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Communication

The Growth-Promoting Ability of Serratia liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, a Rhizobacterium Involved in Potato Production

by
Cristina Andrade Alvarado
1,
Zoila Honorio Durand
2,
Pedro M. Rodriguez-Grados
3,
Dennis Lloclla Tineo
4,
Diego Hiroshi Takei
4,
Carlos I. Arbizu
3 and
Sergio Contreras-Liza
1,*
1
Department of Agronomy, Universidad Nacional Jose Faustino Sanchez Carrion, Av. Mercedes Indacochea 609, Huacho 15136, Peru
2
Department of Bromatology and Nutrition, Universidad Nacional Jose Faustino Sanchez Carrion, Av. Mercedes Indacochea 609, Huacho 15136, Peru
3
Research Center for Plant Germplasm and Plant Breeding (CIGEMP), Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Chachapoyas 01001, Peru
4
Professional School of Biology, Universidad Nacional Jose Faustino Sanchez Carrion, Av. Mercedes Indacochea 609, Huacho 15136, Peru
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Plant Biol. 2025, 16(3), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16030082
Submission received: 2 June 2025 / Revised: 11 July 2025 / Accepted: 14 July 2025 / Published: 23 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Plant–Microorganisms Interactions)
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Abstract

Several strains of the genus Serratia isolated from the rhizosphere of crops are plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) that may possess various traits associated with nitrogen metabolism, auxin production, and other characteristics. The objective of the present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the growth-promoting activity of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in potato plants. This strain was inoculated into potato varieties (Solanum tuberosum) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions to determine the bacterial strain’s ability to promote growth under controlled conditions. It was found that the S. liquefaciens strain UNJFSC 002 had a significantly greater effect on the fresh and dry weight of the foliage and induced a higher tuber weight per plant and larger tuber diameter compared to the uninoculated potato plants (p < 0.05). Additionally, in vitro, the strain demonstrated the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), as well as the capacity to solubilise tricalcium phosphate in the laboratory. This research reveals the potential of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 as an inoculant to improve potato production, demonstrating its ability to promote the growth and productivity of potato varieties suitable for direct consumption and processing under controlled conditions.

1. Introduction

Bacteria that have a positive effect on plant growth or development are generally referred to as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) [1]. The beneficial effect of these bacteria is due to their ability to increase the availability of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) as well as phytohormones that are synthesized within the plant (indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellins, among others) [2].
Serratia is a genus of Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae [3]. Several species of the genus Serratia have plant growth-promoting properties [4]. Serratia strains associated with plants enhance the health and development of their host plants through various mechanisms, including the production of indole-3-acetic acid [5,6], nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization [6,7], siderophore production [5,6], and the induction of systemic resistance in plants [8]. Serratia also exhibits a range of traits that enhance plant growth and stress tolerance [9]. Additionally, the effect of a certain S. liquefaciens strain has been demonstrated in the immobilization of heavy metals (cadmium and lead) and the bioaccumulation of these metals in potato tubers [10]. The effect of this bacterium has also been shown on the mortality rate (83%) of Colorado potato beetle larvae (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) 48 h after inoculation [11].
S. liquefaciens is a strain that has been little studied regarding its plant growth-promoting effects. Plant growth-promoting properties have been demonstrated in seedlings of poblano pepper (Capsicum annuum) [12]. Several beneficial strains of Serratia spp. are also believed to be involved in inducing systemic resistance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants [8,13]. Similarly, some researchers have found that S. liquefaciens promotes potato growth [14,15].
The objective of the present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the growth-promoting activity of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in potato cultivars, to determine some key attributes of this bacterial strain under controlled conditions.

2. Materials and Methods

The research was carried out in two stages. The first stage was conducted in the laboratory to determine some biochemical characteristics related to the growth-promoting activity of the bacterial strain under controlled conditions. In the second stage, the plant growth-promoting capacity of the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain was evaluated under greenhouse conditions (greenhouse mesh) at the Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (UNJFSC) (11°07′24.7″ S; 77°36′30.5″ W).

2.1. Preparation of the Bacterial Inoculum

The bacterial inoculum was provided by the Production Biotechnology Laboratory of the Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (Huacho, Peru). The S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain was isolated from potato soil and studied at the genomic level by the laboratory, as described in the study by Rodriguez-Grados et al. [16]. For inoculating potato plants in the greenhouse and in laboratory tests, the strain was grown on Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) plates and incubated at 28 °C for 24 h before inoculation of the potato plants. The biomass was increased in nutrient broth and quantified in Colony Forming Units (CFU), obtaining a final concentration of 1 × 108 CFU mL−1. The bacterial colony density was counted with a Tecnal® digital colony counter, model CP600 (Rua João Leonardo Fustaino, Piracicaba, Brazil).

