The effect of PGPR on pepper seedlings under drought stress

This study was carried out as a pot experiment in a climate chamber conditions in order to demonstrate the effects of the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the development of the pepper (Capscium annuum L.) seedlings grown under drought stress. In this context, a pepper cultivar (Mostar F1) and two PGPR isolates (Ochrobactrum sp. CB36/1 and Bacillus sp. CA41/1) were used under drought stress. The application of PGPR to the seedling growing medium was carried out at a density of 109 cfu ml-1 as 10 ml in the stage where the first cotyledon leaf stage and 15 ml as the second application in two weeks, then in 20 days, irrigation was completely cut in half of the applications and drought stress was formed. In the experiment, the 0-5 scale, shoot fresh and dry weights, shoot height, root fresh and dry weights, root length, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf relative water content, membrane damage index, amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) product of lipid peroxidation, catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activity, chlorophyll content and analysis of nutrient elements (K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Mg, Zn and Mn) were measured or analyzed. According to the results of the research, drought stress generally had a negative effect on the measurements and analyzes, whereas PGPR had generally positive effects on some parameters (Membrane damage index, APX. CAT, Ca content etc.).