Effect of Azospirillum brasilense inoculation on root morphology and respiration in tomato seedlings

The level of Azospirillum brasilense strain Cd colonization in the rhizosphere of some vegetables was 10⁴-10⁵ colony-forming units (CFU) per root of one plant in 2-week-old plants inoculated with 5 × 10⁸Azospirillum cells. Significant increases in root length (35%) and in top (90%) and root (50%) dry weight and total leaf area (90%) were observed in 18-day-old inoculated tomato plants compared with non-inoculated controls. An inoculum concentration of 1 × 10⁸ to 5 × 10⁸ CFU/ml stimulated the appearance of root hairs. Large numbers of bacteria (1 × 10⁹ CFU/ml) caused asymmetrical growth of the root tip. In a petri dish system, Azospirillum (1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml) increased root dry weight (150%), protein content (20%), respiration rate per root (70%) and the specific activity of malate dehydrogenase (45%-65%) over non-inoculated controls. The specific respiration rate, expressed as micromol of O₂ per minute per milligram of dry weight of roots, was significantly lower in inoculated roots, suggesting that less energy was spent for accumulation of more dry material.