MITIGATION OF TETRANYCHUS URTICAE INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN SOYBEAN PLANTS USING PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA

The current study looks at the possibility of enhancing plant tolerance to insect attacks by using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus subtilis.Under stress conditions, the metabolism of a plant cell is generally characterized by an elevated formation of reactive oxygen species.However, plants have developed antioxidant protective mechanisms against oxidative stress.The aim of this paper was to determine the biochemical response of inoculated and non-inoculated soybean seedlings (with and without exposure to mites).The results in plants treated with mites have shown a higher lipid peroxidation intensity in non-inoculated plants compared to the inoculated ones.During biotic stress caused by a mite attack, inoculation successfully reduced oxidative stress.Inoculation with B. subtilis induced mild stress, which appeared to fortify soybean plants for enhanced defense.Pyrogallol peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase were especially active in plant roots after inoculation.These results highlight mild oxidative stress caused by B. subtilis which might be beneficial to soybean seedlings by enhancing antioxidant defense mechanisms prior to a mite attack.While our findings do not demonstrate direct acaricidal activity, they suggest that PGPR inoculation may enhance plant tolerance to herbivore-induced oxidative stress, offering an indirect strategy to improve crop resilience.