Heavy Metal-Resistant Plant Growth-Promoting Citrobacter werkmanii Strain WWN1 and Enterobacter cloacae Strain JWM6 Enhance Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Growth by Modulating Physiological Attributes and Some Key Antioxidants Under Multi-Metal Stress.

ABSTRACT: Due to wastewater irrigation, heavy metal (HM) exposure of agricultural soils is a major limiting factor for crop productivity. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) may lower the risk of HM toxicity and increase crop yield. In this context, we evaluated two HM-resistant PGPB strains, i.e., Citrobacter werkmanii strain WWN1 and Enterobacter cloacae strain JWM6 isolated from wastewater-irrigated agricultural soils, for their efficacy to mitigate HM (Cd, Ni, and Pb) stress in a pot experiment. Increasing concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 ppm) of each HM were used to challenge wheat plants. Heavy metal stress negatively affected wheat growth, biomass, and physiology. The plants under elevated HM concentration accumulated significantly higher amounts of heavy metals (HMs) in s

SUBMITTER: Ajmal AW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9120770 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature