Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria induced resistance in Jatropha curcas through phenyl propanoid metabolism against Rhizoctoniabataticola

The root rot disease in Jatropha curcas L. caused by Rhizoctonia. bataticola (Taub.) Butler has been recorded in causing 10-12 per cent mortality of 20-30 days old seedlings of Jatropha curcasin southern Haryana. The incidence of this disease has also been observed from other parts of Haryana too. Induction of systemic resistance in host plants through microbes and their bioactive metabolites are attaining popularity in modern agricultural practices. Studies on the plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria induced resistance in Jatropha curcas through phenyl propanoid metabolism against Rhizoctoniabataticola were undertaken at Chaudhary Charan Singh, Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal. Three plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) viz., Pseudomonas maltophila, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis were evaluated for their potential to induce systemic resistance in Jatropha against root rot. The maximum increase of 97 per cent in total phenols, 120 per cent in peroxidase, 123 per cent in polyphenol oxidase, 101 per cent in phenylalanine ammonia lyase and 298 per cent in tyrosine ammonia lyase was detected in plants raised with Pseudomonas fluorescens+ Rhizoctoniaba-taticola inoculation in Jatropha curcas at 10 days post inoculation against control except total phenols where it was maximum (99%) at 30 DPI. There was slight or sharp decline in these parameters with age irrespective of inoculations. The pathogen challenged plants showed lower levels of total phenols and enzymes. The observations revealed that seed bacterization with Pseudomonas fluorescens results in accumulation of phenolics and battery of enzymes in response to pathogen infection and thereby induce resistance systemically.