article · Biology
Researchers evaluated the endophytic bacterial strain Actinomycetota sp. JW0824, isolated from the medicinal plant Achyranthes aspera in Saudi Arabia, as a bioinoculant for four anise cultivars originating from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Morocco. Treatment with the strain led to significant increases in seed dry weight percentage and oil yields across the tested varieties. The bacterial inoculation also stimulated primary and secondary metabolism, resulting in varied increases in seed proteins, sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, and essential oil components such as phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes. Levels of vitamins, including beta-carotene and ascorbic acid, and the precursor phenylalanine were also boosted. Key enzymatic activities linked to these pathways rose notably, with L-phenylalanine aminolyase activity increasing by up to 83.88 percent and 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase activity increasing by up to 179.31 percent, indicating enhanced overall yield and seed quality.
Anise seeds are widely utilised for human nutrition, animal health, and therapeutic products. Using natural endophytic bacteria to improve seed yield and enrich beneficial compounds provides a sustainable biological method to boost crop productivity and nutritional quality without relying exclusively on synthetic chemicals.
This research could enable the development of biofertilisers or bioinoculants for agricultural producers and commercial growers of anise and other crops. Given the recommendation for further field trials to evaluate commercial viability, the technology remains at an early to applied testing stage rather than ready for immediate market deployment.
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Anise (<i>Pimpinella anisum</i> L.) seeds have various nutritional and therapeutic benefits and are thus considered a valuable addition to animal and human health. Hence, in this study, we aimed to induce the nutritive and biological value of anise seeds. To this end, the potential biofortification effect of the endophytic <i>Actinomycetota</i> sp. JW0824 strain, isolated during the fall of 2023 from the medicinal plant <i>Achyranthes aspera</i>, exhibiting natural distribution in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia, was investigated in four varieties of anise seeds from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Morocco. Results revealed significant increments (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in the seed dry weight percentage (DW%) and oil yields. In line with increased biomass accumulation, the metabolism of the primary and secondary metabolites was increased. There were differential increases in proteins, sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, vitamins (e.g., β-carotene, ascorbic acid), and essential oil components (e.g., phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes), along with their precursor phenylalanine. Consistently, the activity of L-phenylalanine aminolyase (PAL) was increased in the Egyptian and Tunisian varieties at 83.88% and 77.19%, respectively, while 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) activity increased in all varieties, with a significant 179.31% rise in the Egyptian variety. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of <i>Actinomycetota</i> sp. JW0824 as a bioinoculant for anise seeds, suggesting its potential application in agricultural practices to improve seed yield and quality. Further field trials are recommended to assess the commercial viability of this endophyte for enhancing anise seed production and potentially benefiting other plant species.
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DOI: 10.3390/biology13080553
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