Use of PGPR Biotechnology to Mitigate Salinity Stress in WheatPaperback, 28 July 2011

Salinity is one of the major constraints, whichhamper agricultural production. The higherconcentration of salts in root zone may stimulateendogenous ethylene biosynthesis in roots, whichconsequently inhibits its growth. One of the majormechanism utilized by plant growth promotingrhizobacteria (PGPR) to facilitate plant growth anddevelopment is the lowering of ethylene levels in theplant roots by deamination of1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), theimmediate precursor of ethylene in plants. In thegiven study, three pre-isolated bacterial strainshaving ACC deaminase activity were used forinoculation of wheat seeds. Inoculated seeds weresown in salt affected field, fertilized with NPK@120-100-60 kg ha-1, respectively. Data regardingvarious growth parameters and yield parameters wasrecorded at the time of harvesting and statisticallyanalyzed. From data it was concluded that plantgrowth promoting rhizobacteria containingACC-deaminase activity can enhance the growth andyield of wheat under salinity stress field conditionsand the strain ACC10 performs the best.