The effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus halotolerans bacteria on improving some morphological traits of the medicinal plant Capparis spinosa L. under drought stress

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Arid and Desert Regions Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desertification, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resouhrces and Desertification, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Arid and Desert Regions Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desertification, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

10.29252/aridbiom.2026.4304

Abstract

Drought stress is one of the main environmental factors affecting the reduction of plant growth and production. Growth-promoting bacteria increase plant tolerance to environmental stresses, including drought, through various mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of growth-promoting bacteria as a biofertilizer in increasing the tolerance of Capparis spinosa to drought stress. The experiment was conducted as a factorial in a completely randomized design with three replications in the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University. The study factors included irrigation regime at four levels (100, 75, 50, and 25% of field capacity) and bacteria at four levels (no bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus halotolerans, and a combination of both bacteria). The results showed that under severe stress (25% of field capacity), the highest number of leaves (104.71% increase compared to the control of 25% of field capacity), nitrogen (149.65% increase), and iron (266.47% increase) were in the treatment inoculated with a combination of two bacteria. The highest number of lateral branches (166.67% increase), fresh and dry weight of aerial organs (25 and 28.45% increase, respectively), relative leaf water content (52.96% increase) in the treatment inoculated with P. fluorescens bacteria, the highest stem length (20.57% increase), number of bacteria (2316.67% increase compared to the treatment inoculated with the same bacteria at 100% field capacity), and phosphorus (116.98% increase) and potassium (335.3% increase) elements of the plant were obtained in the treatment inoculated with B. halotolerans bacteria. In general, it can be concluded that the use of growth-promoting bacteria as a biofertilizer under drought stress conditions can be effective in increasing the absorption of nutrients such as nitrogen, iron, and phosphorus, and subsequently improving some morphological traits of the blind plant.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

