PJB-2021-768
WHEAT DROUGHT RESILIENCE THROUGH PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA, L-TRYPTOPHAN AND POLYSACCHARIDES
AHMAD SHAIR
Abstract
Drought is the most important abiotic stress that threatens the production and growth of wheat globally. Drought stress at different growth phases of wheat crop most likely at flowering and grain filling stages show severe reduction in wheat growth and yield. This study aims at the sustainable production of wheat under drought conditions by using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), polysaccharides and L-tryptophan. Wheat seeds were coated with Bacillus, L-tryptophan and polysaccharides as per treatment before sowing. The coated seeds were sown in field after the application of recommended dose of fertilizers (NPK at 120:90:90 kg ha-1). Drought was applied by skipping irrigation at different stages of growth like tillering (D1), booting (D2), and grain filling (D3). The trial was arranged as per split plot design. All the recommended steps for agronomy and plant protection were implemented uniformly. Data regarding growth, yield and mineral nutrition were collected from the field trial. Data collected was analyzed using split plot design. Results show that application of BS1.5 inoculation improved all yield, growth and physiological parameters of wheat with respect to the control treatment under all water limited conditions. Applied treatments also implement positive impact on spike length, grain yield and number of fertile tillers per square meter. However, the application of BS1.5 treatment significantly enhanced plant height (36%), spike length (86%), fresh weight (69%), dry weight (46%), number of grains/spike (42%), number of fertile tillers/m2 (43.37%), chlorophyll contents (52%), water use efficiency (51%), transpiration rate (47%), photosynthetic rate (64%), potassium percentage (47%), nitrogen percentage (143%) and phosphorous percentage (66%) under drought stress conditions. Therefore, it is suggested that the application of BS1.5 inoculation treatment at all drought stages was very effective approach for ameliorating the drought stress impacts in wheat.
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