Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Their Partner Bacteria on the Growth of Sesame Plants and the Concentration of Sesamin in the Seeds

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can stimulate the plant growth. Pseudomonas sp. (KCIGC01) NBRC109613 isolated from the spores of Glomus clarum IK97, an AMF, is reported to support the plant growth and development as partner bacteria (PB) for AMF [1]. In order to investigate the effect of G. clarum IK97 and Pseudomonas sp. (KCIGC01) NBRC109613 on the secondary metabolites, these microorganisms were inoculated to sesame plants. The inoculation of these microorganisms stimulated the growth of sesame. The rate of sesame root colonization in G. clarum IK97 + Pseudomonas sp. (KCIGC01) NBRC109613 inoculated plants (66.4% ± 4.4%) was higher than that in G. clarum IK97 alone inoculated plants (39.2% ± 5.8%). Furthermore, the content of sesamin in sesame seeds was increased by the inoculation of these microorganisms. In particular, the content of sesamin in the treatment inoculated with G. clarum IK97 and Pseudomonas sp. (KCIGC01) NBRC- 109613 was 11.4 ± 1.5 mg/g seed. The results suggest that AMF and their partner bacteria can stimulate the growth and development of sesame plants and increase the content of sesamin in the seeds.