Exogenous application of zinc mitigates the deleterious effects in eggplant grown under salinity stress

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Zn application to salt stressed eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) seedlings grown in vitro and whether it can alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity or not. Zinc (0, 5, 10 and 20?mg/L) and sodium chloride (NaCl) at different concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 150?mM) were added to solidified half strength MS medium placed in 250?mL glass jars. The treatments were arranged in a 4?×?4 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with four replications. Application of Zn to growing seedlings at different concentrations (5, 10 or 20?mg/L) increased the length of shoot and root and their dry weights, as well as enhanced the photosynthetic pigment contents and leaf relative water content compared to control. However, the application of NaCl to growing seedlings at different concentrations (50, 100 and 150?mM) significantly reduced the above mentioned attributes compared to control and those of Zn treatments alone. Treatment of seedlings with either Zn (5, 0 or 20?mg/L) or NaCl (50, 100 or 150?mM) significantly increased the proline content and the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in growing seedlings. However, the application of Zn to salt stressed seedlings mitigated the deleterious effects of salt stress in growing seedlings and increased the tolerance of seedlings to its deleterious effects.     

Drought stress-induced oxidative stress and antioxidative responses in four wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties

Drought stress was imposed on four varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Mohan Wonder (MW), Kedar (K), Gayetri (GY) and Gandhari (GN), for 3, 6 and 9 days. The activities of all five tested antioxidative enzymes, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, were enhanced initially in varieties K and GN, whereas in MW and GY, catalase and superoxide dismutase showed a decrease in activity at all periods of drought stress. Peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities increased even on the ninth day of stress in K and GN, but all other activities showed a decrease after 3 days of stress. H₂O₂ accumulation increased with drought stress, but in K and GN there was decrease during prolonged drought stress. Lipid peroxidation increased significantly due to drought stress, which was higher in the case of MW and GY. Proline, phenol and ascorbate content increased with period of drought stress. Carotenoid accumulation also increased initially. Total chlorophylls showed a general decrease during drought stress. The results of this study indicate that two of the varieties, MW and GY, are susceptible to drought stress, whereas the other two, K and GN, are tolerant, with peroxidase and glutathione reductase being most important in conferring tolerance.     

干旱胁迫对乌头部分生理指标的影响

 运用模糊隶属法,以北乌头、高乌头、山西乌头、牛扁和华北乌头的移栽苗为试材,研究中度(T1)和严重(T2)干旱胁迫对乌头生理特性的影响,为抗旱性植物的选取提供方法和依据。结果表明：1)细胞膜透性：北乌头在T1和T2处理下分别显著低于和高于对照（CK）,高乌头和华北乌头在T2处理下才显著增高,而山西乌头和牛扁在T1和T2处理下都显著增高; 2)丙二醛质量分数：高乌头、牛扁、华北乌头在T1、T2处理下均显著升高,山西乌头只在T2处理下显著升高,北乌头则在T1处理下显著升高; 3)叶绿素质量分数：在干旱胁迫下除牛扁的叶绿素a质量分数上升外,其余乌头均显著低于对照,而干旱胁迫下5种乌头的叶绿素b质量分数增减差异较大;4)净光合速率：北乌头和高乌头在T1和T2处理下均显著下降,但T1、T2处理间无显著差异,山西乌头只有在T2处理下显著降低,牛扁在干旱处理下反而上升,华北乌头无显著反应;5)根据抗旱隶属值,5种乌头的抗旱性由大到小的顺序为北乌头、高乌头、山西乌头、华北乌头、牛扁。     

Assessment of variation in drought tolerance using some key physiological criteria in potential wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars of different geographic origins

