Chapter 5
Fluorescent Pseudomonads in Iron
Chelation and Plant Growth Promotion
in Abiotic Stresses
C. Dileep, C. G. Sreekala, T. S. Reshma, and Surabhi Sankar
Abstract Iron is an essential nutrient for plant growth and plays a pivotal role in the
energy metabolism of plants. But abiotic stress such as soil salinity is a leading cause
of iron limitation by excessive acquisition by plants. Soil salinity arises as a result of
climatic changes and it will be one of the major threats to crop production. It affects
the soil characteristics and thus the nutrient uptake for plant growth in saline soils.
Plants and microbes overcome this iron limitation by producing iron-chelating agents
known as Siderophores. Fluorescent pseudomonads are being considered as most
promising organisms which are free-living and endophytic nature, hence be exploited
as potential iron chelators of sustainable solution for plant health management. Effect
of Iron on siderophore production, pH levels, antagonism, and root colonization are
crucial factors which are found to be effective for raising crop in sustainable manner.
In the presence of Iron, their fluorescence is masked due to the formation of the
siderophore complex. Thus, iron deficiency induces siderophore production and root
colonization of such efficient native strains, ensures nutrient uptake, and promotes
plant growth.
Keywords Siderophore · Antagonism · Root colonization · Pseudobactin ·
Pyoverdin
5.1 Introduction
Agricultural productivity is curtailed by various types of biotic and abiotic stresses.
Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses among them. Climatic changes
accelerate the process of soil sanitization. The biological properties of the soil are
potentially affected by climatic changes (Patil 2018). Fluorescent pseudomonads are
the most promising group of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) involved
C. Dileep (B) · C. G. Sreekala · T. S. Reshma · S. Sankar
Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Botany, Sanatana Dharma College
(University of Kerala), Sanatanapuram P.O., Alappuzha 688003, Kerala, India
e-mail: drcileep@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. K. Maheshwari and S. Dheeman (eds.), Endophytes: Mineral Nutrient
Management, Volume 3, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 26,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65447-4_5
105
Fluorescent Pseudomonads in Iron
Chelation and Plant Growth Promotion
in Abiotic Stresses
C. Dileep, C. G. Sreekala, T. S. Reshma, and Surabhi Sankar
Abstract Iron is an essential nutrient for plant growth and plays a pivotal role in the
energy metabolism of plants. But abiotic stress such as soil salinity is a leading cause
of iron limitation by excessive acquisition by plants. Soil salinity arises as a result of
climatic changes and it will be one of the major threats to crop production. It affects
the soil characteristics and thus the nutrient uptake for plant growth in saline soils.
Plants and microbes overcome this iron limitation by producing iron-chelating agents
known as Siderophores. Fluorescent pseudomonads are being considered as most
promising organisms which are free-living and endophytic nature, hence be exploited
as potential iron chelators of sustainable solution for plant health management. Effect
of Iron on siderophore production, pH levels, antagonism, and root colonization are
crucial factors which are found to be effective for raising crop in sustainable manner.
In the presence of Iron, their fluorescence is masked due to the formation of the
siderophore complex. Thus, iron deficiency induces siderophore production and root
colonization of such efficient native strains, ensures nutrient uptake, and promotes
plant growth.
Keywords Siderophore · Antagonism · Root colonization · Pseudobactin ·
Pyoverdin
5.1 Introduction
Agricultural productivity is curtailed by various types of biotic and abiotic stresses.
Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses among them. Climatic changes
accelerate the process of soil sanitization. The biological properties of the soil are
potentially affected by climatic changes (Patil 2018). Fluorescent pseudomonads are
the most promising group of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) involved
C. Dileep (B) · C. G. Sreekala · T. S. Reshma · S. Sankar
Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Botany, Sanatana Dharma College
(University of Kerala), Sanatanapuram P.O., Alappuzha 688003, Kerala, India
e-mail: drcileep@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. K. Maheshwari and S. Dheeman (eds.), Endophytes: Mineral Nutrient
Management, Volume 3, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 26,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65447-4_5
105