Several beneficial Bacillus mycoides isolates were cultured from crop roots and tested for their abilities to promote plant growth under greenhouse and field conditions. Our results have demonstrated that exogenous application of B. mycoides could enhance growth of various plants including tomato, lettuce, rape, cabbage and asparagus bean, and induce resistance against pests and plant pathogens. Our studies have also found that the mechanisms underlying plant growth promotion and pest resistance are because: 1) B. mycoides could effectively colonize inside root systems and induce plant defense reactions; 2) B. mycoides could produce and secret the plant promoting hormone indole-acetic acid (IAA) that enhances the development of root systems; 3) B. mycoides could produce and secret dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and biosurfactins that disrupt cell membranes of pathogens. The isolates of B. mycoides have been developed into a biofungicide and a biofertilizer for culturing healthy crop seedlings and controlling a number of diseases in orchid, tomato, strawberry, cucumber and rice. The ultimate goal of developing B. mycoides-related products is to preserve and protect agricultural ecosystems, to produce high-quality agricultural products with less environmental damages, and to increase food safety. The B. mycoides-related products derived from our research will not only promote plant growth by providing necessary nutrients, but also induce plant resistance against a variety of pathogens. Application of the B. mycoides-derived products could potentially reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, avoid environmental pollutions due to the use of heavy metals and pesticides, and could improve soil productivity. As such, agricultural production can be sustained for many generations to come.

Biocontrol, Biofertilizer, Biofungicide