Many seeds carry endophytes, which ensure good chances of seedling colonization. In this work, we have studied the seed-borne bacterial flora of rice varieties cultivated in the northeast of Argentina. Surface-sterilized husked seeds of the rice cultivars CT6919, El Paso 144, CAMBA, and IRGA 417 contained an average of 5×10⁶ CFU/g of mesophilic and copiotrophic bacteria. Microbiological, physiological, and molecular characterization of a set of 39 fast-growing isolates from the CT6919 seeds revealed an important diversity of seed-borne mesophiles and potential plant probiotic activities, including diazotrophy and antagonism of fungal pathogens. In fact, the seed-borne bacterial flora protected the rice seedlings against Curvularia sp. infection. The root colonization pattern of 2 Pantoea isolates from the seeds was studied by fluorescence microscopy of the inoculated axenic rice seedlings. Both isolates strongly colonized the site of emergence of the lateral roots and lenticels, which may represent the entry sites for endophytic spreading. These findings suggest that rice plants allow grain colonization by bacterial species that may act as natural biofertilizers and bioprotectives early from seed germination.

Aims The functioning of plant-associated bacteria is strongly influenced by their interaction with other organisms. For instance, bacteria upregulate the production of secondary metabolites in presence of protozoa and we hypothesised that this interaction may contribute to plant health. Methods Here, we tested if the effect of beneficial pseudomonads on wheat growth and health is modified by co-inoculation with the bacterivorous amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii. We assessed effects of this co-inoculation in absence and presence of the root pathogen Pythium ultimum. Results In absence of amoebae, bacterial isolates had few beneficial effects and some isolates exacerbated growth inhibition by the pathogen (despite their reported beneficial effects in vitro). Effects on plant growth in absence and presence of the pathogen were negatively correlated. Co-inoculation with amoebae suppressed this relationship, leading to plant growth promotion in absence and reduction of deleterious effects in presence of the pathogen. The positive effect of amoebae in absence of the pathogen could be related to bacterial siderophore production in vitro. Conclusions Our results illustrate the discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo effects of plant beneficial bacteria. Incorporation of other rhizospheric trophic components such as protists may be a key factor to influence the plant-beneficial potential of bacteria in vivo.

Plant-growth promotion has been linked to the Pseudomonas genus since the beginning of this research field. In this work, we mined the genome of an Argentinean isolate of the recently described species P. donghuensis. Strain SVBP6, isolated from bulk soil of an agricultural plot, showed a broad antifungal activity and several other plant-probiotic activities. As this species has been recently described, and it seems like some plant-growth promoting (PGP) traits do not belong to the classical pseudomonads toolbox, we decide to explore the SVBP6 genome via an bioinformatic approach. Genome inspection confirmed our previous in vitro results about genes involved in several probiotic activities. Other genetic traits possibly involved in survival of SVBP6 in highly competitive environments, such as rhizospheres, were found. Tn5 mutagenesis revealed that the antifungal activity against the soil pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina was dependent on a functional gacS gene, from the regulatory cascade Gac-Rsm, but it was not due to volatile compounds. Altogether, our genomic analyses and in vitro tests allowed the phylogenetic assignment and provided the first insights into probiotic properties of the first P. donghuensis isolate from the Americas.

Summary: Pseudomonas donghuensis strain SVBP6, an isolate from an agricultural plot in Argentina, displays a broad‐spectrum and diffusible antifungal activity, which requires a functional gacS gene but could not be ascribed yet to known secondary metabolites typical of Pseudomonas biocontrol species. Here, we report that Tn 5 mutagenesis allowed the identification of a gene cluster involved in both the fungal antagonism and the production of a soluble tropolonoid compound. The ethyl acetate extract from culture supernatant showed a dose‐dependent inhibitory effect against the phytopathogenic fungus Macrophomina phaseolina . The main compound present in the organic extract was identified by spectroscopic and X‐ray analyses as 7‐hydroxytropolone (7HT). Its structure and tautomerism was confirmed by preparing the two key derivatives 2,3‐dimethoxy‐ and 2,7‐dimethoxy‐tropone. 7HT, but not 2,3‐ or 2,7‐dimethoxy‐tropone, mimicked the fungal inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate extract from culture supernatant. The activity of 7HT, as well as its production, was barely affected by the presence of up to 50 μM added iron (Fe ⁺² ). To summarize, P. donghuensis SVBP6 produces 7HT under the positive control of the Gac‐Rsm cascade and is the main active metabolite responsible for the broad‐spectrum inhibition of different phytopathogenic fungi.