Microbes mediated mitigation of abiotic stresses in agriculture

Crop yields are limited by major biotic and abiotic stresses. Various studies had been suggested that abiotic stresses like drought, flood and salinity play a major role in limiting crop yield. Heavy metal contamination is also a major problem in the agriculture sector.

A pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of inoculating bacterial strains on the wheat plant under various stress conditions. The bacteria were isolated and screened from drought, flood and heavy metal stressed soil samples. The selected strains were identified by morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. The ability of Acinetobacter junni S1, Acinetobacter junni S2, Leclercia adecarboxylata and Klebsiella variicola to stimulate the growth of plants were determined by pot experiment using a completely randomized design. The positive effect of isolates on seed germination per cent, shoot and root length of the treated wheat plant were recorded. Analysis of soil samples from pots was carried out for evaluation of the presence of macro and micronutrients.

The pots inoculated with selected isolates showed a significant increase in pH 7.77, EC 2.11, carbon 0.78, nitrogen 30.83 kg/ha, phosphorus 2.95 kg/ha, potassium 535.32 kg/ha, zinc 0.15 ppm, manganese 0.376 ppm, iron 0.53 ppm and copper 0.15 ppm as compared to control. The chlorophyll content estimation was carried out by using Arnon's method. The chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll was found to be 14.39, 39.74 and 38.75 respectively.