Evaluation the efficiency of some rhizospheric bacteria of halophyte plants in modulating the salinity stress of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Quinoa as halophyte plant has received more attention in recent years due to its nutritional value and high production potential in harsh environmental conditions. In this research was designed and implemented with the aim of investigating the effects of inoculation of some rhizosphere bacteria of halophyte plants on the growth of quinoa plant under salt stress.

The greenhouse test was carried out as factorial in the form of complete random design in three replications. First, quinoa seeds with selected bacteria (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6) were inoculated and then four salinity levels of 0, 7.5, 15 and 25 (dS/m) were applied in the pots. Finally some growth and nutritional related parameters were measured.

Growth indices (except chlorophyll index) and ionic composition (except sodium) of quinoa plant decreased with increasing salinity levels. The use of bacteria led to a significant increase in chlorophyll (up to 10.5%), height (up to 15.43%), root fresh weight (up to 20.27%), and fresh and dry weight of shoot (up to 10.27 and 11.36 %, respectively), biological yield (up to 10.41 %), total dry weight (up to 12 %), grain yield (up to 11.07 %) and sodium, potassium, phosphorus of shoot was up to 36.31, 22.11, and 10.52 % respectively compared to the control treatment.

In this experiment, PGPB led to a significant improvement in the tolerance of quinoa to salinity stress, and among them B3 was higher in improving the growth and yield indices of quinoa.