2.2. Evaluation of the Plant Growth-Promoting Capacity In Vitro

To determine the in vitro plant growth-promoting activity of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, the following laboratory tests were carried out:
Phosphate solubilization: The liquid Phosphate Growth Medium (NBRIP) developed by the National Botanical Research Institute [17] was used. The pure strain was activated in nutrient broth (NB) at 28 °C for 24 h and then transferred to NBRIP (HiMedia Laboratories LLC, Kelton, PA, USA) to be incubated at 28 °C for 5 days. The results were then evaluated by observing the transparency of the culture medium, ranging from transparent to opaque.
Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production: A liquid culture medium supplemented with 5 mM of L-tryptophan [18] was used. The broth, inoculated with the strain, was incubated for 72 h in the dark. The determination of IAA production was carried out using the colorimetric method with Salkowski reagent and the bacterial suspension, which was allowed to react for 30 min in the dark [19]. The reading was performed to determine the activity of the strain in the medium based on the change in gooseberry-like coloration intensity, indicating the possible presence of a positive reaction in the qualitative analysis.
Biological nitrogen fixation: The strain was inoculated in test tubes containing nitrogen-free mineral medium and incubated at room temperature for 72 h. After this period, nitrogen fixation activity was evaluated in vitro by visual inspection; the color intensity changed from green to yellow. The coloration in the test tubes indicated the variation in the nitrogen fixation activity of the bacterial strain.

2.3. Establishment of Experiments in Greenhouses

The greenhouse trials were conducted at the Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (Huacho, central coast of Peru). The greenhouse used was a wooden structure with anti-aphid mesh. The average ambient temperature was 24 °C, with a minimum of 13 °C and a maximum of 28 °C. The substrate used for the growth of the seed tubers was a commercial potting mix, which was subjected to a characterization analysis (Appendix A).

2.4. Potato Planting Material for the Greenhouse Experiments

Two types of potato varieties cultivated in Peru were used in the greenhouse experiments: commercial varieties intended for direct consumption (Table 1) and processing varieties intended for frying (Table 2).

2.5. Evaluation of Agronomic Traits in the Greenhouse

Inoculation and sowing of seed tubers
Inoculation was carried out by immersing 20 tubers of each potato variety in the nutrient broth containing the bacterial strain for 5 min. Subsequently, the inoculated and control tubers were planted in 6-L pots filled with the prepared substrate. At 45 days after planting, when the plants were approximately 20 cm tall, the bacterial strain was reinoculated at a concentration of 1 × 108 CFU mL−1. After reinoculation, the plants were covered with a layer of substrate. The control plants (uninoculated) were immersed in distilled water for 5 min and then planted in pots. All pots were placed on tables inside the greenhouse and were watered with 250 mL of filtered water every two days. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers were applied only to the control plants at the following rates per pot: urea, 4 g split into three applications (at planting, and then at 15 and 30 days after planting); diammonium phosphate, 9.6 g per pot; and potassium sulfate, 6 g per pot—both applied at planting. At 45 days, substrate was added to the pots to reach a total volume of 6 L per pot. The experiment lasted 120 days from the time tubers were planted.
Variables studied
The variables studied in the greenhouse were plant height (PH) at 30 days, fresh foliage weight (FFW) at 120 days, dry foliage weight (DFW) at 120 days, tuber weight per plant (TWP, g/plant), and average tuber diameter (ATD). For plant vegetative vigor (VV), a phenotypic scale from 1 (poor) to 9 (very good) was used, following the methodology of Bonierbale et al. [20]

2.6. Data Analysis

The experimental design in the greenhouse trials was completely randomized, with 20 replicates for each treatment, consisting of inoculation with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 and a control (no inoculation) in the potato varieties. Separate experiments were conducted for potato varieties intended for direct consumption and processing. The data were processed using the Infostat software (version 2017), after verifying the assumptions of normality and independence of errors. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Scott–Knott test were performed to compare treatment means at a 5% significance level.

3. Results

3.1. Growth-Promoting Activity of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in Potato Varieties Under Greenhouse Conditions

3.1.1. Inoculation with the Strain in Commercial Potato Varieties

In the greenhouse evaluation of three commercial potato varieties, inoculation with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 had a significantly greater effect on the fresh and dry leaf weight, tuber weight per plant, and tuber diameter compared to the uninoculated control plants, which were fertilized with a balanced substrate mixture containing NPK (Table 3). For plant height, no significant differences were found between the potato plants inoculated with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain and the control plants.
A significant effect was found between the commercial potato varieties and the effect of inoculation with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain for tuber weight per plant and tuber diameter. In the Perricholi and Única varieties (Supplementary Material S5), the effect of inoculation was more pronounced than in the Canchan variety for tuber weight per plant (Figure 1); for tuber diameter, the inoculation in the Perricholi variety was greater than in the Única and Canchan varieties (Figure 2).

