Biopriming of durum wheat seeds with Newly halotolerant PGPB bacterial isolates for improving their potential of plant growth under stressful conditions

Abstract

Worldwide salinity is one of the most severe abiotic stresses limiting crop growth and productivity.Further salt-affected area in Tunisia is fast escalating due to intrusion of saline water on arable land and use of chemicals compounds. To overcome these agricultural problems, the aim of this study is the selection of bacterial strains from saline soil sites for their capacity of promoting growth plants under stressful conditions after a seed biopriming approach.Differents biochemical parameters of plant growth were analyzed such as bacterial growth under 100 and 150 mM, phosphate solubilization, ACC metabolic pathway, AIA secretion, siderophores, HCN, antimicrobials compounds,… Four strains within fifty were selected for their high ability to produce many growth factors under stressful conditions (150mM) and promote seed germination of Tunisian var. durum wheat. Moreover, seed biopriming with strain MA13 had the highest ability of seed germination after 2 days of incubation at room temperature under obscurity light.