PJB-2019-961
BIO-INVIGORATION OF RHIZOBACTERIA WITH EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF SALICYLIC ACID AND GLYCINE BETAINE IMPROVED DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN SUNFLOWER.
Muhammad Shahid Siddique Siddique
Abstract
Water deficit drastically hampers sunflower crop productivity under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Bio-invigoration of ACC deaminase rhizobacteria and foliar spray of chemicals like glycine betaine and salicylic acid alleviated negative effects of drought stress in crop plants. A field experiment in RCBD design with split plot arrangements was performed for two consecutive years. Treatments were comprised of two levels of moisture regimes and nine combinations of rhizobacterial strains i.e. KS7 and KS42 with glycine betaine (GB) and salicylic acid (SA). Soil moisture was monitored with the help of Time Domain Reflectometer on weekly basis. The inocula of strains were applied as seed coating. While foliar spray of salicylic acid @ 0.724 mM and glycine betaine @ 100 mM was executed at vegetative and flowering stage. The results elucidated that treatment combinations KS42&GB, KS7&GB, KS42&SA and KS42 caused more negative leaf osmotic potential and less negative leaf water potential that noticeably improved leaf turgor potential, leaf relative water content, water use efficiency, leaf proline, leaf glycine betaine, total soluble sugar and achene yield over control. In conclusion, this novel approach of using biological and chemical means together could alleviate drought stress in sunflower.
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