Multifunctional exopolysaccharides from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PF23 involved in plant growth stimulation, biocontrol and stress amelioration in sunflower under saline conditions.

Isolate PF23 selected from among 110 fluorescent pseudomonads, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, displayed salinity tolerance and exopolysaccharides (EPS) production up to 2,000 mM NaCl concentration. EPS-defective mutant PF23(EPS-) of the isolate showed 86 % reduction in EPS production in comparison with wild strain. Defect in EPS production brought loss in salt tolerance capability. Purified EPS obtained from PF23 displayed multiple roles. At low concentration EPS functioned as biocontrol agent, at high concentration EPS behaved as osmoprotective or stress ameliorating metabolite and when introduced in saline soil, served as a plant growth promotor along with seed biopriming agent. Both in planta and in vivo studies were performed taking sunflower as a test crop and it was observed that PF23 showed plant growth promotion and significant biocontrol potential against dreadful phytopathogen Macrophomina phaseolina (under saline conditions). The mutant PF23(EPS-) was ineffective under saline conditions both in growth enhancement as well as in disease suppression. The study reports a potent strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PF23, capable of enhancing production of sunflower crop in semiarid regions and minimizing the incidence of charcoal rot disease in sunflower.