3.1.2. Inoculation with the Strain in Processing Potato Varieties

In the greenhouse evaluation with three potato varieties for processing, inoculation with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain had a significantly greater effect on tuber weight per plant (TWP) and vegetative vigor (VV) (Supplementary Material S4). No significant differences were found in the number of leaflets per plant (NLP) between the plants inoculated with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain and the control plants (Table 4).
A significant effect was found among the processing potato varieties inoculated with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain for tuber weight per plant, number of leaflets per plant (NLP), and vegetative vigor. In the Bicentenaria (Supplementary Material S3) and Faustina varieties, the effect of inoculation was significantly greater than in the Yasmine variety on tuber weight per plant (Figure 3).
When analyzing the effect of S. liquefaciens inoculation on the number of leaflets per plant in the potato varieties, a cross-effect was observed between the studied factors. Inoculation had a significant effect on the Bicentenaria and Yasmine varieties, but not on the Faustina variety, in which a significantly lower effect of inoculation on the number of leaflets per plant was observed (Figure 4; Supplementary Material S2).

3.2. Evaluation of the In Vitro Growth-Promoting Capacity of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002

Regarding the bacterium’s ability to promote plant growth in vitro, positive results (+) were obtained in the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production assay and the biological nitrogen fixation assay. Additionally, the tests performed on the bacterial strain indicated a moderate ability to solubilize tricalcium phosphate (Table 5; Supplementary Material S6).

4. Discussion

In the present study, it was found that the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain promotes growth and tuber production under greenhouse conditions in both commercial potato varieties (for direct consumption) and processing varieties in Peru. In the commercial potato varieties, the increase due to inoculation with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 compared to the control was significant (p < 0.05) for fresh foliage weight (+268%), dry foliage weight (+141%), tuber weight (+223%), and tuber diameter (+128%). In the frying potato varieties, a significant 167% increase in tuber weight was observed, along with improved vegetative vigor in the inoculated plants due to the effect of inoculation compared to the control. Regarding plant height and the number of leaves per plant, no significant increase was observed due to the effect of inoculation. This finding is consistent with those of other researchers [14,21,22], who demonstrated that certain strains of S. liquefaciens have the greatest effect on potato plant growth, resulting in higher yields and improved tuber quality in potato varieties.
The concentration used for the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 bacterial inocula (1 × 108 CFU mL−1) was similar to that used in previous studies [14,21,22], which had a significantly greater effect on the number and weight of potato tubers compared to control plants. This would suggest that, at this level, the inoculation of potato seed tubers could improve their yield. Other authors [15] found that bacteria isolated from compost teas (Serratia spp.) are nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilizers, and producers of IAA phytohormones and siderophores, which would explain their beneficial effect on potato growth and yield.
According to the results of the present study, S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 can produce auxins (IAA), similar to findings reported for Serratia spp. strains in chili (Capsicum annum) [23] and in Solanum nigrum [13], where it was also found to inhibit the development of soil-borne pathogens in solanaceous plants. Some strains of the genus Serratia can solubilize phosphate and may play an important role among IAA-producing bacteria, which are involved in root elongation and cell proliferation [24]. The S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain in our study showed a positive reaction in in vitro tests for phosphate solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid production under laboratory conditions.
In the present study, vegetative vigor and tuber production were improved in certain potato genotypes through inoculation with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in potato plants. Various researchers have analyzed the possible mechanisms by which these effects are exerted on plants [25,26]. PGPB would facilitate plant growth directly by either assisting in the acquisition of essential nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and others) or regulating hormone levels [27]. Regarding these aspects, Mehmood et al. [25] found that rhizobacteria exhibited a distinct potential to support plant growth through the production of indole acetic acid.
Some of these traits may be related to genes present in the studied Serratia spp. [16,22,28]. The genetic analysis of the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain indicates that it possesses genes involved in plant growth promotion; the functional annotation of its genes revealed that this isolate may harbor multiple genes associated with nitrogen metabolism, phosphorus solubilization, and IAA synthesis, which could be beneficial for plant growth promotion and defense [16,28]. In this regard, the present study confirms through in vivo and in vitro tests that this strain has potential for biofertilization and growth regulation, aspects that may be useful for sustainable agriculture [21,29] and in the context of climate change [30]. Regarding this last point, another phylogenetically related strain of Serratia, S. liquefaciens strain ATCC 27592, showed growth at an atmospheric pressure of 7 mbar, a temperature of 0 °C, and in an anoxic atmosphere enriched with CO2 [31], demonstrating the adaptability and resilience of the species. Additionally, Serratia spp. is considered a low-risk biological agent compared to other plant growth-promoting microorganisms [32]. The MiGA tool was used to classify the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strains based on average nucleotide identity, revealing that this strain is 98.97% similar to S. liquefaciens ATCC 27592 (accession number CP 014017). The analysis indicated that it may possess genes associated with nitrogen metabolism, IAA synthesis, and the regulation of iron transport functions that are beneficial for plant growth promotion and defense [16].
Several strains of the genus Serratia spp. have attracted considerable interest among researchers due to their demonstrated potential for biofertilization and plant growth promotion, contributing to improved crop yields [25], insect control [11], suppression of plant diseases [26,33], cold stress tolerance [29] and heat stress tolerance [30,34] and cadmium stress [35]. Therefore, the present research contributes to the study of this group of bacteria, which may be relevant to sustainable agriculture, as the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural fields has led to environmental degradation [36].

