AUTHOR=Khan Muhammad Ikram , Ali Niaz , Jan Gul , Hamayun Muhammad , Jan Farzana Gul , Iqbal Amjad , Hussain Anwar , Lee In-Jung 

TITLE=Salt Stress Alleviation in Triticum aestivum Through Primary and Secondary Metabolites Modulation by Aspergillus terreus BTK-1

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.779623

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.779623

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=We report the growth promoting potential in wheat under saline conditions by an endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus BTK-1. The isolated BTK-1 from the root of Chenopodium album identified as Aspergillus terreus through 18S rDNA sequence analysis. BTK-1 secreted indole acetic acid (IAA), exhibited 1- aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate deaminase (ACC) and siderophores activity, and solubilized phosphate. Wheat seedlings exposed to saline environment (0 mM, 60 mM, 120 mM, 180 mM) with or without BKT-1 inoculation. Seedlings inoculated with BTK-1 showed higher concentrations of IAA and GAs, whereas low concentrations of ABA compared to the BTK-1 non-inoculated plants. Also, BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants revealed significantly (P=0.05) longer shoots and roots, biomass and chlorophyll contents. On the contrary, plants without BTK-1 inoculation indicated significantly (P=0.05) low amounts of carbohydrates, phenolics, prolines, potassium, magnesium and calcium, while high amounts of Na and MDA under salt stress. Likewise, BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants showed high activity of reduced glutathione, and low activity of ascorbate, catalase and peroxidase under salt stress. The mitigation of salinity stress by BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants suggested its use as bio-stimulator in salt affected soils.