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Amelioration effect of chromium-tolerant bacteria on growth, physiological properties and chromium mobilization in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under chromium stress

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Abstract

In this study, chromium (Cr)-tolerant bacteria were test for their efficiency in alleviating Cr stress in Cicer arietinum plants. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene analysis, the isolates were identified belonging to genus Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus thuringiensis B. cereus, and B. subtilis. The strains produced a considerable amount of indole-3-acetic acid in a medium supplemented with tryptophan. The strains also showed siderophore production (S2VWR5 and S3VKR17), phosphorus production (S1VKR11, S3VKR2, S3VKR16, and S2VWR5), and potassium solubilization (S3VKR2, S2VWR5, and S3VKR17). Furthermore, the strains were evaluated in pot experiments to assess the growth promotion of C. arietinum in the presence of chromium salts. Bacterization improved higher root and shoot length considerably to 6.25%–60.41% and 11.3%–59.6% over the control. The plants also showed increase in their fresh weight and dry weight in response to inoculation with Cr-tolerant strains. The accumulation of Cr was higher in roots compared to shoots in both control and inoculated plants, indicating phytostabilization of Cr by C. arietinum. However, phytostabilization was found to be improved manifold in inoculated plants. Apart from the plant attributes, the amendment of soil with Cr and Cr-tolerant bacteria significantly increased the content of total chlorophyll and carotenoids, suggesting the inoculant’s role in protecting plants from deleterious effects. This work suggests that the combined activity of Cr-tolerant and plant growth–promoting (PGP) properties of the tested strains could be exploited for bioremediation of Cr and to enhance the C. arietinum cultivation in Cr-contaminated soils.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the management of the Uka Tarsadia University for providing research promotion scheme fund to carry out the work. They also thank GSBTM for 16S rRNA gene sequencing; Mahuva Sugar Factory, Mahuva, for physicochemical studies; and Dr. N. B. Patel, Head of the Sophisticated Scientific Instrumentation Center (SSIC), VNSGU, Surat, for providing access to AAS facilities.

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  1. C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Maliba Campus, Bardoli, Surat, Gujarat, 394 350, India

    Desai Shreya, Hardik Naik Jinal & Natarajan Amaresan

  2. Department of Biosciences, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India

    Vinodbhai Patel Kartik

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  1. Desai Shreya
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  2. Hardik Naik Jinal
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Correspondence to Natarajan Amaresan.

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Shreya, D., Jinal, H.N., Kartik, V.P. et al. Amelioration effect of chromium-tolerant bacteria on growth, physiological properties and chromium mobilization in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under chromium stress. Arch Microbiol 202, 887–894 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-019-01801-1

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