Hau-Hsuan Hwang
Professor
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Chih-Lin Wu
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Pei-Ru Chien
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Liang-Yu Chen
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Fan-Chen Huang
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Yu-Ci Chang
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Jia-Yun Yang
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Liang-Hsuan Lee
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Ji-Wei Guo
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
You-Cheng Kuo
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Chieh-Chen Huang
National Chung Hsing University
Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Plant endophytic bacteria reside within plant tissues and can be isolated from surface-sterilized plant tissues. These beneficial microbes enhance plant growth, stress tolerance, and disease resistance through phytohormone production, siderophore synthesis, and phosphate solubilization. Coastal plants endure extreme conditions such as high salinity and drought. Their endophytic bacteria support plant survival in nutrient-limited environments. We have isolated and identified several salt-tolerant plant endophytic bacteria strains. Many of these endophytic bacteria produced indole-3-acetic acid, which may help plants increase plant growth in high-salinity environments. The impact of these endophytic bacteria on plant growth was further examined using wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana under both normal and high-salinity stress conditions. Based on key physiological parameters, several bacterial strains significantly promoted plant growth under both conditions, underscoring their potential application in agriculture and environmental sustainability. A notable proportion of endophytic bacteria from coastal plants exhibited chitinase activity, suggesting potential antifungal properties. In vitro dual-culture assays revealed that multiple bacterial isolates effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea, indicating their potential role in plant defense against fungal pathogens. In conclusion, we have identified coastal plant endophytic bacteria with plant growth-promoting and stress-alleviating properties, offering potential applications in sustainable agriculture.