Exogenous easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein improves drought tolerance of trifoliate orange

Mycorrhiza-released glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) influences rhizosphere properties, but it is not clear whether exogenous GRSP enhances drought tolerance of plants. In this work, easily extracted GRSP (EE-GRSP) was isolated from Satsuma mandarin soil, and half-strength EE-GRSP (0.007 mg protein mL^?1) was weekly applied into rhizosphere of potted trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) exposed to well watered (WW) and drought stress (DS). After four months, EE-GRSP-treated seedlings exhibited significantly higher plant growth (plant height, leaf number and fresh weight) and root growth-related parameters (lateral root numbers and root morphology) than non-EE-GRSP-treated seedlings under both WW and DS conditions. Exogenous EE-GRSP generally significantly increased leaf water potential, net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO₂ concentration, while dramatically decreased leaf temperature, regardless of soil water status. The seedlings treated with exogenous EE-GRSP observed significantly higher activities of leaf Fe-SOD and root Mn-SOD, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Fe-SOD than untreated control under DS. Leaf abscisic acid, indole-acetic acid and methyl jasmonate concentrations were significantly higher in EE-GRSP-treated seedlings than untreated control under DS. This work firstly reported that exogenous application of EE-GRSP improved drought tolerance of trifoliate orange, thereby, offering a strong possibility in favour of EE-GRSP to be used as a plant growth regulator.