National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692 Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Drought has major impacts on Indian agriculture and it is known to reduce seed germination and plant development by influencing physiological and biochemical functions of plants. Imparting drought tolerance through microorganisms is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method. In the present investigation, seven bacterial strains isolated from drought stressed habitats were tested for their osmotolerance and ability to help mustard to withstand drought stress. Strains NSRSSS-1 followed by MRD-17 and MKS-6 found to grow well in 30% PEG 6000 induced osmotic stress compared to other strains. Drastic reduction in growth was observed in 40% PEG 6000 in all strains. These strains were studied for mustard seed germination promotion under osmotic stress condition. Inoculation with MRD-17, MKS-6, MCL-1 and MMS-5 recorded more than 90 % percent germination at 48 h and highest seedling fresh weight was observed in seedlings inoculated with MRD-17 followed by MKS-6 and MCL-1. Strains MRD-17 and MKS-6 selected for further experiments. Bacterial strains MKS-6 and MRD-17 were further tested for growth promotion under water deficit stress. Seedling length and vigour (in vitro) were enhanced under both control and osmotic stress condition due to inoculation with MKS-6 and MRD-17. At both sterile and unsterile conditions (in vivo), shoot and root dry weight at 15 and 30 DAS were also improved upon inoculation with MRD-17 and MKS-6 under control as well as under drought stress condition. Rhizobacteria MKS-6 and MRD-17 found to have ability to induce drought tolerance in mustard and can be used to develop bioinoculants for mustard drought stress alleviation.
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