5. Conclusions

The research reveals the potential of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 as an inoculant for potato production, both in commercial varieties for direct consumption and for the processing industry. Plant vigor, foliage, fresh weight, dry weight of the foliage, as well as tuber weight and diameter in various potato genotypes, were improved by the inoculation of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 under greenhouse conditions. Additionally, it was found that under laboratory conditions, this strain exhibits the ability to carry out biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and auxin production in controlled environments.

Supplementary Materials

The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/ijpb16030082/s1. Supplementary material on the results of the research has been added. Supplementary Material S1: Plants of potato variety “Bicentenaria” inoculated with PGPB in the greenhouse. Supplementary Material S2: Harvested plant of potato variety “Yasmine” inoculated with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in the greenhouse. Supplementary Material S3: Harvested plants of potato variety “Bicentenaria” inoculated with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 in the greenhouse. Supplementary Material S4: Plants of potato variety “Yasmine” inoculated with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 (right) and control (left) in the greenhouse. Supplementary Material S5: Plants of the commercial potato variety “Unica” (left) and inoculated with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 (right). Supplementary Material S6: Tests in vitro with S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002. (A) Control, (B) Test (+) for biological N fixation, (C) Test (+) for P solubilization, (D) Salkowski test (+).

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, C.A.A. and S.C.-L.; methodology, P.M.R.-G. and S.C.-L.; data acquisition and analysis, D.L.T., D.H.T. and Z.H.D.; writing—original draft preparation, S.C.-L.; writing—review and editing, C.A.A., Z.H.D. and S.C.-L.; supervision, project administration, C.I.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

The research was conducted with financial support provided by the Vice-Dean of Research, Universidad Nacional Jose Faustino Sanchez Carrion (Peru), Grant # RVI-078-2024-VRI-UNJFSC.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza Amazonas (UNTRM, Peru) for their support and direction in the laboratory tests.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Appendix A

Table A1. Potting substrate characterization analysis.
Table A1. Potting substrate characterization analysis.
E.C. CEC
pH(1:1)CaCO3O.M.PKmeq/100 g
(1:1)dS/m%%ppmppm
8.122.962.903.04182.010802.93
E.C., electric conductivity CaCO3, calcium carbonate content, O.M. organic matter content, CEC, cation exchange capacity.

