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Bacteria

Environmental Protection through Endophytic Bacteria: Research Highlights from Sebelas Maret University

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from Sebelas Maret University in Indonesia have made significant findings regarding the use of endophytic bacteria to enhance soil fertility, promote plant growth, and induce insecticide resistance in rice crops. The study, published in the Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, evaluated the effectiveness of three isolates of Burkholderia sp. and Bacillus sp. in promoting rice plant growth and resistance to insecticides.

Key Takeaways:

  • The long-term use of excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides can harm soil fertility, crop productivity, and biodiversity.
  • Endophytic bacteria isolated from rice plants can enhance soil fertility, promote plant growth, and induce insecticide resistance.
  • Three isolates of Burkholderia sp. and Bacillus sp. were tested in combination with and without insecticide treatments in a pot cultivation of rice.
  • The results showed that insecticide treatment resulted in toxicity effects, while isolate I2 showed the strongest effect in inducing plant growth to insecticide resistance.
  • Further study is needed to examine the effect of the assessed endophytes in other types of pesticide treatments.
  • The diversity and population density of phosphate solubilizing rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were highest on treatments I3P0 and I3P1, which correlated with the highest P concentration and P uptake.
  • The research highlights the potential of endophytic bacteria to provide sustainable solutions for environmental protection and crop resilience.

Statistics:

  • 10x usage dose of chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam insecticides was used in the study.
  • The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized factorial design with three replications.
  • The results showed that the control (I0P0) demonstrated higher plant growth compared to I0P1.
  • The population density of phosphate solubilizing bacteria was highest on treatments I3P0 and I3P1 with 1.2 x 10^8 CFU/g and 1.1 x 10^8 CFU/g, respectively.

Sources:

  • Rice growth and the associated phosphate solubilizing bacteria on an Alfisol treated with insecticide and endophytes inoculum. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, 2025,12(5):8481-8491.
  • Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia (link to university website not provided).
  • Vita Ratri Cahyani, Sudadi Sudadi, Laily Shofiyah (research authors).
  • Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management (publisher: University of Brawijaya, https://www.jdmlm.ub.ac.id).
  • NewsRx. Findings from Sebelas Maret University Provide New Insights into Environmental Protection (Rice growth and the associated phosphate solubilizing bacteria on an Alfisol treated with insecticide and endophytes inoculum). Life Science Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 1159.

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