[1]. Akbari, T., Rostami, M., Ghabooli, M. and Movahedi, Z., (2021). Effect of Piriformospora indica on reducing the negative effects of salinity stress in lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Journal of Crop Science Research in Arid Regions, 2(2): 219-228. https://sid.ir/paper/374121/en [in Farsi]
[2]. Allahyari, Z., Fard, F. R., Saharkhiz, M. J., Sepehri, M., Sadeghnezhad, E., Naddaf, F., Bonito, G. & Molkabadi, R. S. (2026). Co-inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida mitigates morphological and physiological effects of drought stress in Stevia rebaudiana. South African Journal of Botany, 193, 1-14.‏ doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2026.03.046
[3]. Baladi, R., Nabipour, M. & Farzaneh, M. (2022). Investigation of some physiological and antioxidant responses of caper (Capparis spinosa L.) plant to salt stress. Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences, 15(3), 741-750. doi: 10.22077/escs.2021.4024.1954 [in Farsi]
[4]. Beringer, T., Lucht, W., & Schaphoff, S. (2011). Bioenergy production potential of global biomass plantations under environmental and agricultural constraints. Global Change Biology Bioenergy 3, 299–312.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1757-1707.2010.01088.x
[5]. Besharati, H. (2022). Plant growth-promoting bacteria and their application in agriculture. Soil Biology, 10(2), 135-162. doi: 10.22092/sbj.2022.342121.191 [in Farsi]
[6]. Cakmak, I. (2005), The role of potassium in alleviating detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 168: 521-530.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.20042048
[7]. Dehghani Bidgoli R, Ghiaci Yekta M. (2019). Investigating the Effect of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas putida R112) on Essential Oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L. under Irrigation of Urban Purified Wastewater. Journal of Medicinal Plants, 18 (72) :212-226 https://jmp.ir/article-1-2555-fa.html [in Farsi]
[8]. Egamberdieva, D., (2009). Alleviation of salt stress by plant growth regulators and IAA producing bacteria in wheat. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 31(4): 861 864.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-009-0297-0
[9]. Emami, A. & Ahi, A. (2009). Medicinal Botany. Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran. 124-125. [in Farsi]
[10]. German, M. A., Burdman, S., Okon, Y., & Kigel, J. (2000). Effects of Azospirillum brasilense on root morphology of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under different water regimes. Biology and Fertillity of Soils 32: 259-264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740000245
[11]. Havlin, J. L., Tisdale, S. L., Nelson, W. L., & Beaton, J. D. (2014). Soil Fertility and Fertilizers: An Introduction to Nutrient Management (8th ed.). Pearson Education.
[12]. Heidarpour Monfared, A., Pourmajidian, M. R., Rejali, F., Hojati, M. and Ramak, P. (2021). The impact of biological inputs on drought stress resistance in Celtis caucasica L. seedlings. Advanced Environmental Sciences, 19(2), 39-56. doi: 10.52547/envs.31318 [in Farsi]
[13]. Hinsinger, P. (2001). Bioavailability of soil inorganic P in the rhizosphere as affected by root-induced chemical changes: A review. Plant and Soil, 237(2), 173–195. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013351617532
[14]. Hu, Y., & Schmidhalter, U. (2005). Drought and salinity: A comparison of their effects on mineral nutrition of plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 168(4), 541–549. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200420516
[15]. Jaleel, C. A., Manivannan, P., Sankar, B., Kishorekumar, A., Gopi, R., Somasundaram, R., & Panneerselvam, R. (2007). Pseudomonas fluorescens enhances biomass yield and ajmalicine production in Catharanthus roseus under water deficit stress. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 60(1), 7-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2007.05.012
[16]. Jett, B. D., Hatter, K. L., Huycke, M. M., & Gilmore, M. S. (1997). Simplified agar plate method for quantifying viable bacteria. Biotechniques, 23(4), 648-650.  https://doi.org/10.2144/97234bm22
[17]. Kalra, Y. (1997). Handbook of reference methods for plant analysis, New York: CRC Press.
[18]. karami, S. , zarei, M. , yasrebi, J. , karimian, N. and Moosavi, S. A. (2016). Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on the Concentration and Uptake of Macro Nutrients by Corn in a Cd-contaminated Calcareous Soil under Drought Stress. Water and Soil, 30(4), 1170-1179. doi: 10.22067/jsw.v30i4.44237 [in Farsi]
[19]. Khalvandi, M., Amerian, M., Pirdashti, H., Baradaran, M. and Golami, A., (2017). Piriformospora indica symbiotic effect on the quantity and quality of essential oils and some physiological parameters of peppermint (Mentha piperita) under salt stress. Journal of Plant Process and Function, 6(21), 169-184. http://jispp.iut.ac.ir/article-1-616-en.htm
[20]. Khosravi, H. (2022). The role of biomineralization of nitrogen in organic matter in the decomposition of crop residues. Iranian Journal of Biology, 6(11), 84-91. https://sid.ir/paper/1043278/en [in Farsi]
[21]. Lindsay, W. L., & Norvell, W. A. (1978). Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese, and copper. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 42(3), 421-428. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1978.03615995004200030009x
[22]. Loffler, G. M., Rauch, T. L., Busch, R. H. (1985). Grain and plant protein relationship in hard red spring weat. Crop Science, 25, 521-524
[23]. Maisnam, P. (2023). Effects of drought on dryland soil microbial community and functional attributes. Doctoral dissertation, Sydney Universi. doi: https://doi.org/10.26183/mexf-2g26
[24]. Marschner, P. (2012). Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants (3rd ed.). Academic Press, London. ISBN: ‌978-0123849052
[25]. Mehboob, I., Naveed, M. and Zahir, Z. A. (2009). Rhizobial Association with Non-Legumes: Mechanisms and Applications. Critical Review of Plant Sciences, 28, 432-456.  https://doi.org/10.1080/07352680903187753
[26]. Najafi Zilaie M, Mosleh Arani A, Etesami H. (2023). The effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on the morphological and physiological characteristics of Haloxylon aphyllum under dust stress. Plant Process and Function. 12(56), 109-130. http://jispp.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1826-fa.html [in Farsi]
[27]. Olsen, S. R. & Sommers, L. E. (1982). Phosphorous. – In: Methods of soil analisis. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 423-424.
[28]. Plaxton, W. C., & Tran, H. T. (2011). Metabolic adaptations of phosphate-starved plants. Plant Physiology, 156(3), 1006–1015. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.111.175281
[29]. Rafanomezantsoa, P., El-Hasan, A., & Voegele, R. T. (2025). Potential of Bacillus halotolerans in mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses: A comprehensive review. Stresses, 5(2), 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/stresses502002
[30]. Rai, M. K. (2006). Hand book of microbial biofertilizers. Food products press, an imprint of the Haworth press, Inc. PP: 137-182.
[31]. Rajkumar, M., Bruno, L. B. & Banu, J. R., (2017). Alleviation of environmental stress in plants: the role of beneficial Pseudomonas spp. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 47(6), 372-407. doi:10.1080/10643389.2017.131861
[32]. Reddy, A. R., Chaitanya, K. V., & Vivekanandan, M. (2004). Drought-induced responses of photosynthesis and antioxidant metabolism in higher plants. Journal of Plant Physiology, 161(11), 1189–1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2004.01.013
[33].Ritchie, S. W., & Nguyen, H. T. (1990). Leaf water content and gas exchange parameters of two wheat genotypes differing in drought resistance. Crop Science, 30, 105-111. http://dx.doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1990.0011183X003000010025x
[34]. Rowell, D. L. (1999). Methods and Applications. Longman Group, Harlow. Soil Science, p:345.
[35]. Safari, D. & Azadikhah, M.  (2019). Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescent bacteria on growth stimulation of some physiological indices, yield components of rapeseed under salt stress. Crop physiology journal, 11(42), 67-83. doi: magiran.com/p2017614. [in Farsi]
[36]. Shen, J., Yuan, L., Zhang, J., Li, H., Bai, Z., Chen, X., Zhang, W., & Zhang, F. (2011). Phosphorus dynamics: From
 