The present experiment comprised seven wheat cultivars, two drought levels (0 and 17% PEG-8000) and four replicates. The seeds of six wheat cultivars (Al-lugaimi, Bonus, Kronos, Yecora-rojo, Irena and Sama) were supplied by the King Saud University, Riyaz, Saudi Arabia, whereas S-24 was obtained from the Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The seeds were allowed to germinate and grow for 20 days in medium having full-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or Hoagland's solution with 17% PEG-8000. For the appraisal of drought tolerance, various physiological traits such as gas-exchange attributes (A, E, C_i, g_s , and A/E), leaf water relations (ψ_w, ψ_s and ψ_p) and the activities of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD and CAT) were determined. On the basis of biomass and gas-exchange attributes (A, E, and g_s ), cultivars Al-lugaimi and Sama were found to be drought tolerant, cultivars Yecora-rojo and Irena moderately drought tolerant, and cultivars S-24, Bonus and Kronos drought sensitive. However, plant osmotic adjustment and the activities of potential antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD and CAT) were not found to be associated with drought tolerance of the different wheat cultivars.     

不同生长时期干旱胁迫甘薯根系生长及荧光生理的特性比较

【目的】干旱胁迫是我国甘薯生产所面临的重要问题,本试验旨在为研究甘薯的抗旱生理机制,明确甘薯水分临界期,减轻干旱影响和优化甘薯生产管理提供科学依据。【方法】利用人工旱棚,设置甘薯正常供水与前期、 中期和后期(即定栽后15 d、 55 d、 95 d)干旱胁迫四个处理(田间持水量的8%~10%,每次胁迫持续15天)。用Epson v700扫描仪调查了不同处理三个不同时期根系发育,用M-PEA(Hansatech,英国)测定了叶片荧光生理参数。【结果】前期和中期干旱均显著降低了甘薯地上和地下部生物量(P0.05),而后期干旱影响较小,其规律表现为前期＞中期＞后期。其中,前期干旱甘薯总生物量减少约50%; 中期干旱造成地上和地下部分别减少38.4%和31.1%; 后期干旱地上和地下部减少均约10%左右。各个时期干旱胁迫均显著影响甘薯根系发育(P 0.05)。与正常供水相比,前期干旱胁迫总根长、 总表面积和总体积分别减少49.5%、 55.7%和43.2%,中期干旱胁迫分别减少27.5%、 27.0%和28.9%,后期干旱胁迫影响较小。不同时期干旱胁迫对叶绿素荧光参数的影响不同,前期和中期胁迫处理测定值差异显著,叶绿素荧光动力学曲线发生明显变化,后期未达显著性水平。与对照相比,前期和中期的PSⅡ综合荧光参数指标Fm、 Fv/Fm、 PI(ABS)分别减少了36.4%、 15.6%、 44.3%和14.7%、 3.8%、 22.6%; 指示反应中心活性的参数φEo分别减少7.7%、 3.4%,而反映电子传递速率的参数Vj、 dV/dto分别增加了33.1%、 32.1%和19.2%、 17.1%,这些荧光参数的变化表明,干旱胁迫导致PSⅡ结构受损,反应中心受到伤害,光能转化效率降低,电子传递受阻。【结论】甘薯水分临界期处于前中期,实际中应特别加强甘薯前期的水分供应。     

Characterization of the tolerance to excess manganese in four maize varieties

Abstract

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient in all organisms, but may become toxic when present in excess. Four maize (Zea mays L.) varieties, Kneja 605, Kneja 434, Kneja 509 and Kneja 537, were studied with respect to their responses to excess Mn in hydroponic solution. In the varieties Kneja 605, Kneja 509 and Kneja 537, increasing Mn concentrations in the nutrient solution negatively affected biomass accumulation, photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content. In addition, these varieties showed increased electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA] content). Increased Mn leaf concentrations, higher contents of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, higher photosynthetic rate and transpiration, lower concentrations of MDA and insignificant changes in the electrolyte leakage in the leaves were found in var. Kneja 434 compared with the other maize varieties studied. This variety appeared to possess a stronger ability to cope with Mn phytotoxicity, suggesting high potential for Mn detoxification and var. Kneja 434 could be a good candidate for improving maize productivity on acid soils under non-tropical conditions.     

