Enhancing wheat tolerance to salinity using nanomaterials, proline, and biochar-inoculated with Bacillus subtilis

Muhammad Ayman; Mohamed A Fahmy; Ahmed S M Elnahal; Haifa E Alfassam; Hassan A Rudayni; Ahmed A Allam; Eman M Farahat

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37160

Enhancing wheat tolerance to salinity using nanomaterials, proline, and biochar-inoculated with Bacillus subtilis

Heliyon. 2024 Aug 30;10(17):e37160. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37160. eCollection 2024 Sep 15.

Authors

Muhammad Ayman¹, Mohamed A Fahmy², Ahmed S M Elnahal³, Haifa E Alfassam⁴, Hassan A Rudayni⁵, Ahmed A Allam^{5

6}, Eman M Farahat⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Water and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Technology and Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
² Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
³ Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. BOX 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-suef University, Beni-suef 65211 Egypt.
⁷ Minia Higher Technology Institute for Applied Health Sciences, Minia, Egypt.

Abstract

Salinity negatively impacts crop production by affecting physiological and biochemical processes in plants. This study investigates the effectiveness of Nano-ZnO (NZn), proline (PA), Nano-TiO₂ (NTi), Nano-SiO₂ (NSi)), and biochar inoculated with Bacillus subtilis (OSBS) in enhancing wheat tolerance to salinity stress. Pot experiments were conducted under saline conditions with varying rates of biochar and foliar applications. Results indicated that 2 % OSBS with NZn and NSi significantly improved wheat growth, leaf area, and nutrient level, reducing the negative impacts of salinity.

Keywords: Biochar; Nanoparticles; Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB); Proline; Salt stress; Wheat plants.