Enhancement of growth and salt tolerance of tomato seedlings by a natural halotolerant actinobacterium Glutamicibacter halophytocola KLBMP 5180 isolated from a coastal halophyte

Background and aims Soil salinity stress affects the health and growth of crops. The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to improve the salt tolerance of plants is gaining acceptance worldwide. Here, a halotolerant, plant growth-promoting actinobacterium Glutamicibacter halophytocola KLBMP 5180, recently isolated from the root of a coastal halophyte Limonium sinense, was investigated for its capacity on the growth of tomato seedlings under the condition of saline stress.