| Summary: | The rhizosphere plays a vital role in the exchange of materials in the soil–plant ecosystem, and rhizosphere microorganisms are crucial for plant growth and development. In this study, we isolated two strains of <i>Pantoea</i> rhizosphere bacteria separately from invasive <i>Alternanthera philoxeroides</i> and native <i>A. sessilis</i>. We conducted a control experiment to test the effects of these bacteria on the growth and competition of the two plant species using sterile seedlings. Our findings showed that the rhizobacteria strain isolated from <i>A. sessilis</i> significantly promoted the growth of invasive <i>A. philoxeroides</i> in monoculture compared to native <i>A. sessilis</i>. Both strains significantly enhanced the growth and competitiveness of invasive <i>A. philoxeroides</i> under competition conditions, regardless of their host source. Our study suggests that rhizosphere bacteria, including those from different host sources, can contribute to the invasion of <i>A. philoxeroides</i> by significantly enhancing its competitiveness.
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