New insights in plant-associated Paenibacillus Species: Biocontrol and plant growth-promoting activity

Abstract

A wide number of new species have been included in recent years in the Paenibacillus genus, prompting to a new ecological and biotechnological appraisal of Paenibacillus bacteria. Several species are involved in plant growth promotion and biocontrol, and a few of them have also been reported to cause human infections. Some isolates of the genus Paenibacillus are among the most efficient microbial biocontrol agents, and some strains have been included in formulations that have been granted a patent to control plant pathogens. A strain belonging to the species Paenibacillus lentimorbus has recently been described as a potent plant growth-promoting and bioremediation agent in Cr-contaminated rhizosphere soil. Nitrogen fixation has been described in several species, and some of these bacteria are promising candidates for crop inoculation. Fourteen complete genome sequences are publicly available so far. Five of them belong to Paenibacillus polymyxa strains that have been isolated from crop rhizosphere and show traits related to plant growth promotion. Recently, the draft genome sequence of Paenibacillus riograndensis strain SBR5T, which in addition to nitrogen fixation has shown several plant growth-promoting traits, has been published.