Microbes Cultured from Garden Soil Positively Impact Seed Germination and Plant Growth

Soil microbes may act as pathogens — deteriorating the health of plants — or support the survival of plants. In the present study, we investigated the effect of microorganisms cultured from native soil on seed germination and plant growth. We hypothesized that the soil contained microorganisms supporting seed germination and plant growth. Our results showed that the addition of cultured microbes from domestic soil significantly enhanced the germination frequency of mung bean seeds compared to their controls, which received uncultured broth. Furthermore, the heights of these plants after seven days of intervention were significantly different — the microbe-supplied plants were taller than the controls. When we investigated the addition of similar cultured microbes into the soil of growing pumpkin and pea flower plants, we found that plants provided with microbial culture were significantly taller than their corresponding controls. Taken together, these findings show that domestic soil has beneficial microorganisms that assist in seed germination and plant growth. We can, therefore, better appreciate the beneficial plant-microorganism interactions and exploit them to enhance plant health and productivity.