Induction of Paenibacillus lentimorbus biofilm by sodium alginate and CaCl2 alleviates drought stress in chickpea.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Khan, N.; Mishra, A.; Chauhan, P.S.; Nautiyal, C.S.
- Source
- Annals of Applied Biology. Nov2011, Vol. 159 Issue 3, p372-386. 15p.
- Subject
- *GRAM-positive bacteria
*BIOFILMS
*ALGINATES
*SODIUM alginate
*CALCIUM chloride
*CHICKPEA
*DROUGHTS & the environment
*RHIZOSPHERE
- Language
- ISSN
- 0003-4746
Drought is a major environmental factor that limits chickpea production. An improvement in the adaption of crop to the fluctuating environmental conditions is therefore a major aim in chickpea breeding. However, the complexity of the trait has allowed only marginal progress. Our findings provide a solution to the current situation in the form of improved plant-growth-promoting effects caused by the biofilm formation of Paenibacillus lentimorbus B-30488 (B-30488) under water-limiting conditions. In vitro assays demonstrating the biofilm-forming ability of B-30488 and the factors enhancing it were studied. Greenhouse experiments were conducted for validating the in vitro results and assessing the effect of seed coating supplements in alleviating drought stress effects in chickpea seedlings. The chickpea seed bacterisation with B-30488 along with sodium alginate (1%) and CaCl2 (1 mM) caused an increase in germination percent and increased colony-forming units (CFU) of B-30488 in rhizosphere, resulting in amelioration of drought stress by positively influencing the dehydration-induced physiological responses. The whole study reflects a prospective role of sodium alginate and CaCl2 in influencing the biofilm formation of B-30488, and depicts the assistance of seed coating supplements in stress adaptation and protection of plants by alleviation of drought stress effects in chickpea without causing any major changes in the functional diversity of soil micro-organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]