Five novel Paenibacillus species from the plant rhizosphere: Paenibacillus corni sp. nov., Paenibacillus vaccinii sp. nov., Paenibacillus ericacearum sp. nov., Paenibacillus polytrichii sp. nov., and Paenibacillus artemisiae sp. nov.

Bacterial strains were isolated from different locations and screened for plant growth promoting (PGP) features. Comparative analyses of the 16S gene sequences of 5 of the strains indicated taxonomic relatedness within the genus Paenibacillus. A polyphasic taxonomic approach was employed to study the strains in detail to clarify their phylogenetic position. Genome-based analyses, including digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI), revealed values consistently below the accepted species delineation thresholds when compared with closest relatives of each strain. Additionally, the strains showed clear differences in their physiological and biochemical profiles to the type strains of the closest related species. A notably diverse set of genes potentially involved in plant growth promotion was detected in all strains. With respect to the analyses reported here, the following new names are proposed: Paenibacillus corni sp. nov., with AK-167T as the type strain (= LMG 34403T = DSM 121689T); Paenibacillus vaccinii sp. nov., with AK-264T as the type strain (= LMG 34404T = DSM 121714T); Paenibacillus ericacearum sp. nov., with AK-265T as the type strain (= CCM 6913T = LMG 34405T = DSM 121715T); Paenibacillus polytrichii sp. nov., with AK-286T as the type strain (= CCM 9614T = LMG 34406T = DSM 121716T); and Paenibacillus artemisiae sp. nov., with DT-106T as the type strain (= LMG 34409T = CCM 9610T = DSM 121690T).