WITHDRAWN: Plant growth promoting Bipolaris sp. CSL-1 mitigate salinity stress in soybean via altering endogenous phytohormonal level, antioxidants and genes expression

Abstract Background Salinity stress is one of the most devastating environmental stress that inhibits plants growth and development. Many strategies including plant growth promoting fungi have been reported to mitigate salt stress. Results In this study, we adopted environmental friendly technique and screened different plant growth promoting fungi for different PGP traits and salinity stress. Among these isolate CSL1 were selected based on the basis of plant growth promoting characteristics producing IAA, GAs, organic acid and tolerance to NaCl stress. Furthermore, inoculation of fungal isolate CSL1 significantly increased shoot length (16%), root length (37%), shoot fresh and dry weight (19% and 25%), root fresh and dry weight (47 and 51%) and chlorophyll content (24%) under NaCl stress (200 mM). Endogenous ABA level (0.77 folds) were significantly decreased while SA contents (16%) were increase in CSL1 inoculated plants under NaCl stress. Similarly, higher level of antioxidants such as MDA (2 folds), SOA (29%), POD (8 folds) and PPO (3 folds) was observed in NaCl treated non-inoculated plants. ICP analysis showed an increase in Na+ (11 folds) and decrease in K+ content (15%). Furthermore, CSL-1 inoculation improved soybean adaptability against NaCl stress and a significant decrease in GmFDL19 expression (5 folds) GmNARK (4 folds) and GmSIN1 (3 folds) was observed. However, higher expression of GmAKT2 (15%) were observed in CSL-1 treated plants. Conclusion Fungal isolate CSL-1 have capability to mitigate salinity stress in soybean, increase plant growth and could be used as valuable ecofriendly microorganism resource, low cost based biotechnological approach for sustainable agriculture in salt affected areas.