belén Montero-Palmero, Jose A. Lucas, Blanca Montalbán, Ana García-Villaraco, Javier Gutierrez-Mañero, Beatriz Ramos-Solano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3585
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850238376314142720
author Belén Montero-Palmero
Jose A. Lucas
Blanca Montalbán
Ana García-Villaraco
Javier Gutierrez-Mañero
Beatriz Ramos-Solano
author_facet Belén Montero-Palmero
Jose A. Lucas
Blanca Montalbán
Ana García-Villaraco
Javier Gutierrez-Mañero
Beatriz Ramos-Solano
author_sort Belén Montero-Palmero
collection DOAJ
description An alkaline pH in soils reduces Fe availability, limiting Fe uptake, compromising plant growth, and showing chlorosis due to a decrease in chlorophyll content. To achieve proper Fe homeostasis, dicotyledonous plants activate a battery of strategies involving not only Fe absorption mechanisms, but also releasing phyto-siderophores and recruiting siderophore-producing bacterial strains. A screening for siderophore-producing bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere of <i>Pinus pinea</i> was carried out, resulting in two <i>Pseudomonas</i> strains, Z8.8 and Z10.4, with an outstanding in vitro potential to solubilize Fe, Mn, and Co. The delivery of each strain to 4-week-old iron-starved tomatoes reverted chlorosis, consistent with enhanced Fe contents up to 40%. Photosynthesis performance was improved, revealing different strategies. While Z8.8 increased energy absorption together with enhanced chlorophyll “a” content, followed by enhanced energy dissipation, Z10.4 lowered pigment contents, indicating a better use of absorbed energy, leading to a better survival rate. The systemic reprogramming induced by both strains reveals a lower expression of Fe uptake-related genes, suggesting that both strains have activated plant metabolism to accelerate Fe absorption faster than controls, consistent with increased Fe content in leaves (47% by Z8.8 and 42% by Z10.4), with the difference probably due to the ability of Z8.8 to produce auxins affecting root structure. In view of these results, both strains are effective candidates to develop biofertilizers.
format Article
id doaj-art-3dc2f8b2570845fd86feeba7a3de7dd6
institution OA Journals
issn 2223-7747
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Plants
spelling doaj-art-3dc2f8b2570845fd86feeba7a3de7dd62025-08-20T02:01:28ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-12-011324358510.3390/plants13243585Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene ActivationBelén Montero-Palmero0Jose A. Lucas1Blanca Montalbán2Ana García-Villaraco3Javier Gutierrez-Mañero4Beatriz Ramos-Solano5Plant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainPlant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainPlant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainPlant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainPlant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainPlant Physiology, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, San Pablo—CEU Universities, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, SpainAn alkaline pH in soils reduces Fe availability, limiting Fe uptake, compromising plant growth, and showing chlorosis due to a decrease in chlorophyll content. To achieve proper Fe homeostasis, dicotyledonous plants activate a battery of strategies involving not only Fe absorption mechanisms, but also releasing phyto-siderophores and recruiting siderophore-producing bacterial strains. A screening for siderophore-producing bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere of <i>Pinus pinea</i> was carried out, resulting in two <i>Pseudomonas</i> strains, Z8.8 and Z10.4, with an outstanding in vitro potential to solubilize Fe, Mn, and Co. The delivery of each strain to 4-week-old iron-starved tomatoes reverted chlorosis, consistent with enhanced Fe contents up to 40%. Photosynthesis performance was improved, revealing different strategies. While Z8.8 increased energy absorption together with enhanced chlorophyll “a” content, followed by enhanced energy dissipation, Z10.4 lowered pigment contents, indicating a better use of absorbed energy, leading to a better survival rate. The systemic reprogramming induced by both strains reveals a lower expression of Fe uptake-related genes, suggesting that both strains have activated plant metabolism to accelerate Fe absorption faster than controls, consistent with increased Fe content in leaves (47% by Z8.8 and 42% by Z10.4), with the difference probably due to the ability of Z8.8 to produce auxins affecting root structure. In view of these results, both strains are effective candidates to develop biofertilizers.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3585chlorosis reversioniron nutritionphotosynthesisPlant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB)<i>Pseudomonas</i>siderophores
spellingShingle Belén Montero-Palmero
Jose A. Lucas
Blanca Montalbán
Ana García-Villaraco
Javier Gutierrez-Mañero
Beatriz Ramos-Solano
Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
Plants
chlorosis reversion
iron nutrition
photosynthesis
Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB)
<i>Pseudomonas</i>
siderophores
title Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
title_full Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
title_fullStr Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
title_full_unstemmed Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
title_short Iron Deficiency in Tomatoes Reversed by <i>Pseudomonas</i> Strains: A Synergistic Role of Siderophores and Plant Gene Activation
title_sort iron deficiency in tomatoes reversed by i pseudomonas i strains a synergistic role of siderophores and plant gene activation
topic chlorosis reversion
iron nutrition
photosynthesis
Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB)
<i>Pseudomonas</i>
siderophores
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3585
work_keys_str_mv AT belenmonteropalmero irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation
AT josealucas irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation
AT blancamontalban irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation
AT anagarciavillaraco irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation
AT javiergutierrezmanero irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation
AT beatrizramossolano irondeficiencyintomatoesreversedbyipseudomonasistrainsasynergisticroleofsiderophoresandplantgeneactivation