Influence of Silicon on Sunflower Cultivars under Drought Stress,I: Growth,Antioxidant Mechanisms,and Lipid Peroxidation

Abstract: Understanding plant responses to drought stress is essential, and there is a need to know possible physiological mechanisms of damage and drought avoidance for the genetic improvement of crops. Therefore, we investigated the effects of silicon (Si) on shoot and root growth, leaf relative water content (RWC), stomatal resistance (SR), lipid peroxidation (MDA), membrane permeability (MP), proline and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation, nonenzymatic antioxidant activity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) of 12 sunflower cultivars grown under drought conditions. Silicon applied to the soil counteracted the deleterious effects of drought in 6 of the 12 sunflower cultivars. In general, SR and H₂O₂, proline, and MDA content were increased in all the cultivars under drought stress. However, application of Si decreased their levels and alleviated membrane damage (MP) significantly by increasing leaf RWC. The CAT activity was significantly decreased by drought stress, but supplemental Si increased it. In general, SOD and APX activities of the cultivars were increased by drought and decreased by application of Si. The nonenzymatic antioxidant activity of the cultivars was significantly increased by Si under drought stress. Based on the present work, it can be concluded that applied Si alleviates drought stress in sunflower cultivars by preventing membrane damage, although the cultivars showed genotypic variation in response to applied Si.     

Oxidative stress response in spinach plants induced by cadmium

In this work we studied the effect of cadmium (Cd) (25 μM), in spinach plants (Spinacea oleracea) growing in nutrient solution, for 1, 2 and 7 days. Spinach growing in the contaminated solution showed a decrease in biomass, chlorophyll content and an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, showing that photosynthetic apparatus was affected and lipid peroxidation occurred. The main defence mechanisms against the induced oxidative stress were the activation of catalase, glutathione reductase and guaiacol peroxidase. Glutathione reductase activity suggests that glutathione is involved in the response against Cd toxicity. The uptake of zinc (Zn), potassium (K), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) was affected, mainly at the higher exposition times. Spinach leaves showed no signs of toxicity and looked healthy although containing up to 35 mg kg^?1 dry weight (DW) of Cd. This can present a food security issue as there is no visible indication of the high amounts of Cd in the edible parts of the plant.     

钙离子通过调节抗氧化酶活性保护NaCl对菊芋的毒害

The ameliorative effect of external Ca^2＋ on Jerusalem artichoke （Helianthus tuberosus L.） under salt stress was studied through biochemical and physiological analyses of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings treated with or without 10 mol L^-1 CaCl2, 150 mmol L^-1 NaCl, and/or 5 mmol L^-1 ethylene-bis（oxyethylenenitrilo）-tetraacetic acid （EGTA） for five days. Exposure to NaC1 （150 mmol L^-1） decreased growth, leaf chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings. NaC1 treatment showed 59% and 37% higher lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage, respectively, than the control. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD）, and catalase （CAT） were decreased by NaCl, indicating an impeded antioxidant defense mechanism of Jerusalem artichoke grown under salt stress. Addition of 10 mmol L^-1 CaCl2 to the salt solutions significantly decreased the damaging effect of NaC1 on growth and chlorophyll content and simultaneously restored the rate of photosynthesis almost to the level of the control. Ca^2＋ addition decreased the leaf malondialdehyde （MDA） content and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated seedlings by 47% and 24%, respectively, and significantly improved the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated plants. Addition of EGTA, a specific chelator of Ca2＋, decreased the growth, chlorophyll content, and photosynthesis, and increased level of MDA and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated plants and from the control plants. EGTA addition to the growth medium also repressed the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated and control seedlings. External Ca2＋ might protect Jerusalem artichoke against NaC1 stress by up-regulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thereby decreasing the oxidative stress.     

