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September 12, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations A groundbreaking study from Gebze Technical University (GTU) offers a new way to increase wheat farming productivity while reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. GTU scientists develop a bioinoculant that significantly improves plant growth by combining beneficial microorganisms naturally found in the root zone of wheat plants.
Researchers from GTU’s Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics have introduced an innovative strategy to support sustainable agricultural practices. By examining 145 different bacterial isolates obtained from local soils, the team identified three bacterial species with the most effective plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia TSR34, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TSR129, and Bacillus subtilis TSR131.
The researchers created a special microbial consortium from these three species and tested it on wheat seedlings. The results revealed highly-positive effects on seedling growth and development. Compared to the control group, seedlings treated with the consortium showed a 19.3% increase in root dry weight, a 4.8% increase in shoot length, and a 6.06% increase in chlorophyll content. These findings demonstrate that the microbial blend visibly strengthens plant health and growth performance.
According to the leading scientists of the research team, these results hold great potential for the agricultural sector. This study paves the way for developing bioinoculants that reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers and support plant development through natural means, opening doors to a more productive and eco-friendly agricultural approach.
This important work from GTU has been shared with the scientific community in the internationally-respected Turkish Journal of Botany, in an article titled “Natural microbial consortium construction strategy from rhizospheric agricultural soils to improve wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) seedling growth.” The article was authored by Nida Arslan, Assoc. Prof. Mine Gül Şeker, Assoc. Prof. Özlem Akkaya, and Prof. Yelda Özden-Çiftçi. |
