The Effect of Bacterial Treatment in Combination with Humic Substances on Growth, Indicators of Oxidative Stress and Water Relations of Wheat Plants under Soil Water Shortage

• Published in: Russian journal of plant physiology 2023-12, Vol.70 (8), p.200-200, Article 200
• Main Authors: Timergalin, M. D., Feoktistova, A. V., Kendjieva, A. A., Nazarov, A. M., Chetverikov, S. P., Kudoyarova, G. R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2,4-D; Arable land; Bacteria; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chlorophyll; Crop yield; Drought; Grain crops; grain yield; Hormones; humates; Humic acids; Humic substances; hydraulic conductivity; Indicators; Life Sciences; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; malondialdehyde; Moisture content; Oxidative stress; Peroxidation; Plant growth; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plants (botany); Pseudomonas plecoglossicida; Research Papers; rhizosphere bacteria; Soil bacteria; Soil microorganisms; Soil water; Water balance; Water content; Water damage; Water relations; Water shortages; water stress; Wheat
• ISSN: 1021-4437; 1608-3407
• DOI: 10.1134/S1021443723602409

Maintaining the yield of grain crops under conditions of soil water deficiency is one of the most pressing problems facing arable farmers. We examine the extent to which the damaging effects of water deficiency stress on plant growth can be decreased by introduction of rhizobacteria in combination with humic substances. It has been established previously that soil bacteria can promote plant growth under dry conditions and raise crop yield. Here we describe effects of bacterium Pseudomonas plecoglossicida (2,4-D strain) alone and in combination with humic substances (humates and fulvates) on wheat plants under water deficiency. We measured growth, chlorophyll, oxidative stress indicators and plant water balance. Drought alone inhibited plant growth, decreased chlorophyll concentrations, relative water content (RWC) and hydraulic conductivity of the plants. At the same time, concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker for lipid peroxidation, increased in both shoots and roots. When soil was amended with P. plecoglossicida these drought responses were diminished and the effect was enhanced if humates and fulvates were also added to the soil. An involvement of hormones produced by the bacterium in explaining the positive action of P. plecoglossicida 2,4-D on drought-stressed wheat plants is discussed.