Journal of Agricultural Science and Practice

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the fundamental feed of people as it contributes 60% of the daily diet of ordinary man in Pakistan. Salinity is one of the most imperative stresses that hinder agricultural productivity in nearly every part of the world. Improved biosynthesis of ethylene in plants under salinity stress is well established. Higher ethylene concentration retards root growth and eventually disturbs the overall plant growth. Plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) emits 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase action under salt stressed conditions which minimizes the power of ACC and ethylene justifying the lethal effects of salt stress on plant growth. The seeds inoculated with PGPR having ACC deaminase are comparatively more tolerant to salt stress. The study was conducted at National Agriculture Research Centre Islamabad to examine the influence of PGPR on wheat growth (cultivars Pak-13 NARC-11 and NARC-09) and ionic concentration under saline environment to see the impact of bacterial strains having ACC deaminase on wheat growth and ionic concentration. The experiment was set up following completely randomized design with three repeats. Wheat seeds were inoculated following rhizobacteria strains, WPR-61, WPR-51, WPS-09 and Consortium of WPR-61, WPR-51 and WPS-09. Salinity (10.62dS m^-1) was artificially developed using salts. Shoot and root length significantly affected by different rhizobial strains. The maximum root and shoot length attained by the consortium of three strains. The best results were achieved on NARC-09 wheat variety.Pak-13 wheat variety was significant affected by different rhizobial strains and maximum phosphorus concentration attained by WPS-09 strain in Pak-13.