3种阔叶树种对持续干旱的生理响应及抗旱性评价

采用盆栽的试验方法,测定持续干旱条件下2年生五角枫、臭椿、黄连木幼苗的丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、细胞膜透性、叶片相对含水量、叶绿素、脯氨酸、光合生理参数,研究其对干旱胁迫的生理响应,并用隶属函数法进行抗旱性评价。结果表明:随干旱程度的加剧,3树种的MDA、细胞膜透性、脯氨酸都呈上升趋势,叶片相对含水量、净光合速率呈降低趋势;五角枫与臭椿叶片的SOD活性呈先升后降的变化趋势,黄连木叶片的SOD活性呈先升后降再升的变化趋势;五角枫与臭椿叶片叶绿素含量先升高后降低,黄连木叶片的叶绿素含量试验前后的变化不大;臭椿与黄连木叶片的水分利用效率呈先降后升再降的变化趋势,五角枫叶片的水分利用效率呈先升后降的变化趋势。经隶属函数法分析得出3树种的抗旱性大小表现为臭椿>黄连木>五角枫。通过灰色关联分析得出脯氨酸、SOD、叶片相对含水量与3树种的抗旱性关系最密切。     

The role of oxidative stress in spring barley cross-adaptation to different heavy metals

The aim of this study is to investigate the possibilities and the mechanisms of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cross-adaptation to different heavy metals after hardening with ozone (O₃), drought and UV-B radiation. Dry shoot biomass, accumulation of superoxide (O₂˙^?) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) were measured after hardening and heavy metal treatments. Seedlings, exposed to ozone and drought prior to copper (Cu) treatment, showed significantly increased tolerance to this heavy metal. The most possible causes of cross-adaptation to this redox-active heavy metal, which triggered very strong oxidative stress in nonhardened barley seedlings, were increased CAT activity, mitigation of O₂˙^? accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Cross-adaptation to cadmium (Cd) was induced only by drought hardening. In this case, however, adaptation had lower effect on antioxidative enzymes, did not altered O₂˙^? accumulation and even slightly increased the intensity of lipid peroxidation. The study reveals that stimulation of CAT activity and mitigation of oxidative stress are the main reasons for plant adaptation to Cu; whereas cross-adaptation to Cd, heavy metal with much lower oxidative capacity, is determined by the mechanisms that are not related to oxidative stress directly.     

甜菜碱对干旱胁迫下棉花幼苗生理特性的影响

以新疆广泛种植的棉花品种新陆早18号为试材,通过测定棉花幼苗体内脯氨酸、可溶性糖和丙二醛（MDA）的含量及抗氧化酶包括超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和过氧化物酶（POD）的活性,研究叶面喷施不同浓度甜菜碱（Glycine betaine,GB）对干旱胁迫下棉花幼苗生理特性的影响。结果表明,干旱胁迫下,与对照相比,脯氨酸、可溶性糖、MDA含量及SOD和POD活性都显著提高,喷施甜菜碱后促进脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量进一步提高,酶活也显著升高,同时有效抑制了丙二醛含量的增加,CAT活性受干旱胁迫及甜菜碱的影响较小。研究表明喷施低浓度甜菜碱在一定程度上可以缓解干旱胁迫对棉花幼苗的伤害。     

Effects of drought stress on the seedling growth,development, and metabolic activity in different cultivars of canola

ABSTRACT

The comparative effects of drought stress on seed performance, growth parameters, free proline content, lipid peroxidation, and several antioxidative enzymes activities were studied in both cultivars of Brassica napus L. Drought stress increased mean germination rate and mean of day germination in both cultivars, and its effect was more pronounced in RGS003. The length and dry weight of root increased significantly in both cultivars under drought. RGS003 was more tolerant and obtained more biomass under drought than that of Sarigol. Proline content and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase expression increased in Sarigol under drought. Measurement of malondialdehyde content in seedlings showed that lipid peroxidation was lower in RGS003 than in Sarigol. Antioxidant enzyme activities showed different trends in the two cultivars under drought stress but were higher in RGS003 than in Sarigol. These results suggest that RGS003 is better protected against drought-induced oxidative damage. Lipoxygenase activity only induced under water deficit condition in RGS003. Changes of respiratory enzymes activities of RGS003 subjected to drought stress showed a pattern different with Sarigol. Drought stress induced aconitase activity in RGS003, but it reduced fumarase and succinate dehydrogenase activity in Sarigol. This study showed that RGS003 exhibits a better protection mechanism against oxidative damage and RGS003 is more drought-tolerant than Sarigol possibly by maintaining and/or increasing growth parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, and respiratory enzymes activities.     

