Harnessing PGPR inoculation through exogenous foliar application of salicylic acid and microbial extracts for improving rice growth.

Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) should effectively colonize along the plant root to enhance the plant and soil health. The present investigation aims to improve the PGPR-mediated plant health benefits through above-ground foliar management. A green fluorescent protein-tagged PGPR strain, Pseudomonas chlororaphis (ZSB15-M2) was inoculated in a nonautoclaved agricultural soil before rice culturing. Salicylic acid and cell extracts of Corynebacterium glutamicum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a supply of hormonal and inducer compounds were applied on the foliage of the 10-days-old rice plants and subsequently observed the colonizing ability of ZSB15-M2. The cell extracts of Corynebacteria and yeast showed a 100-fold increase in the ZSB15-M2 population in the rhizosphere of rice, whereas salicylic acid had a 10-fold increase in relation to mock control. The rice root exudates collected after the spraying of salicylic acid and microbial extracts showed significantly enhanced release of total carbon, total protein, total sugar, total amino nitrogen, total nitrogen, and phenol content. In vitro assays revealed that these root exudates collected after exogenous spray of these chemicals enhanced the chemotactic motility and biofilm formation of ZSB15-M2 compared to the control plant's root exudate. Metabolomic analysis of root exudates collected from these rice plants by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that the Corynebacteria and yeast cell extracts enhanced the divergence of metabolites of rice root exudate. Further, due to these cumulative effects in the rice rhizosphere, the total chlorophyll, total protein, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus of rice were significantly improved. These observations provide insights into the rhizosphere functioning of rice plants as modulated by above-ground treatments with improved colonization of inoculant strains as well as the plant growth.