Suppression of Charcoal Rot of Chickpea by Fluorescent Pseudomonas Under Saline Stress Condition

The ability of fluorescent Pseudomonas strain EKi, in production of biocontrol and plant growth promotory (PGP) metabolites under saline stress was evaluated. Strain EKi could tolerate NaCl up to 1,550 mM and showed biocontrol of Macrophomina phaseolina (76.19%) in the presence of up to 400 mM NaCl. Strain EKi was able to produce IAA, siderophore and pyocyanin with gradual reduction of up to 76.31, 45.46, and 48.99%, respectively, as NaCl concentration increased from 0 to 500 mM. Reduced growth rate resulted in delayed induction of IAA, siderophore and pyocyanin by the PGPR. Thin layer chromatography of chloroform extract from non-stressed and salt stressed EKi, and inhibition of M. phaseolina by purified pyocyanin clearly indicated its role in biocontrol. In vitro and in vivo results showed the growth promotion and charcoal rot disease suppression of chickpea by strain EKi under both non-stressed and saline stress. There was 76.75 and 65.25% reduction of disease incidence in non-saline and saline conditions, respectively, in vitro conditions. In presence of M. phaseolina strain EKi brought about 67.65 and 58.45% reduction of disease incidence in non-saline and saline soil, respectively.