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Induction of Paenibacillus lentimorbus biofilm by sodium alginate and CaCl 2 alleviates drought stress in chickpea
Author(s) -
Khan N.,
Mishra A.,
Chauhan P.S.,
Nautiyal C.S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.2011.00502.x
Subject(s) - biology , rhizosphere , germination , biofilm , osmoprotectant , agronomy , horticulture , proline , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , amino acid
Drought is a major environmental factor that limits chickpea production. An improvement in the adaption of crop to the fluctuating environmental conditions is therefore a major aim in chickpea breeding. However, the complexity of the trait has allowed only marginal progress. Our findings provide a solution to the current situation in the form of improved plant‐growth‐promoting effects caused by the biofilm formation of Paenibacillus lentimorbus B‐30488 (B‐30488) under water‐limiting conditions. In vitro assays demonstrating the biofilm‐forming ability of B‐30488 and the factors enhancing it were studied. Greenhouse experiments were conducted for validating the in vitro results and assessing the effect of seed coating supplements in alleviating drought stress effects in chickpea seedlings. The chickpea seed bacterisation with B‐30488 along with sodium alginate (1%) and CaCl 2 (1 mM) caused an increase in germination percent and increased colony‐forming units (CFU) of B‐30488 in rhizosphere, resulting in amelioration of drought stress by positively influencing the dehydration‐induced physiological responses. The whole study reflects a prospective role of sodium alginate and CaCl 2 in influencing the biofilm formation of B‐30488, and depicts the assistance of seed coating supplements in stress adaptation and protection of plants by alleviation of drought stress effects in chickpea without causing any major changes in the functional diversity of soil micro‐organisms.