Scientists from the University of North Carolina and University of
Massachusetts have discovered a way for a group of bacteria to help
plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) improve crop growth.

Using liquid-growth-based method, the scientists have identified
multiple bacterial strains that increase adherence of PGPB to plant
roots over time. The scientists used a high-throughput screen of
bacteria obtained from the roots of wild-grown plants to ensure that the
identified bacteria naturally come in contact with the roots of plants
in native soil environment. The results have shown that the physical or
chemical interaction between these different species of bacteria have
produced better long-term maintenance of PGPB on roots.

The discovery has not only answered the questions about plant-microbe
interactions and how bacteria affect the ability of PGPB to maintain
their relationship to plant roots but also help the development of
future agricultural interventions to increase crop yields.

Bacterial Community Members Increase Bacillus subtilis Maintenance on
the Roots of Arabidopsis thaliana | Phytobiomes Journal (apsnet.org)
[apsjournals.apsnet.org]