A comparative study of inoculation with two growth-promoting and siderophore-producing bacteria (Enterobacter cloacae & Bacillus cereus) on iron availability in pistachio seedlings (Pistacia Vera L.)

Iron deficiency is one of the most important problems that affects the growth of plants. In this study, the effect of two strains of growth stimulating bacteria producing siderophore (Enterobacter cloacae & Bacillus cereus) on biochemical properties of pistachio seedlings in conditions of availability and deficiency of iron was investigated. In this research, which was done in a factorial design in the form of a completely randomized pattern, ferric iron (Fe + 3) and ferrous iron (Fe + 2) were given to plants that had grown for two months at a concentration of 20 micromolar. Plants without iron (zero iron) were considered as controls. The results showed that ferric iron in concentrations of 20μM and zero iron reduced plant growth and damage to them. By using growth-promoting bacteria in ferric iron-treated plants, some growth parameters such as fresh weight, photosynthetic pigments, phenolic compounds, soluble sugars, lipid peroxidation and proline were improved. Treatment of plants with growth-promoting bacteria also increased the amount of protein in plants treated with ferric iron. Growth-promoting bacteria also increased iron uptake in the shoots of ferric iron-treated seedlings. It seems that in plants treated with ferric iron, growth-promoting bacteria with the production of siderophore led to the reduction of iron and increase the available iron in the plant and reduce iron deficiency stress.