Cyanobacteria Mediated Enhancement of Drought Stress Tolerance in Wheat Genotypes

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Date
2023
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DIVISION OF MICROBIOLOGY ICAR - INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI-110012
Abstract
Drought stress is one of the most serious constraints that limit agricultural productivity worldwide and affect the food security. Management of drought stress is therefore important to sustain the agricultural productivity to feed the population. The cyanobacteria are emerging as potential candidates in this regard. In the present study, experiments were conducted to assess the desiccation tolerance of Anabaena species. Based on physiological parameters and multivariate analysis A. fertilissima and A. variablis were identified as most tolerant. Ten cyanobacterial strains isolated from the desert areas of Pokhran, Rajasthan, India were identified on the basis of morphological and molecular attributes. The cyanobacterial isolates Hapalosiphon sp. (SGR2), Nostoc sp. (SGR3), Anabaena sp. (SGR7), Neowestiellopsis sp. (SGR8) and Fischerella sp. (SGR16) grew optimally at desiccation level (10% w/v polyethylene glycol). They showed higher activity of antioxidant enzymes, exopolysaccharide production and plant growth promoting traits. The isolates Nostoc sp. (SGR3) and Neowestiellopsis sp. (SGR8) were selected for their establishment in liquid and soil microcosm and these studies did not show any antagonism due to combined inoculation. Neowestiellopsis sp. (SGR8) exhibited the highest soil chlorophyll content and nitrogenase activity. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the application of Nostoc sp. (SGR3) and Neowestiellopsis sp. (SGR8) on wheat cultivars. Growth and several of the physiological parameters were inhibited due to drought stress (25% FC). However, under drought stress conditions the cyanobacterial inoculation by Neowestiellopsis sp. (SGR8) enhanced the growth as well as physiological characteristics during the tillering and anthesis stages. Cyanobacterial inoculation helped the plants to maintain redox status through efficient modulation of antioxidant enzymes. It was also observed that under drought stress and cyanobacterial inoculation helped in the maintenance of root system architecture and development of roots. The cyanobacterial inoculation also improved the soil chemical and biological properties such as available nitrogen, available phosphorous, dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass carbon under drought stress. Improvement in the yield parameters were also recorded in wheat plants exposed to drought and cyanobacterial inoculation. Protein profiling through two￾dimensional gel electrophoresis and nano-LC-MS/MS showed the differential expression of proteins related to drought tolerance due to cyanobacterial inoculation. The overall results show the potential of cyanobacterial inoculation in the effective management of drought stress in wheat.
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