Evidence for enhanced N availability during switchgrass establishment and seeding year production following inoculation with rhizosphere endophytes

Improvement in sustainable production of switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum L), as a purpose-grown biomass feedstock crop, could be realized through investigation of plant-microbe interactions associated with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), capable of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). The objective of this study is to increase establishment year production of SG biofuels by inoculation with a mixed PGPR inoculum. We isolated pure strains of N-2-fixing, and other PGPR, from SG rhizomes. The bacteria were identified as Paenibacillus polymyxa, an N-2-fixing bacterium, and other PGPR capable of solubilizing phosphate and/or producing auxins. Field trials utilizing these strains in a mixed PGPR inoculum showed that inoculated plants contained more N in tillers during anthesis but not at senescence, suggesting that more N could be cycled to belowground roots and rhizomes for winter storage. The amount of N removal in biomass and recovery of fertilizer N were also greater for inoculated than uninoculated plants. PGPR inoculation also resulted in positive N balances, suggesting improved access to N from non-fertilizer N sources, possibly through BNF and improved soil N uptake. Overall, inoculation of SG with PGPR enhanced N acquisition and could be an effective strategy to increase the establishment year production of this crop.