Efficacy of Rhizobium and Pseudomonas strains to improve physiology, ionic balance and quality of mung bean under salt-affected conditions on farmer's fields

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 63; pp. 170 - 176
• Main Authors: Ahmad, Maqshoof, Zahir, Zahir A., Khalid, Muhammad, Nazli, Farheen, Arshad, Muhammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01-02-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase; adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; carbon dioxide; chlorophyll; crops; ethylene; Fabaceae - drug effects; Fabaceae - metabolism; Fabaceae - microbiology; farmers; field experimentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; mung beans; nutrient balance; phosphorus; photosynthesis; Physiology; plant anatomy; plant growth; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; Plant physiology and development; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas - physiology; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Quality; Rhizobium; Rhizobium - physiology; Rhizobium phaseoli; Salinity; Salinity stress; salt stress; Salts - pharmacology; senescence; stomatal conductance; water content; water use efficiency; Salinity stress; Physiology; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Rhizobium phaseoli; Quality; Pseudomonadales; Cultivated field; Symbiont; Stress; Salinity; Strain; Plant physiology; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Rhizobiaceae; Balance
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2012.11.024

High ethylene concentration under different environmental stresses such as salinity is one of the contributing factors for premature senescence of different plant parts. Plants under salinity stress produce increased levels of ethylene which inhibit the plant growth and physiology thus deteriorating the quality of the produce. Some plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to improve quality of crops through reduction in detrimental effects of salinity on plant growth and physiology by lowering endogenous level of ethylene along with other mechanisms. Two field trials were conducted to evaluate the Rhizobium and Pseudomonas containing ACC-deaminase for their efficacy to reduce the effect of salinity on physiology, ionic and nutrient balance of mung bean. Results showed that salinity stress adversely affected the physiological parameters of mung bean. It decreased the CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance of water, relative water content, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and chlorophyll contents in mung bean but inoculation of either Rhizobium or Pseudomonas alone reduced adverse effect of salinity significantly. However, co-inoculation with Rhizobium and Pseudomonas was the most effective treatment and it diluted the adverse effects of salinity on relative water contents and CO2 assimilation rate thus improving the photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency and chlorophyll content over the un-inoculated control. Co-inoculation improved the ionic balance and also increased the phosphorus and protein concentration in grain of mung bean. The results suggested that these strains could be effectively used to improve the growth, physiology and quality of mung bean under salt-affected conditions.
► Study is conducted under salt-affected conditions on farmer's fields. ► Rhizobium and Pseudomonas strains were tested on mung bean as test crop. ► Salinity stress adversely affected the physiology and ionic balance of mung bean. ► Combined use of Rhizobium and Pseudomonas was highly effective under salinity. ► These strains could be effectively used as co-inoculant biofertilizer under stress.