AUTHOR=Park Dongryeol , Jang Jinwoo , Seo Deok Hyun , Kim Yangseon , Jang Geupil 

TITLE=Bacillus velezensis GH1-13 enhances drought tolerance in rice by reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1432494

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1432494

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria colonize the rhizosphere through dynamic and intricate interactions with plants, thereby providing various benefits and contributing to plant growth. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria affect plant tolerance to abiotic stress, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of <italic>Bacillus velezensis</italic> strain GH1-13 on drought stress tolerance in rice. Phenotypical analysis, including the measurement of chlorophyll content and survival rate, showed that <italic>B. velezensis</italic> GH1-13 enhances rice tolerance to drought stress. Additionally, visualizing ROS levels and quantifying the expression of ROS-scavenging genes revealed that GH1-13 treatment reduces ROS accumulation under drought stress by activating the expression of antioxidant genes. Furthermore, the GH1-13 treatment stimulated the jasmonic acid response, which is a key phytohormone that mediates plant stress tolerance. Together with the result that jasmonic acid treatment promotes the expression of antioxidant genes, these findings indicate that <italic>B. velezensis</italic> GH1-13 improves drought tolerance in rice by reducing ROS accumulation and suggest that activation of the jasmonic acid response is deeply involved in this process.</p>