Rui S Oliveira1,2, Patrícia Carvalho2, Guilhermina Marques3, Luís Ferreira4, Mafalda Nunes2, Inês Rocha1, Ying Ma1, Maria F Carvalho5, Miroslav Vosátka6,7, Helena Freitas1. 1. Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 2. Department of Environmental Health, Research Centre on Health and Environment, School of Allied Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal. 3. University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (UTAD-CITAB), Vila Real, Portugal. 4. Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. 5. CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal. 6. Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Průhonice, Czech Republic. 7. Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, Viničná 5, Praha 2, Czech Republic.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a widely cropped pulse and an important source of proteins for humans. In Mediterranean regions it is predicted that drought will reduce soil moisture and become a major issue in agricultural practice. Nitrogen (N)-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have the potential to improve plant growth and drought tolerance. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi on the growth, grain yield and protein content of chickpea under water deficit. RESULTS: Plants inoculated with Mesorhizobium mediterraneum or Rhizophagus irregularis without water deficit and inoculated with M. mediterraneum under moderate water deficit had significant increases in biomass. Inoculation with microbial symbionts brought no benefits to chickpea under severe water deficit. However, under moderate water deficit grain crude protein was increased by 13%, 17% and 22% in plants inoculated with M. mediterraneum, R. irregularis and M. mediterraneum + R. irregularis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Inoculation with N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi has the potential to benefit agricultural production of chickpea under water deficit conditions and to contribute to increased grain protein content.
BACKGROUND:Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a widely cropped pulse and an important source of proteins for humans. In Mediterranean regions it is predicted that drought will reduce soil moisture and become a major issue in agricultural practice. Nitrogen (N)-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have the potential to improve plant growth and drought tolerance. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi on the growth, grain yield and protein content of chickpea under water deficit. RESULTS: Plants inoculated with Mesorhizobium mediterraneum or Rhizophagus irregularis without water deficit and inoculated with M. mediterraneum under moderate water deficit had significant increases in biomass. Inoculation with microbial symbionts brought no benefits to chickpea under severe water deficit. However, under moderate water deficit grain crude protein was increased by 13%, 17% and 22% in plants inoculated with M. mediterraneum, R. irregularis and M. mediterraneum + R. irregularis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Inoculation with N-fixing bacteria and AM fungi has the potential to benefit agricultural production of chickpea under water deficit conditions and to contribute to increased grain protein content.
Authors: Inês Rocha; Ying Ma; Pablo Souza-Alonso; Miroslav Vosátka; Helena Freitas; Rui S Oliveira Journal: Front Plant Sci Date: 2019-11-06 Impact factor: 5.753