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- Title
Bacterial Endophytes from Legumes Native to Arid Environments Are Promising Tools to Improve Mesorhizobium –Chickpea Symbiosis under Salinity.
- Authors
Ben Gaied, Roukaya; Sbissi, Imed; Tarhouni, Mohamed; Brígido, Clarisse
- Abstract
Simple Summary: Soil salinity is increasing worldwide and is a major environmental issue that affects soil fertility and agricultural productivity. In this study, we show that the early events of the Mesorhizobium-chickpea symbiosis are negatively affected by salinity due to substantial changes in the composition of phenolic compounds of chickpea root exudates, which in turn affect the perception and response of its microsymbiont. In addition, the use of non-rhizobial nodule endophytes from legumes native to arid regions proved to be a promising strategy to improve legume growth and to enhance Mesorhizobium-chickpea symbiosis under salinity. In conclusion, this study helps to extend our knowledge on the detrimental effects of salinity on legume-rhizobium symbiosis and highlights the potential use of beneficial nodule bacteria as biological tools to maintain a healthier rhizobium–legume symbiosis, thus enhancing the growth of salt-sensitive legumes under salinity conditions. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is a major contributor of N in agricultural ecosystems, but the establishment of legume–rhizobium symbiosis is highly affected by soil salinity. Our interest is focused on the use of non-rhizobial endophytes to assist the symbiosis between chickpea and its microsymbiont under salinity to avoid loss of production and fertility. Our aims were (1) to investigate the impact of salinity on both symbiotic partners; including on early events of the Mesorhizobium-chickpea symbiosis, and (2) to evaluate the potential of four non-rhizobial endophytes isolated from legumes native to arid regions (Phyllobacterium salinisoli, P. ifriqiyense, Xanthomonas translucens, and Cupriavidus respiraculi) to promote chickpea growth and nodulation under salinity. Our results show a significant reduction in chickpea seed germination rate and in the microsymbiont Mesorhizobium ciceri LMS-1 growth under different levels of salinity. The composition of phenolic compounds in chickpea root exudates significantly changed when the plants were subjected to salinity, which in turn affected the nod genes expression in LMS-1. Furthermore, the LMS-1 response to root exudate stimuli was suppressed by the presence of salinity (250 mM NaCl). On the contrary, a significant upregulation of exoY and otsA genes, which are involved in exopolysaccharide and trehalose biosynthesis, respectively, was registered in salt-stressed LMS-1 cells. In addition, chickpea co-inoculation with LMS-1 along with the consortium containing two non-rhizobial bacterial endophytes, P. salinisoli and X. translucens, resulted in significant improvement of the chickpea growth and the symbiotic performance of LMS-1 under salinity. These results indicate that this non-rhizobial endophytic consortium may be an appropriate ecological and safe tool to improve chickpea growth and its adaptation to salt-degraded soils.
- Subjects
LEGUMES; CHICKPEA; SOIL salinity; SALINITY; PLANT exudates; SYMBIOSIS; ENDOPHYTES
- Publication
Biology (2079-7737), 2024, Vol 13, Issue 2, p96
- ISSN
2079-7737
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/biology13020096