Biotic priming of growth and stress tolerance in cereals

Abstract: Instead of using chemical pesticides for plant protection there is the possibility to activate plants´ innate immunity defense against pests and diseases using bacteria. Many bacteria have been tested for their priming potential while not much research has assessed the priming effect against abiotic stress factors. In this investigation four bacterial strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens namely FZB42, 5113, 5033 and 5036 were tested and evaluated under cold stress (-4°C) conditions. The strains 5033, FZB42 and 5113 showed a statistically significant difference in chlorophyll content after cold stress treatment. The possibility of increased targeting with the nano material titanium dioxide (TiO₂) was also tested. TiO₂ treatment increased bacterial spore germination on LB-agar plates.