PJB-2025-417
FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF RHIZOBACTERIA IN WHEAT DEVELOPMENT: IN VIRO SCREENING AND POT-BASED CADMIUM STRESS ALLIVATION
Muqadas Bashir
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) toxicity is a major environmental threat that limits the growth and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by disturbing key physiological and biochemical processes. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of two plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains, Klebsiella oxytoca (H2) and Pseudomonas chlororaphis (Db-P1) to mitigate Cd-induced stress in wheat. Two experiments were conducted; an in vitro assay and a pot-based experiment. In the in vitro wheat seeds were inoculated with each strain individually and in combination. All inoculation treatments improved plant performance, with combined inoculation showing the greatest improvement in morphological and biochemical traits with increases up to 90% in germination, 105% in root length, 39.1% in shoot lengths, 83.5% in fresh biomass. Biochemical gains included increase in chlorophyll (26.3%), nitrogen (17.8%), total soluble protein (1.8-fold), proline (1.38-fold) and enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activity compared to the control. Based on in vitro performance Klebsiella oxytoca was selected for port experimentation under Cd stress (10, 20 and 30 ppm). The bacterium significantly enhanced plant growth traits including percentage germination, root and shoot length, leave lengths and leaf area number of leaves, fresh and dry biomass. Yield traits also increased, with a 3% rise in total number of trillers, 9.8% in spike length, 256% in total number of grains, and 27.5% in total grain weight. In contrast, heavy metal indices and risk assessment parameters such as bioconcentration factor (BCF) translocation factor (TF), cadmium uptake, tolerance index (TI), daily intake of cadmium (DIC) and health risk index (HRI) notably reduced. Overall, Klebsiella oxytoca exhibited significant efficiency in enhancing stress tolerance, wheat growth, and food safety under Cd-polluted soil by the metabolic regulation mechanisms and biosorption. These findings emphasize the possibility of K. oxytoca as an applicable biofertilizer for improving wheat resilience and ensuring food safety in Cd-contaminated environment.
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