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Figure 1. Tuber weight per plant (g) according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC002 inoculation on three commercial potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of experiment: 120 days.
Figure 1. Tuber weight per plant (g) according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC002 inoculation on three commercial potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of experiment: 120 days.
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Figure 2. Average tuber diameter according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three commercial potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of the experiment: 120 days.
Figure 2. Average tuber diameter according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three commercial potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of the experiment: 120 days.
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Figure 3. Tuber weight per plant (g) according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three processing potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of the experiment: 120 days.
Figure 3. Tuber weight per plant (g) according to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three processing potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Duration of the experiment: 120 days.
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Figure 4. Number of leaflets per plant due to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three processing potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Duration of experiment: 120 days.
Figure 4. Number of leaflets per plant due to the effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation in three processing potato varieties. Error bars indicate standard errors. Letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Duration of experiment: 120 days.
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Table 1. Commercial potato varieties used in the experiments.
Table 1. Commercial potato varieties used in the experiments.
VarietyRegistrationType of VarietyOrigin 1
CanchánCIP 380389.1Commercial varietyCIP
UnicaCIP 392797.22Commercial varietyCIP
PerricholiCIP 374080.5Commercial varietyCIP
1 UNJFSC, Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (Huacho, Peru). CIP, International Potato Center (Lima, Peru).
Table 2. Potato varieties for processing used in the experiments.
Table 2. Potato varieties for processing used in the experiments.
VarietyRegistrationType of VarietyOrigin 1
Bicentenaria001-2021-DELYC-SENASACommercial varietyUNJFSC
YasmineCIP 396311.1Advanced cloneCIP
FaustinaCIP 399101.1Advanced cloneCIP
1 UNJFSC, Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión (Huacho, Peru). CIP, International Potato Center (Lima, Peru).
Table 3. Effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation on the agronomic characteristics of commercial potato varieties under greenhouse conditions.
Table 3. Effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation on the agronomic characteristics of commercial potato varieties under greenhouse conditions.
TreatmentsPH
cm		FFW
g/Plant		DFW
g/Plant		TWP
g/Plant		ATD
mm
S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 120.53 a63.67 a10.58 a118.07 a30.59 a
Control 219.11 a23.70 b7.47 b52.92 b23.83 b
Standard error1.474.930.937.151.61
Plant height (PH) at 30 days, fresh foliage weight (FFW) at 120 days, dry foliage weight (DFW) at 120 days, tuber weight per plant (TWP, g/plant), and average tuber diameter (ATD). Treatments with the same letter do not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Number of replicates per treatment (n): 20. Duration of experiment: 120 days. Table values represent the averages of three commercial potato varieties. 1 Seed tubers were inoculated at planting with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain at a concentration of 1 × 108 CFU mL. A second inoculation was performed 45 days after the initial inoculation. 2 Control treatment with a standard level of NPK fertilization, without inoculation.
Table 4. Effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation on the agronomic characteristics of processing potato varieties under greenhouse conditions.
Table 4. Effect of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 inoculation on the agronomic characteristics of processing potato varieties under greenhouse conditions.
TreatmentsTWP
g		NLP
n		VV
Scale
S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 183.49 a17.61 a4.97 a
Control 249.91 b15.68 a6.53 b
Standard error8.880.840.31
Tuber weight (TWP, g/plant), number of leaflets per plant (NLP), and vegetative vigor (VV) measured on a scale wherein 1 = excellent, 5 = adequate, and 9 = very poor. Treatment means with the same letter did not show significant differences (p > 0.05). Number of replications per treatment (n): 20. Duration of experiment: 120 days. Table values represent the averages of three processing potato varieties. 1 Seed tubers were inoculated at planting with the S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002 strain at a concentration of 1 × 108 UFC mL−1. A second inoculation was performed 45 days later. 2 Control treatment with a standard level of NPK fertilization, without inoculation.
Table 5. In vitro growth-promoting ability of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002.
Table 5. In vitro growth-promoting ability of S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002.
TestPhosphate SolubilizationProduction of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA)Biological Nitrogen Fixation
S. liquefaciens UNJFSC 002+++
+ Positive reaction for the test
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MDPI and ACS Style

Alvarado, C.A.; Durand, Z.H.; Rodriguez-Grados, P.M.; Tineo, D.L.; Takei, D.H.; Arbizu, C.I.; Contreras-Liza, S. The Growth-Promoting Ability of Serratia liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, a Rhizobacterium Involved in Potato Production. Int. J. Plant Biol. 2025, 16, 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16030082

AMA Style

Alvarado CA, Durand ZH, Rodriguez-Grados PM, Tineo DL, Takei DH, Arbizu CI, Contreras-Liza S. The Growth-Promoting Ability of Serratia liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, a Rhizobacterium Involved in Potato Production. International Journal of Plant Biology. 2025; 16(3):82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16030082

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alvarado, Cristina Andrade, Zoila Honorio Durand, Pedro M. Rodriguez-Grados, Dennis Lloclla Tineo, Diego Hiroshi Takei, Carlos I. Arbizu, and Sergio Contreras-Liza. 2025. "The Growth-Promoting Ability of Serratia liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, a Rhizobacterium Involved in Potato Production" International Journal of Plant Biology 16, no. 3: 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16030082

APA Style

Alvarado, C. A., Durand, Z. H., Rodriguez-Grados, P. M., Tineo, D. L., Takei, D. H., Arbizu, C. I., & Contreras-Liza, S. (2025). The Growth-Promoting Ability of Serratia liquefaciens UNJFSC 002, a Rhizobacterium Involved in Potato Production. International Journal of Plant Biology, 16(3), 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16030082

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