Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Isolated from the Jujube ( Ziziphus lotus ) Plant Enhance Wheat Growth, Zn Uptake, and Heavy Metal Tolerance

Nidal Fahsi, Ismail Mahdi, Abdelhalem Mesfioui, Latefa Biskri and Abdelmounaaim Allaoui
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Nidal Fahsi: Medical Application Interface Center (CIAM), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguérir 43150, Morocco
Ismail Mahdi: Medical Application Interface Center (CIAM), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguérir 43150, Morocco
Abdelhalem Mesfioui: Laboratory of Biologie & Santé, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, Morocco
Latefa Biskri: Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, CIPEM (Coalition Center, for Innovation, and Prevention of Epidemies in Morocco) (UM6P), Benguérir 43150, Morocco
Abdelmounaaim Allaoui: Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, CIPEM (Coalition Center, for Innovation, and Prevention of Epidemies in Morocco) (UM6P), Benguérir 43150, Morocco

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: In recent years, the low Zn content of wheat has become critical. Consequently, solutions that can improve the Zn nutrition of wheat are highly researched. In the present investigation, we aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria isolated from Ziziphus lotus on wheat seedling growth. Based on the phosphate-solubilizing criteria, four isolated strains, J16, J143, J146, and J158, were identified by 16SrRNA gene sequencing as Pseudomonas moraviensis , Bacillus halotolerans , Enterobacter hormaechei , and Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis, respectively. Studies of the conventional properties of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) showed that E. hormaechei J146 produced up to 550 mg·L −1 of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Siderophores and ammonia were produced by all strains but cellulase was restricted to B. halotolerans J143, whereas proteases were missing in E. hormaechei J146 and P. frederiksbergensis J158. E. hormaechei J146 tolerate up to 1.5 mg·L −1 of copper and cadmium, while B. halotolerans J143 withstood 1.5 mg·L −1 of nickel. Strains B. halotolerant J143, E. hormaechei J146, and P. frederiksbergensis J158 remarkably improved wheat seed germination, plant growth, and Zn absorption. Lastly, nutrient measurement revealed that a wheat plant inoculated with E. hormaechei J146 and P. frederiksbergensis J158 increased its nitrogen and potassium uptake by up to 17%.

Keywords: plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; jujube plant; plant–rhizobacteria interactions; phosphate solubilization; Zn solubilization; heavy metal tolerance; halotolerance; wheat seed germination; wheat Zn uptake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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