Effects of selenium on some morphological and physiological traits of tomato plants grown under hydroponic condition

A hydroponic experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design (CRD) to study the effects of Selenium (Se) on tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L), cv. Foria with three replications. Treatments included 3, 5, 7, and 10 µM sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃) and 0 as control. The results showed that selenium (Se) at 7 µM was beneficial to photosynthesis pigments. The highest relative water content was resulted from the 3 µM Se treatment. The membrane stability index was decreased with increasing Se concentration up to 10 µM Se. An increase in peroxidase (POD) activity occurred at the 3 µM Se level, and the catalase (CAT) activity was 80% higher than the control at the 7 µM Se level. In general, the highest root volume, leaf numbers, carotenoids content, and CAT activity were found at the 5 µM Se level, and Chlorophyll content increased at the 7 and 10 µM Se levels.     

干旱胁迫和复水对夏蜡梅幼苗光合生理特性的影响

以盆栽二年生夏蜡梅(Sinocalycanthus.chinensis)实生苗为材料,分对照、轻度胁迫、中度胁迫和重度胁迫4组,研究了不同程度干旱胁迫和复水对夏蜡梅光合特性的影响。结果表明,在干旱胁迫下,夏蜡梅的光合日变化曲线由典型的双峰型转变为峰值很小的单峰型。在较高强度的干旱胁迫下,夏蜡梅光补偿点、CO2补偿点和气孔阻力升高,光饱和点、表观量子效率、最大净光合速率、羧化效率、Fv/Fm和蒸腾速率下降;而暗呼吸速率先升后降、胞间CO2浓度先降后升。轻度和中度干旱胁迫下光合能力的下降主要由气孔限制引起,而在重度胁迫下则由非气孔限制起主要作用。重度胁迫复水3d后,夏蜡梅的光合能力恢复很弱。过分干旱胁迫对夏蜡梅造成一定伤害。     

干旱胁迫条件下加工番茄对喷施甜菜碱的生理响应

以新疆广泛种植的加工番茄屯河8号为材料,通过盆栽和田间试验,测定了加工番茄叶片中叶绿素、可溶性蛋白、脯氨酸、可溶性糖和丙二醛含量以及抗氧化酶 [超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、过氧化物酶（POD）] 活性和加工番茄产量,研究了干旱胁迫下加工番茄对叶面喷施不同浓度甜菜碱的生理响应。结果表明,干旱胁迫下喷施低浓度甜菜碱对加工番茄抵御干旱有一定的作用。干旱胁迫下喷施甜菜碱后,有效抑制了叶绿素和可溶性蛋白含量的下降,协同增加脯氨酸和可溶性糖的含量,抗氧化酶活性也显著增强,膜脂过氧化程度减弱即丙二醛含量下降,田间试验各生理指标的含量变化与盆栽结果相类似,干旱胁迫下喷施甜菜碱促进了加工番茄产量的增加。     

Effect of potassium sulfate on the physiological characteristics of canola cultivars in late season drought stress conditions

Abstract

In order to reduce the damage caused by the late-season drought stress of canola, a factorial split-plot experiment was performed based on the randomized complete blocks design with three replications in Karaj, Iran. The treatments were Potassium sulfate in two levels, including application and non-application of potassium sulfate, irrigation at three levels including normal irrigation (control), restricted irrigation from the flowering and pod formation stage, as factorial were in main plots and winter canola cultivars including Opera, L72, KR1, GKH3705, GKH0224 were in subplots. The simple effect of irrigation and potassium sulfate on all of the studied traits and the simple effect of cultivar on all traits except chlorophyll b were significant. The interaction effect of irrigation?×?cultivar on soluble carbohydrate, stomatal resistance, proline content, chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll content was significant. The interaction effect of irrigation?×?potassium sulfate on the amount of soluble carbohydrates, stomatal resistance and proline content of leaves was significant. In irrigation interruption from the pod formation stage, the promising line of L72, and in irrigation interruption from the flowering stage, the Neptune cultivar exhibited the most positive effect of potassium application on the studied traits. As a result, the application of potassium sulfate in addition to the L72 and Neptune cultivars is recommended in areas similar to the tested area encountering the late-season drought stress.     

