Associative Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Increase Drought Tolerance in Maize ( L.) through Morphoanatomical, Physiological, and Biochemical Changes.

Water deficiency has been recognized as a major abiotic stress that causes losses in maize crops around the world. The maize crop is very important due to the range of products that are derived from this plant. A potential way to reduce the damages caused by water deficiency in maize crops is through the association with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

Influence of plant growth-promoting bacteria on leaf carbon and nitrogen metabolism of two drought-stressed neotropical tree species: a metabolomic approach.

Deforestation of Atlantic Forest has caused prolonged drought events in the last decades. The need for reforestation is growing, and the development of native seedlings that are more tolerant to drought stress is necessary. A biotechnological tool that improves plant tolerance is the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) as inoculants.

Nanoencapsulation improves the protective effects of a nitric oxide donor on drought-stressed Heliocarpus popayanensis seedlings.

Despite the important role played by nitric oxide (NO) in plants subjected to abiotic stress, NO donors application to induce drought tolerance in neotropical tree seedlings has not yet been tested. It is also worth investigating whether NO bioactivity in drought-stressed seedlings could be potentiated by NO donors nanoencapsulation. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the effects of chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) containing S-nitroso-mercaptosuccinic acid (S-nitroso-MSA) on drought-stressed seedlings of neotropical tree species Heliocarpus popayanensis Kunth in comparison to free NO donor and NPs loaded with non-nitrosated MSA.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria improve leaf antioxidant metabolism of drought-stressed Neotropical trees.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria association improved the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant pathways in Neotropical trees under drought, which led to lower oxidative damage and enhanced drought tolerance in these trees. Water deficit is associated with oxidative stress in plant cells and may, thus, negatively affect the establishment of tree seedlings in reforestation areas. The association with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is known to enhance the antioxidant response of crops, but this strategy has not been tested in seedlings of Neotropical trees.

Effects of nitric oxide-releasing nanoparticles on neotropical tree seedlings submitted to acclimation under full sun in the nursery.

Polymeric nanoparticles have emerged as carrier systems for molecules that release nitric oxide (NO), a free radical involved in plant stress responses. However, to date, nanoencapsulated NO donors have not been applied to plants under realistic field conditions. Here, we verified the effects of free and nanoencapsulated NO donor, S-nitroso-mercaptosuccinic acid (S-nitroso-MSA), on growth, physiological and biochemical parameters of neotropical tree seedlings kept under full sunlight in the nursery for acclimation.