【Objective】 The aim of this research was to screen plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from the rhizosphere of the desert steppe shrub Cerasus humilis with excellent growth‐promoting and disease‐prevent‐ ing properties. In this study, selective media were used to screen the bacteria on the root surface and in the rhizo‐ sphere soil of the Cerasus humilis. Acetylene reduction method,Salkowski method, molybdenum antimony colorimet‐ ric method and plate confrontation method were used to determine the nitrogenase activity,secretion of IAA, phos‐ phorus and antagonism. Using Morphology, gram staining and molecular biology methods,10 strains with excellent rhizosphere growth ‐ promoting were preliminarily identified. The results from 31 strains of bacteria which were screened showed that: the nitrogenase activity was 16. 22~328. 35 nmol C2H4/(h·mL); the amount of IAA se‐ creted was 3. 85~60. 19 μg/mL;the amount of dissolved organic phosphorus was 10. 66~118. 76 μg/mL;the amount of dissolved inorganic phosphorus was 1. 42~289. 93 μg/mL; strain WGB2 was effective against Fusarium solani,Bipolaris sorokiniana,Gibberella acuminata,Fusarium graminearum and Gibberella moniliformi,and the in‐ hibition rates were 11. 85%,39. 91%,27. 64%,59. 84%,and 26. 22%,respectively. PGPR of Cerasus humilis showed that the number of bacteria on the root surface was significantly higher than that of the rhizosphere soil. Ten strains were preliminarily identified as belonging to Chryseomicrobium,Planomicrobium,Pseudomonas, Arthrobac- ter, Agrobacterium and Paenibacillus.