Effect of R. leguminisarum Pre-incubated with Inducers, Naringenin and Methyl-jasmonate, on Nitrogen Fixation and the Growth of Pea at Different Salinity Levels

The legume-rhizobia symbiosis is an important source of plant growth and nitrogen fixation for many agricultural systems. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of salinity stress on nitrogen fixation and growth of pea (Pisum sativum L.), which has antimutagenic activities against chemical mutagen, inoculated with R. leguminosarum bv. viciae cultured with additional plant-to-rhizobia signal compounds, naringenin (NA,15 uM), methyl-jasmonate (MJ, 50 uM) or both, under greenhouse conditions. Three salinity levels (0.6, 3.0 and $6.0\;dS\;m^{-1}$) were imposed at 3 days after transplanting and maintained through daily irrigations. Addition of signal compounds under non-stress and stress conditions increased dry weight, nodule numbers, leaf area and leaf greenness. The inducers increased photosynthetic rate under non-stress and stress conditions, by approximately 5-20% when compared to that of the non-induced control treatment. Under stress conditions, proline content was less in plants treated with plant-to-bacteria signals than the control, but phenol content was significantly increased, compared to that of the control. The study suggested that pre-incubation of bacterial cells with plant-to-bacteria signals could enhance pea growth, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation and biomass under salinity stress conditions.