Root, stem, and leaf samples were collected from the medicinal plant L. japonica (traditional variety Damaohua, 2n = 18) growing in four different locations in the Henan and Shandong Provinces from July 2011 to July 2012. Samples were collected during the plant's flowering and growth stages, when active metabolism facilitated plant identification. The four sampling sites were the medicinal botanical garden of Shangqiu Normal University, the Huaxian County of Henan Province, and the Pingyi County and Juye County of Shangdong Province. Examination of siderophore production: Bacteria were cultured in lysogeny broth (LB; 10 g NaCl/L) for 72 h under iron-restricted conditions. Aliquots of each bacterial culture were inoculated in plates (three plates per strain) containing agar Chrome Azurol S (CAS) and incubated at 30 &#8451. Plates were observed daily for 7 d to detect the appearance of an orange halo around the colonies. Phosphate solubilization: To determine the phosphate-solubilizing activity, the isolates were cultured in triplicate in modified Pikovskayas medium (0.5% tricalcium phosphate) at 30 &#8451 for 7 d at 200 rpm. Indole acetic acid (IAA) production: Briefly, each bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁸ cfu/mL) was inoculated in 10 mL LB broth containing L-TRYPTOPHAN (100 µG/ML) AND INCUBATED AT 28 &#8451 for 72 h at 200 rpm. Bacterial cells were removed by centrifugation at 8,000 rpm for 15 min, and the collected supernatant was incubated at room temperature in the dark for 30 min.

Root, stem, and leaf samples were collected from the medicinal plant L. japonica (traditional variety Damaohua, 2n = 18) growing in four different locations in the Henan and Shandong Provinces from July 2011 to July 2012. Samples were collected during the plant's flowering and growth stages, when active metabolism facilitated plant identification. The four sampling sites were the medicinal botanical garden of Shangqiu Normal University, the Huaxian County of Henan Province, and the Pingyi County and Juye County of Shangdong Province. Examination of siderophore production: Bacteria were cultured in lysogeny broth (LB; 10 g NaCl/L) for 72 h under iron-restricted conditions. Aliquots of each bacterial culture were inoculated in plates (three plates per strain) containing agar Chrome Azurol S (CAS) and incubated at 30 &#8451. Plates were observed daily for 7 d to detect the appearance of an orange halo around the colonies. Phosphate solubilization: To determine the phosphate-solubilizing activity, the isolates were cultured in triplicate in modified Pikovskayas medium (0.5% tricalcium phosphate) at 30 &#8451 for 7 d at 200 rpm. Indole acetic acid (IAA) production: Briefly, each bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁸ cfu/mL) was inoculated in 10 mL LB broth containing L-TRYPTOPHAN (100 µG/ML) AND INCUBATED AT 28 &#8451 for 72 h at 200 rpm. Bacterial cells were removed by centrifugation at 8,000 rpm for 15 min, and the collected supernatant was incubated at room temperature in the dark for 30 min.

Root, stem, and leaf samples were collected from the medicinal plant L. japonica (traditional variety Damaohua, 2n = 18) growing in four different locations in the Henan and Shandong Provinces from July 2011 to July 2012. Samples were collected during the plant's flowering and growth stages, when active metabolism facilitated plant identification. The four sampling sites were the medicinal botanical garden of Shangqiu Normal University, the Huaxian County of Henan Province, and the Pingyi County and Juye County of Shangdong Province. Examination of siderophore production: Bacteria were cultured in lysogeny broth (LB; 10 g NaCl/L) for 72 h under iron-restricted conditions. Aliquots of each bacterial culture were inoculated in plates (three plates per strain) containing agar Chrome Azurol S (CAS) and incubated at 30 &#8451. Plates were observed daily for 7 d to detect the appearance of an orange halo around the colonies. Phosphate solubilization: To determine the phosphate-solubilizing activity, the isolates were cultured in triplicate in modified Pikovskayas medium (0.5% tricalcium phosphate) at 30 &#8451 for 7 d at 200 rpm. Indole acetic acid (IAA) production: Briefly, each bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁸ cfu/mL) was inoculated in 10 mL LB broth containing L-TRYPTOPHAN (100 µG/ML) AND INCUBATED AT 28 &#8451 for 72 h at 200 rpm. Bacterial cells were removed by centrifugation at 8,000 rpm for 15 min, and the collected supernatant was incubated at room temperature in the dark for 30 min.