The aim of our research was to study the endosphere of four halophytic plants: Salicornia europaea L., Salsola australis (R.Br.), Bassia sedoides (Pall.) and Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad. from arid and saline areas of the Stavropol Territory, Russia. In total, 28 endophyte strains were isolated from the roots and stems of these halophytic plants. Most of the isolates (23 out of 28) were identified as Bacillus sp. while others belonged to the genera Oceanobacillus, Paenibacillus, Pantoea, Alcaligenes and Myroides. Three strains of Bacillus sp. (Se5R, Se1-1R, and Se1-3S), isolated from the S. europaea were capable of growth at 55 °C and in 10% of NaCl. Strains Se1-4S, Kp20-2S, and Bs11-2S Bacillus sp. (isolated from the S. australis, K. prostrata and B. sedoides, respectively) demonstrated strong plant growth promoting activity: 85-265% over control lettuce plants and a high degree of growth suppression (59.1-81.2%) of pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum, Bipolaris sorokiniana and Rhizoctonia solani. Selected strains can be promising candidates for the development of bioinoculants to facilitate salt soil phytoremediation and be beneficial for mitigating the salt stress to the plants growing in salt-affected habitats.
Keywords: Bacillus sp.; Bassia sedoides (Pall.); Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.; Salicornia europaea L.; Salsola australis (R.Br.); antifungal activity; bioinoculant; endophytes; halophytic plants; plant growth promotion.