Bacterial-Mediated Salinity Stress Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.): A Fortunate Way toward Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is threatened by salinity stressbecauseof the low yield quality and low crop production. Rhizobacteria thatpromote plant growth modify physiological and molecular pathways tosupport plant development and reduce abiotic stresses. The recentstudy aimed to assess the tolerance capacity and impacts of Bacillus sp. PM31 on the growth, physiological, and molecularresponses of maize to salinity stress. In comparison to uninoculatedplants, the inoculation of Bacillus sp. PM31 improvedthe agro-morphological traits [shoot length (6%), root length (22%),plant height (16%), fresh weight (39%), dry weight (29%), leaf area(11%)], chlorophyll [Chl a (17%), Chl b (37%), total chl (22%)], carotenoids (15%), proteins (40%), sugars(43%), relative water (11%), flavonoids (22%), phenols (23%), radicalscavenging capacity (13%), and antioxidants. The Bacillus sp. PM31-inoculated plants showed a reduction in the oxidative stressindicators [electrolyte leakage (12%), H2O2 (9%),and MDA (32%)] as compared to uninoculated plants under salinity andincreased the level of osmolytes [free amino acids (36%), glycinebetaine (17%), proline (11%)]. The enhancement of plant growth undersalinity was further validated by the molecular profiling of Bacillus sp. PM31. Moreover, these physiological and molecularmechanisms were accompanied by the upregulation of stress-relatedgenes (APX and SOD). Our study found that Bacillus sp. PM31 has a crucial and substantial role in reducing salinitystress through physiological and molecular processes, which may beused as an alternative approach to boost crop production and yield.

Journal

ACS OMEGA

Year

2023

Volume

8

Issue

23

Pages

20471-20487

ISSN

2470-1343

DOI

10.1021/acsomega.3c00723

WoS UID

WOS:001006699600001