Integrated Application of ACC-Deaminase Containing Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Biogas Slurry Improves the Growth and Productivity of Wheat under Drought Stress

摘要

Drought is one of the major environmental threats to global food security. The application of ACC-deaminase containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is effective to ameliorate the adverse effects of drought stress. Biogas slurry (BGS) improves water holding capacity of soil and enhances the soil fertility status thus promoting productivity of crops. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the integrated use of ACC-deaminase containing PGPR and biogas slurry to improve growth and yield of wheat crop under drought stress. Wheat seeds were inoculated with strains of Alcaligenes faecalis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Pseudomonas moraviensis alone and in combination with BGS @ 600 kg ha-1. The crop was subjected to water deficit stress at various water holding capacity (WHC) levels i.e., 100, 70 and 50% WHC. The results revealed that the drought stress adversely effects on growth, biochemical and yield parameters of wheat. However, application of PGPR with biogas slurry enhanced wheat growth under drought stressed conditions. The P. moraviensis inoculation amended with BGS resulted significantly better in increasing the grain and biological yield (up to 46.7 and 40.5%, respectively) at 50% WHC level than the respective uninoculated control. Similarly, PGPR inoculation amended with BGS enhanced the mineral nutrients i.e., nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus contents in straw and grains of wheat. It was concluded that the PGPR application amended with BGS could be used as an efficient strategy to improve wheat growth and yield under water deficit stressed conditions.