Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings

Abstract This study investigated the effects of fungal (Penicillium chrysogenum, Thielavia basicola, Curvularia hawaiiensis) and bacterial (Sphingomonas aquatilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Micromonospora echinaurantiaca, Kocuria rhizophila) endophytes on the growth and ph...

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Main Authors: Soheila Aghaei Dargiri, Davood Samsampour
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06107-7
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author Soheila Aghaei Dargiri
Davood Samsampour
author_facet Soheila Aghaei Dargiri
Davood Samsampour
author_sort Soheila Aghaei Dargiri
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study investigated the effects of fungal (Penicillium chrysogenum, Thielavia basicola, Curvularia hawaiiensis) and bacterial (Sphingomonas aquatilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Micromonospora echinaurantiaca, Kocuria rhizophila) endophytes on the growth and physiological traits of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under greenhouse conditions. Both individual and combined endophyte treatments significantly enhanced key growth parameters, including stem weight, height, and dry weight, with notable synergies observed in fungal-bacterial combinations such as P. chrysogenum + E. aurantiacum and S. aquatilis + M. echinaurantiaca. These combinations also optimised photosynthetic activity, increasing chlorophyll content, carotenoids, and photosystem II efficiency, improving plant vitality. Additionally, these endophytes stimulated a marked increase in carotenoid levels, with fungal-bacterial combinations leading to substantial improvements in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, inoculation with these endophytes promoted higher phenolic and proline content, with distinct combinations showing remarkable effects on carbohydrate accumulation. The findings underscore the synergistic potential of fungal-bacterial endophyte interactions in enhancing plant resilience, offering promising strategies for improving crop productivity and sustainability in agriculture.
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spelling doaj-art-bf2184896b4a46f092cad4e812e9c7ca2025-08-20T02:59:35ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-02-0125111410.1186/s12870-025-06107-7Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlingsSoheila Aghaei Dargiri0Davood Samsampour1Horticulture Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of HormozganHorticulture Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resource, University of HormozganAbstract This study investigated the effects of fungal (Penicillium chrysogenum, Thielavia basicola, Curvularia hawaiiensis) and bacterial (Sphingomonas aquatilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Micromonospora echinaurantiaca, Kocuria rhizophila) endophytes on the growth and physiological traits of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under greenhouse conditions. Both individual and combined endophyte treatments significantly enhanced key growth parameters, including stem weight, height, and dry weight, with notable synergies observed in fungal-bacterial combinations such as P. chrysogenum + E. aurantiacum and S. aquatilis + M. echinaurantiaca. These combinations also optimised photosynthetic activity, increasing chlorophyll content, carotenoids, and photosystem II efficiency, improving plant vitality. Additionally, these endophytes stimulated a marked increase in carotenoid levels, with fungal-bacterial combinations leading to substantial improvements in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, inoculation with these endophytes promoted higher phenolic and proline content, with distinct combinations showing remarkable effects on carbohydrate accumulation. The findings underscore the synergistic potential of fungal-bacterial endophyte interactions in enhancing plant resilience, offering promising strategies for improving crop productivity and sustainability in agriculture.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06107-7EndophyteAntioxidantPhenolChlorophyllProline
spellingShingle Soheila Aghaei Dargiri
Davood Samsampour
Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
BMC Plant Biology
Endophyte
Antioxidant
Phenol
Chlorophyll
Proline
title Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
title_full Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
title_fullStr Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
title_full_unstemmed Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
title_short Endophytic seed pretreatment: a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
title_sort endophytic seed pretreatment a strategy for boosting morphophysiological traits in tomato seedlings
topic Endophyte
Antioxidant
Phenol
Chlorophyll
Proline
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06107-7
work_keys_str_mv AT soheilaaghaeidargiri endophyticseedpretreatmentastrategyforboostingmorphophysiologicaltraitsintomatoseedlings
AT davoodsamsampour endophyticseedpretreatmentastrategyforboostingmorphophysiologicaltraitsintomatoseedlings