Soil salinization, a rising issue globally, is a negative effect of the ever-changing climate, which has drawn attention to, and exacerbated problems related to soil degradation and the decline in wetland rice (Oryza sativa L.) production, leading to an unstable national economy. The use of rhizosphere inhabiting microorganisms (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, PGPR) is a viable method for boosting agricultural production on saline soils and reduce salt stress in rice crops. The objective of this study was to support the development of rice under salt stress by using a consortium of bacterial strains. 'Pokkali' rice plants inoculated with single Bacillus tequilensis and B. aryabhattai isolates were compared with consortium and non-inoculated plants while salinity was increased and by irrigation with tap water (control), 30 mM (5 dS m(-1)) and 60 mM (10 dS m(-1)) NaCl. The present study exhibited that inoculation of a mixed inoculum at 5 dS m(-1) resulted in significantly higher dry weight of the shoots and roots of seedlings (9.29 and 1.24 g, respectively) which was due to the increased SPAD value, proline content (7.55 mu mol g(-1) FW), and antioxidant enzyme activity in the inoculated plants. The higher accumulation of osmoprotectants such as proline supported Na+ ion reduction and antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase and reduced polyphenol oxidase content protect against higher cellular damage, eventually leading to increase plant growth performance in saline soil. This study demonstrates some positive effects of the locally isolated salt tolerant consortium PGPR strains on the growth of rice plants under salt stress conditions.

This study evaluates cellular damage, metabolite profiling, and defence-related gene expression in tomato plants and soil microflora during Fusarium wilt disease after treatment with B. tequilensis PBE-1. Histochemical analysis showed that PBE-1 was the primary line of defence through lignin deposition and reduced cell damage. GC-MS revealed that PBE-1 treatment ameliorated stress caused by F. oxysporum infection. PBE-1 also improved transpiration, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance in tomato. qRT-PCR suggested that the defence-related genes FLS2, SERK, NOS, WRKYT, NHO, SAUR, and MYC2, which spread infection, were highly upregulated during F. oxysporum infection, but either downregulated or expressed normally in PBE-1 + P treated plants. This indicates that the plant not only perceives the bio-control agent as a non-pathogen entity but its presence in normal metabolism and gene expression within the host plant is maintained. The study further corroborated findings that application of PBE-1 does not cause ecological disturbances in the rhizosphere. Activity of soil microflora across four treatments, measured by Average Well Colour Development (AWCD), showed continuous increases from weeks 1 to 4 post-pathogen infection, with distinct substrate usage patterns like tannic and fumaric acids impacting microbial energy source utilization and diversity. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and diversity indices like McIntosh, Shannon, and Simpson further illustrated significant microbial community shifts over the study period. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that B. tequilensis PBE-1 is an ideal bio-agent for field application during Fusarium wilt disease management in tomato.