Integrated Transcriptome and Bacteriome Analyses Provides New Insights into the Plant Growth-Promoting Mechanisms of Pseudomonas oryzihabitans GDW1

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a important agricultural crop worldwide including in China, which contributed over 36% of the world's total tomatoes production. However, its cultivation is affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses, which negatively impact production and quality. The use of plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria to improve tomato growth under these circumstances is gaining much attention as sustainable agriculture apporach. In this study, we assessed the PGP potential of an endophytic bacterium Pseudomonas oryzihabitans GDW1 isolated from the needles of healthy pine tree via a multi-omic approach. The results of greenhouse experiments revealed that application of markedly improved tomato shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and biomass accumulation by up to 44.15%, 38.15%, 54.57%, and 59.18%, respectively relative to control. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,158 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), comprising 286 upregulated and 872 downregulated genes in treated plants. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in pathways associated with plant hormone signaling (auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin) and stress responses (plant-pathogen interaction, MAPK signaling pathway-plant, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis) signifying its role in augmenting plant growth and resilience.