Role of Bacillus humi (SS4) in Management of Legume Vigna radiata (L.) Stresses Under Saline Environments Vimal Shobhit Raj1, Yadav Shikha1, Rai Pradeep Kumar2, Singh Jay Shankar1,* 1Department of Environmental Microbiology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow-226025, Uttar Pradesh, India 2Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India *Corresponding author email id: jayshankar_1@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 19 August, 2020. Abstract To reduce the application of hazardous agrochemicals in agriculture sector, an alternative eco-friendly sustainable technology is required for soil fertility and crop productivity management. Microbial services in management of stressed agriculture become highly precious technology to regenerate the soil fertility and crop productivity enhancement. In present study total twelve (12) potential salt tolerant rhizobacterial strains were isolated from unproductive saline soils of Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Out of twelve, the isolate SS4 found positive for IAA (35.15 μg mL−1) and P-solubilization (18.78 μg mL−1) activities. The isolate SS4 was further optimized for IAA and Psolubilization activities under 0–1000 mM NaCl conditions. Based on 16s r-RNA gene sequencing and BLASTn analyses, the isolate was identified as Bacillus humi strain SS4. The mung bean seeds treated with B. humi strain SS4 showed a significant improvement in MDG and GI as compare to untreated seeds. The mung bean plant growth parameters such as shoot and root length (P<0.001), fresh weight (P<0.006) and total chlorophyll (P<0.001), membrane stability index (MSI) (P<0.006) and proline (P<0.01) were improved under saline and nutritional stressed soils. Defence antioxidant enzyme activities such as CAT (P<0.001), SOD (P<0.003) and POX (P<0.001) were significantly reduced in B. humi strain SS4 inoculated mung bean plant compared to the control. Negative correlation between mung bean plant growth parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities indicate the B. humi SS4 efficacy in salinity stress managements in mung bean plants. In conclusion, salt tolerant PGPR B. humi (SS4) improves the legume mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) health by a well regulated salinity stress defence mechanisms under saline and nutrient stress environments. Top Keywords Agrochemicals, Antioxidant enzymes, PGPR, Salt and nutritional stress, Stressed agriculture. Top |