Abstract

                               A pot culture study was conducted to evaluate the effect of rice apoplastic fluid ACCD (aminocyclopropane-1 carboxylate deaminase)containing endophyte, Sphingobium yanoikuyae MH394206 on moisture stress alleviating potential in rice (CO51). Impact of this organism was compared with plant growth promoting bacterial inoculants such as Methylorubrum sp, (pink pigmented facultative methylotroph-PPFM) and Bacillus altitudinis FD48. The effect was assessed in terms of changes in growth and morpho-physiological characteristics of rice grown in 75% moisture stress. Seed application of these bacterial cultures enhanced plant growth and stress-related parameters like total phenolic content, proline accumulation and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase (PO), catalase (CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) compared to uninoculated moisture stressed control. The effect was more significant (P>0.05%) due to Sphingobium yanoikuyae MH394206. Further studies are needed to find out the mechanism of plant growth promotion under stress by Sphingobium yanoikuyae MH394206.

Key words : Moisture stress, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, relative water content, antioxidant enzymes