Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Improve the Growth of Persea americana var. Zutano under Salt Stress Conditions

Abstract

In Peru, almost 50% of the national agricultural products come from the coast, highlighting the production of avocado. Much of this area has saline soils. Beneficial microorganisms can favorably contribute to mitigating the effect of salinity on crops. Two trials were carried out with var. Zutano to evaluate the role of native rhizobacteria and two Glomeromycota fungi, one from a fallow (GFI) and the other from a saline soil (GWI), in mitigating salinity in avocado: (i) the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, and (ii) the effect of inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi on salt stress tolerance. Rhizobacteria P. plecoglissicida, and B. subtilis contributed to decrease the accumulation of chlorine, potassium and sodium in roots, compared to the uninoculated control, while contributing to the accumulation of potassium in the leaves. Mycorrhizae increased the accumulation of sodium, potassium, and chlorine ions in the leaves at a low saline level. GWI decreased the accumulation of sodium in the leaves compared to the control (1.5 g NaCl without mycorrhizae) and was more efficient than GFI in increasing the accumulation of potassium in leaves and reducing chlorine root accumulation. The beneficial microorganisms tested are promising in the mitigation of salt stress in avocado.

Evaluation of the growth-inducing efficacy of various Bacillus species on the salt-stressed tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

“…Karlidag et al (2013) discovered that PGPR inoculation enhanced the Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , K, and P content of strawberry leaf and root in comparison to non-inoculated plants in salinity conditions. Soloŕzano-Acosta et al (2023) found that Rhizobacteria Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, and Bacillus subtilis contributed to the accumulation of potassium in the leaves, compared to the uninoculated control under salt stress condition.…”