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Multi-trait PGP rhizobacterial endophytes alleviate drought stress in a senescent genotype of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

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Abstract

Root-tissue colonizing bacteria demonstrated with multiple PGP traits from sorghum plants were identified as Ochrobactrum sp. EB-165, Microbacterium sp. EB-65, Enterobacter sp. EB-14 and Enterobacter cloacae strain EB-48 on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Here, the in vivo experiments using ½-MS media and ½-MS media + 15% PEG 8000 (for inducing drought stress) indicated stress tolerance imparting ability of these rhizobacterial endophytes in a non-stay green and senescent genotype (R-16) of sorghum. In the experiment with sterile soilrite mix base, seed bacterization with these isolates showed improved plant growth specifically the roots, in terms of root length (~ 44.2 to 50.8% over controls), root dry weight (~ 91.3 to 99.8% over controls) and root surface area (~ 1 to 1.5 fold over controls) under drought stress. Rhizobacterial endophytes were successful, not only in providing better cellular osmotic adjustment in leaves (≥ 1-fold increase in proline accumulation over controls), but favorable physiological responses like Relative Water Content (RWC) and cell Membrane Stability Index (MSI) in the inoculated plants during the drought stress induction. Up-regulation of drought responsive genes like sbP5CS2 and sbP5CS1 was observed in these endophytes-treated plants as compared to untreated control and Escherichia coli DH5α (negative control)-treated plants. Interestingly, the stress imparting traits of rhizobacterial endophytes, including up-regulation of specific genes, were observed during sorghum seedling growth only under drought stresses. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that the potential endophytic rhizobacterial interactions can contribute to plant growth promotion as well as induced stress tolerance in sorghum.

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Acknowledgements

The first author expresses his gratitude to Dr. H S Talwar, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, India for providing seeds of sorghum stay green and non-stay green genotypes. Thanks are due to Dr. S. V. Ramesh, ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, India and Dr. P. Panneerselvam, ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack, India for critically going through the manuscript. We are grateful to the Director, ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati for providing necessary laboratory facilities. The authors are also thankful to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi for funding this study (Project Ref. No.: IXX08578).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Drought Stress Management, ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Malegaon, Baramati, Pune, Maharashtra, 413115, India

    Venkadasamy Govindasamy, Priya George, Mahesh Kumar, Lalitkumar Aher, Susheel Kumar Raina, Jagadish Rane & Paramjit Singh Minhas

  2. Division of Microbiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Venkadasamy Govindasamy & Kannepalli Annapurna

  3. ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, 190007, India

    Susheel Kumar Raina

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  1. Venkadasamy Govindasamy
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  8. Paramjit Singh Minhas
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Contributions

VG conceived and designed the study, performed the experiments and data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. PG maintained the endophyte seed stocks, grew plants, helped in data recording, growth analysis of plant samples and wrote the manuscript. LA grew plants, helped in data recording and molecular analysis of plant samples. MK and SKR helped in physiological measurements and data analysis. KA helped in editing the manuscript. JR supervised the study and revised the manuscript. PSM coordinated the project. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Venkadasamy Govindasamy.

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Govindasamy, V., George, P., Kumar, M. et al. Multi-trait PGP rhizobacterial endophytes alleviate drought stress in a senescent genotype of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. 3 Biotech 10, 13 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-019-2001-4

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