• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.292-301
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• 2000

To make a better use of the beneficial bacterial inoculants in the agricultural practice, dry forms of bacterial fertilizer or pesticides are prepared with carrier materials. During the drying process of bacterial inoculant, most of the cells face a severe osmotic pressure and dehydration, and die off. Our study describes the effect of osmoprotectants such as trigonelline and trehalose on the survival of bacterial cells in high salt concentration and drying conditions. A fluorescent Pseudomonas, strain SSL3, used in this study, could grow in high salt concentration of upto 5% but the cells could not overcome the growth retardation at over 7% of salt concentration. The addition of trigonelline, even on small amount, in liquid medium containing 4% NaCl was detrimental to the cell. However, the addition of trehalose of upto 10 mM to the liquid medium containing 4% NaCl, enhanced cell growth. The cell growth was retarded when 150mM trehalose was added to the medium. Upon dry formulation of cells, trehalose was added. And the dry cells were inoculated into the soil to determine the effect of osmoprotectants on the survival of the cells. The survival of the cells, both in wet or dry soil, was improved by the addition of trehalose during the dry cell formulation. The positive effect of trehalose on the cell survival at $-20^{\circ}C$ and $-70^{\circ}C$ was oven more pronounced. The FTIR (Fourier transformation infra-red) spectroscopic analysis showed that the change of the 2nd amide group was reduced by adding trehalose to the medium containing 4% NaCl. These results suggest that trehalose can protect the cell membrane from dryness or high concentration of salt, thereby diminishing the sudden change of the protein structure of the cell membrane and, as a consequence, improving the cell survival.