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Volatile organic compounds produced by Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes alleviated drought stress by modulating defense system in maize ( Zea mays L.)
Author(s) -
Yasmin Humaira,
Rashid Urooj,
Hassan Muhammad Nadeem,
Nosheen Asia,
Naz Rabia,
Ilyas Noshin,
Sajjad Muhammad,
Azmat Ammar,
Alyemeni Mohammed Nasser
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/ppl.13304
Subject(s) - proline , shoot , germination , drought tolerance , dimethyl disulfide , botany , abscisic acid , food science , pseudomonas , biology , chemistry , photosynthesis , horticulture , bacteria , biochemistry , amino acid , sulfur , genetics , organic chemistry , gene
Research on plant growth‐promoting bacteria (PGPR) revealed an effective role of bacterial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in stress alleviation. Out of 15 PGPR strains, infection with VOCs from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes ' resulted in maximum germination, growth promotion, and drought tolerance in maize plants. The VOCs of P. pseudoalcaligenes caused induced systemic tolerance in maize plants during 7 days of drought stress. The VOCs exposed plants displayed resistance to drought stress by reducing electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content and increasing the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, proline, and phytohormones contents. Maize plants revealed enhanced resistance by showing higher activities of antioxidant defense enzymes both in shoots and roots under drought stress. Activities of antioxidant enzymes were more pronounced in shoots than roots. Gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometric (GC–MS) analysis comparing VOCs produced by the most efficient P. pseudoalcaligenes strain and inefficient strains of Pseudomonas sp. grown in culture media revealed nine compounds that they had in common. However, dimethyl disulfide, 2,3‐butanediol, and 2‐pentylfuran were detected only in P. pseudoalcaligenes , indicating these compounds are potential candidates for drought stress induction. Further studies are needed to unravel the molecular mechanisms of VOCs‐mediated systemic drought tolerance in plants related to each identified VOC.