Drought response of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. inoculated with ACC deaminase and IAA producing rhizobacteria

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 2; p. e0191218
• Main Authors: Saleem, Aansa Rukya, Brunetti, Cecilia, Khalid, Azeem, Della Rocca, Gianni, Raio, Aida, Emiliani, Giovanni, De Carlo, Anna, Mahmood, Tariq, Centritto, Mauro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 15-02-2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase; Abiotic stress; Agricultural production; Bacteria; Biology and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Councils; Cowhage; Drought; Drought conditions; Drought resistance; Droughts; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Emission analysis; Emissions; Environmental aspects; Enzymes; Ethylene; Farming systems; Genetic aspects; Growth; Hormones; Immunological tolerance; Influence; Inoculation; Isoprene; Italy; Leaves; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolism; Microorganisms; Morocco; Morphology; Mucuna pruriens; Pakistan; Performance enhancement; Photosynthesis; Physical Sciences; Physiology; Piano; Plant evolution; Plant growth; Plant resistance; Plants (botany); Probiotics; Rain; Rainfed farming; Rhizosphere; Rhizosphere microorganisms; Roots; Strains (organisms); Trees; Vigna radiata; Water availability; Water deficit; Morocco; Italy; Pakistan; Islamabad Pakistan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191218

Drought is one of the major constraints limiting agricultural production worldwide and is expected to increase in the future. Limited water availability causes significant effects to plant growth and physiology. Plants have evolved different traits to mitigate the stress imposed by drought. The presence of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could play an important role in improving plant performances and productivity under drought. These beneficial microorganisms colonize the rhizosphere of plants and increase drought tolerance by lowering ethylene formation. In the present study, we demonstrate the potential to improve the growth of velvet bean under water deficit conditions of two different strains of PGPR with ACCd (1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate deaminase) activity isolated from rainfed farming system. We compared uninoculated and inoculated plants with PGPR to assess: a) photosynthetic performance and biomass; b) ACC content and ethylene emission from leaves and roots; c) leaf isoprene emission. Our results provided evidence that under drought conditions inoculation with PGPR containing the ACCd enzyme could improve plant growth compared to untreated plants. Ethylene emission from roots and leaves of inoculated velvet bean plants was significantly lower than uninoculated plants. Moreover, isoprene emission increased with drought stress progression and was higher in inoculated plants compared to uninoculated counterparts. These findings clearly illustrate that selected PGPR strains isolated from rainfed areas could be highly effective in promoting plant growth under drought conditions by decreasing ACC and ethylene levels in plants.