Endophytic Association with Burkholderia seminalis Strain 869T2 Facilitates Growth and Conservation of Endangered Plants

Biodiversity conservation in Taiwan faces growing challenges due to the ecological fragility and propagation difficulties of many native endangered species. In this study, we evaluated the growth-promoting potential of Burkholderia seminalis strain 869T2, a plant-beneficial endophytic bacterium, in five native endangered plant species of Taiwan: Tripogon chinensis , Sporobolus hancei , Carex laticeps , Veronicastrum loshanense , and Bupleurum kaoi . Strain 869T2, originally isolated from vetiver roots, is known to produce indole-3-acetic acid, to solubilize phosphate, and to secrete iron-chelating siderophores, facilitating nutrient acquisition and plant development. Our experiments demonstrated that 869T2 inoculation significantly enhanced plant height, leaf number, biomass, and overall vigor in both monocot and dicot species. Notably, treated grasses exhibited up to a 2-fold increase in plant height and a 10-fold increase in leaf production, while forbs showed marked gains in plant biomass. The ability of 869T2 to colonize diverse hosts without adverse effects underscores its ecological compatibility and potential scalability. These findings support the incorporation of microbial-assisted approaches into plant conservation strategies. Specifically, B. seminalis 869T2 serves as a promising biotechnological tool to enhance the propagation and reintroduction success of Taiwan’s endemic and threatened flora, demonstrating that beneficial endophytes can complement traditional horticultural and ex situ methods for biodiversity restoration.