Bioformulations Derived from <i>Enterobacter</i> sp. NRRU-N13 and Oligochitosan Alleviate Drought Stress in Thai Jasmine Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L. var. KDML105)

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to increase the length, severity, and frequency of drought, which limits plant development by changing various physiological and biochemical processes. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of drought stress on indole-3-acetic and exopolysaccharide production by Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13, developed bioformulations of plant growth-promoting Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13, and evaluated the synergistic effects of these bioformulations in combination with different chitosans on the physiological responses of rice under drought stress. Drought stress inhibited the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic and exopolysaccharides by Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13. The viability and stability of Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13 in bioformulations ranged between 4.70 and 5.70 log CFU g –1 after 80 days at an ambient temperature. Oligochitosan and chitosan at 40‍ ‍mg L –1 were appropriate concentrations for improving rice seedling growth, namely, plant height, root length, shoot and root fresh weights, biomass, and the vigor index ( P <0.05). The abilities of these bioformulations, in combination with oligochitosan and chitosan, to alleviate drought stress in rice were examined. The results obtained revealed that the combined application of oligochitosan (40‍ ‍mg L –1 ) and the FON13 bioformulation (filter cake+40‍ ‍mg kg –1 oligochitosan+10% Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13) exerted the strongest synergistic effects to alleviate drought stress in rice plants by increasing ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities, chlo­rophyll concentrations, and relative water content and suppressing proline accumulation and electrolyte leakage from rice plants under drought stress. The present results indicate that the application of oligochitosan combined with these bioformulations effectively improved plant physiology and development. Therefore, the combined application of oligochitosan and a bioformulation of Enterobacter sp. NRRU-N13 is recommended to alleviate drought stress in rice plants.