Co-Inoculation of Common Bean with Rhizobium and Azospirillum Enhance the Drought Tolerance

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Co-Inoculation of Common Bean with Rhizobium and Azospirillum Enhance the Drought Tolerance F. Steinera, *, C. E. da Silva Oliveiraa, **, T. Zoza, A. M. Zuffob, and R. S. de Freitasc aMato

Grosso do Sul State University—UEMS, Department Agronomy, Cassilândia, MS, Brazil Grosso do Sul Federal University—UFMS, Department Agronomy, Chapadão do Sul, MS, Brazil c Agronomic Institute of Campinas—IAC, Centro de Seringueira e Sistemas Agroflorestais, Votuporanga, São Paulo, Brazil *e-mail: [email protected] **e-mail: [email protected] bMato

Received January 18, 2020; revised February 25, 2020; accepted March 11, 2020

Abstract—Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been shown to reduce the negative effects of drought on numerous plant species, but these effects are unknown for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop. The study aimed to investigate the effects of inoculation with Rhizobium tropici, Azospirillum brasilense and the co-inoculation with both rhizobacteria on the nodulation, growth and tolerance of common bean plants to drought stress. Three water replenishment regimes [100% of pot capacity (non-stress control), 50% of pot capacity (moderate stress) and 25% of pot capacity (severe stress)] and four seed inoculation treatments: control (non-inoculated), inoculation with R. tropici, inoculation with A. brasilense; and co-inoculation with R. tropici and A. brasilense were studied in an experiment arranged in a 3 × 4 factorial scheme with four replicates. Relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index, nodulation, relative chlorophyll index, plant growth, and grain production were recorded. The inoculation of common bean plants with R. tropici and A. brasilense, and the co-inoculation improved leaf membrane stability and minimized the water loss from leaf tissue of plants under water stress conditions. Plants co-inoculated with R. tropici and A. brasilense had greater nodulation and relative chlorophyll index under severe drought stress. The inoculation with A. brasilense and the co-inoculation can attenuate the pod abortion rate of bean plants under moderate drought conditions but had no effect under severe stress conditions. Co-inoculation of A. brasilense and R. tropici alleviate the negative effects of water stress and maintain growth and grain yield of the common bean plants, and therefore, this management practice can be used by common bean farmers to enhance the plant tolerance to drought. Keywords: Phaseolus vulgaris, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, inoculation, water stress DOI: 10.1134/S1021443720050167

INTRODUCTION Brazil is one of the largest consumers and producers of the common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), one of the major sources of protein and iron and other nutrients around the world. However, although the country is among the world’s largest bean producers, the average productivity of the crop is relatively low. In the 2018 harvest, the average grain yield of the crop was 1300 kg/ha [1], considered very low, since the crop has the potential for yie