Comparative growth and physiological responses of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in salt tolerance to salinity and cyclic drought stress

Two cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with differential salinity tolerance were compared by evaluating the growth attributes, pigment composition and accumulation of Na⁺, K⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe ²⁺, Mn ²⁺ and proline. Wheat cultivars Al-Moiaya (AM) (salt tolerant) and Habbe-Druma (HD) (salt sensitive) were subjected to four levels of salinity (1.21 dS m^?1, 4.4 dS m^?1, 8.8 dS m^?1 and 13.2 dS m^?1) in factorial combinations with three drought stress (FC 30%, FC 60% and FC 90%) treatments in a randomized complete block design. Plant dry weight, leaf area ratio (LAR), soluble protein and total chlorophyll (Chl) content were higher in AM than HD. Salt-tolerant AM maintains a higher K⁺/ Na⁺ ratio and thereby is able to grow better than the salt-sensitive HD under both the stresses. The lower foliar Na⁺ in AM resulted in retention of higher Chl content, reflected in the strong positive correlations between plant ion status and Chl contents (Na⁺-Chl r² = 0.83; Chl- Fe²⁺ r² = 0.76; Zn²⁺ r² = 0.93 and Mn²⁺ r² = 0.88). In conclusion, our results suggested that the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, exclusion of Na⁺ and ion homeostasis play much more important roles in the tolerance to salinity and drought stress than the compatible osmolyte, proline.     

Exogenous succinate increases resistance of maize plants to copper stress

The effect of copper (Cu) excess (1.5, 4.7, 31, 78, 156 μM) and exogenously supplied succinate on plant growth, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and isoenzym profiles of some antioxidant enzymes in maize plants was studied. Excessive Cu supply led to a reduction in the relative growth rate (RGR), tolerance index (TI), chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents, and the quantum yield of PSII electron transport in the light‐adapted state (ΦPSII). Copper treatment induced several changes in the anionic and cationic peroxidases (PODs), as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoenzyme profiles. After 8 d of 78 μM–Cu treatment, two new anionic and two new cationic peroxidase isoenzymes in the roots were registered. Copper applied at concentrations above 31 μM resulted in higher levels of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn‐SOD) in the roots and Cu,Zn‐superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn‐SOD) in the leaves. However, the addition of Na‐succinate (200 μM) to the root medium prior to Cu treatment increased the capacity of the plants to partially overcome Cu toxicity.     

Alleviation of drought stress in maize (Zea mays L.) by using endogenous endophyte Bacillus subtilis in North West Himalayas

ABSTRACT

In the present study, we reported the isolation and molecular characterisation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-producing endophyte and its effect on alleviating drought stress in maize. Ten morphologically distinct indigenous plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from maize roots and rhizosphere were screened for multiple plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, and of ten, two strains (DHK and B1N1) possessing maximum PGP traits were evaluated at three water stress regimes in maize: (i) 80% field capacity (FC), (ii) 60% FC, and (iii) 40% FC for 45 days, starting 15 days after sowing to the maturity. Inoculation of DHK strain with maize at 80% FC induced a significant increase in plant biomass (root biomass, 86.67%; shoot biomass, 111.63%) together with decreased reactive oxygen species and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, 14.11?U/g fresh weight; peroxidase, 1.14?U/g fresh weight and catalase; 14.91?U/g fresh weight) compared to uninoculated control at same water regime (80% FC). The derivative strain also significantly accrued nutrients in maize and enhanced total chlorophyll and amino acid content in comparison with non-inoculated plants. 16S rDNA analysis of DHK strain revealed its lineage to Bacillus subtilis. Present investigations demonstrated the potential of the bacterial partner in alleviating drought stress in maize.