soil to plant. Plant Physiology, 156(3), 997–1005. doi:10.1104/pp.111.175232
[37]. Sweeney, D. W., Long, J. H., & Kirkham, M. B. (2003). A single irrigation to improve early maturing soybean yield and quality. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 67(1), 235-240. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2003.2350
[38]. Tanveer, Y., Yasmin, H., Nosheen, A., Farah, M. A., & Altaf, M. A. (2024). Synergizing Bacillus halotolerans, Pseudomonas sihuiensis and Bacillus atrophaeus with folic acid for enhanced drought resistance in wheat by metabolites and antioxidants. BMC plant biology, 24(1), 1003. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-024-05609-0
[39]. Trnka, M., Olesen, J. E., & Kersebaum, K. C. (2011). Agroclimatic conditions in Europe under climate change. Global Change Biology, 17, 2298–2318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02396
[40]. Wang, M., Zheng, Q., Shen, Q., & Guo, S. (2013). The critical role of potassium in plant stress response. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 14(4), 7370–7390.
[41]. Yousefzadeh, S., Modarres-Sanavy, S., Sefidkon, F., Asgarzadeh, A. , Ghalavand, A. , Roshdi, M. & Safaralizadeh, A. (2013). Effect of biofertilizer, azocompost and nitrogen on morphologic traits and essential oil content of Dracocephalum moldavica L. in two regions of Iran. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, 29(2), 438-459. doi: 10.22092/ijmapr.2013.2867. [in Farsi]
[42]. Zhao, D., Oosterhuis, D. & Bednarz, C. (2001). Influence of Potassium Deficiency on Photosynthesis, Chlorophyll Content, and Chloroplast Ultrastructure of Cotton Plants. Photosynthetica 39(1), 103–109.  https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012404204910
 
Journal of Arid Biome
Volume 16, Issue 1
March 2026
Pages 123-139

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics