Bacteria associate with plants across diverse ecosystems, including agroecosystems, where they often benefit plant growth by increasing nutrient availability and mitigating stress, leading to improved productivity. Cranberries are clonally propagated perennials grown in highly acidic soils, where beneficial bacteria could help reduce the need for synthetic fertilizer and enhance nutrient availability, supporting plant health in the long term. We isolated 102 putative phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in Pikovskaya’s Agar, and 112 putative plant hormone-synthesizing bacteria in Czapek Dox Agar, and assessed their metabolic function using specific assays: malachite green assay for phosphorus solubilization and a tryptophan-IAA assay for plant hormone synthesis. We found that of our 102 isolated phosphorus bacteria, 29 could solubilize more than 100 μM of phosphorus bound to iron within three days. Of the 112 hormone-synthesizing bacteria, 38 produced more than 20 μg/mL of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) within three days. Next, we will assess these bacteria in soils associated with plants by inoculating cranberry plants under sterile and non-sterile environments and monitoring plant growth responses. This approach aims to reduce fertilizer costs and environmental impact by enhancing water quality and bolstering cranberry crop health.
