Abstract:[Background] Desert soil is barren and saline-alkaline, in which the rhizosphere microorganisms can help the host plants to tolerate stress, which is of great significance for maintaining the ecosystem function. [Objective] To evaluate the growth-promoting properties and germination-promoting effects of rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere bacteria of Ammodendron bifolium, and obtain elite bacterial resources with growth-promoting effects and stress tolerance. [Methods] We employed the plate culture method to examine the nitrogen-fixing, phosphorus-solubilizing, siderophore-secreting, and hydrolase-producing properties of the strains. The abilities of the strains to solubilize phosphorus and produce hydrolase and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were quantitatively measured by the colorimetric method. The germination-promoting effects of the strains were tested by strain-seed co-cultivation, and the tolerance of the strains to drought and saline-alkali stress was observed. [Results] Thirty-five strains showed nitrogen-fixing activity, mainly belonging to Proteobacteria in the rhizosphere and Firmicutes in the nonrhizosphere. Strains Ba-12, Ra-2, Rb-12, and Rb-18 had the abilities to solubilize inorganic and organic phosphorus, mainly originating from the rhizosphere. One strain (Rb-12) was capable of secreting siderophores, originating from the rhizosphere. Six strains had the ability of producing IAA, of which strains Rb-5 and Rb-12 with the highest levels of IAA came from the rhizosphere. Eight strains were capable of producing amylase, protease, and cellulase simultaneously, coming from the nonrhizosphere. The 10 strains producing two enzymes and the 13 strains producing one enzyme mainly came from the rhizosphere. One strain, i.e, Bc-5, showed a significant germination-promoting effect, originating from the nonrhizosphere. Most of the tested strains tolerated 30% PEG6000, 2%-4% NaCl, and pH 11.5, and the strain with the strongest stress tolerance came from the rhizosphere. [Conclusion] Strains Ba-12, Ra-2, Rb-5, Rb-12, and Rb-18 with excellent growth-promoting properties mainly originate from the rhizosphere, which indicates the significant rhizosphere effect of A. bifolium. However, the germination-promoting effect of the nonrhizosphere strain Bc-5 is not related to the growth-promoting properties, which requires further exploration.