Plant defense promoting potential of novel endophytic Bacillus mycoid in combination with rock phosphate under contaminated soil

Abstract

Abstract The industrial wastes comprise toxic heavy metals in huge amount which is adequate to cause noxiousness to crop plants. The zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) are nutrients that are crucial for plant life especially for plants growth but these elements are poisonous to plants when they are present in high concentrations. The present study was conducted to isolate endophytic bacteria from Vibernum grandiflorum and to assess the endophytic bacterial strain Bacillus mycoid (Acc MW979613) and Rock phosphate potential to overcome the stress of zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) toxicity on wheat plant. The concentration of nickel (Ni) (100mg/kg) and zinc (Zn) (100mg/kg) was used and eight different treatments applications were made by using Bacillus mycoid (Acc MW979613) and rock phosphate. Rock phosphate (0.2g/kg) was added in soil and experiment was conducted using complete randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The results showed that Bacillus mycoid and application of rock phosphate (RP) significantly affected the plant growth and defense system. The treatment T12 was most prominent in which the shoot length was 57%, leaf width was 13%, protein content was 20% and sugar content was 34% higher than control respectively. In (T3) Cu content was 128%, Ca content was 219% and K content was 85% and in (T4) Mn content was 326%,Na content was 449% and K content was 84% respectively. It is concluded that Zn and Ni adversely affected the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) plant; however combine application of Bacillus mycoid and Rock phosphate (RP) suppressed the toxicity of zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) and increased plant growth, enzymes activity and nutrients uptake in wheat plants. The novel endophytic bacteria (Bacillus mycoid) and rock phosphate can be useful in combination to overcome metal stress which can improve plants growth and yield.