plant. In this way, both the participating species get mutually benefitted from each
other. In the recent studies, it is also found that such symbiotic association not only
contributes to the growth and vigor development of the host plant but it can also
enhance the drought stress tolerance capacity. The bacterial endophytes producing
high trehalose inside the nodules or assimilating trehalose in bacteria could be
potential strategy to enhanced survival and stability (Sharma et al., 2020).
Bradyrhizobia imparts growth and drought alleviation in soybean through various
direct and indirect mechanisms (Bharti et al., 2018). Soybean plants inoculated with
Bradyrhizobium improved plant fitness and physiological parameters besides
improving the plant rhizospheric health has been reported (Sharma et al.,
2012). This opens the door for various possible opportunities where host specific
rhizobium strains can be identified and can be used to study the host–microbe
interactions at the physiological and molecular level to understand the mechanism
of enhanced capacity of plant against the abiotic stresses. A similar kind of study has
been conducted at Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University
of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, and Southern Agricultural Research Institute,
Hawassa, Ethiopia where Aserse et al. (2019) came up with the identification of
some elite rhizobial strains (HAMBI3562 and HAMBI3570 for common bean and
HAMBI3513 for soybean) that significantly increased shoot dry length and nitrogen
content in common bean and soybean (Table 4.6).
In another study conducted differently by Bado et al. (2013) and Zerihun and
Haile (2017) they mentioned the other benefits like improvement of N and C content
of the soil which in turn benefit the sustainability of the soil fertility and enhance
subsequent cereal production cultivated in rotation with legumes.
Table 4.6 List of rhizobium strains specific for common bean and soybean to enhance drought
tolerance
Sr.
no.
Host plant
HAMBI code for rhizobium
strain
Rhizobium strain
1
Common
bean
HAMBI3562
Rhizobium phaseoli HBR10
2
Common
bean
HAMBI3570
R. phaseoli HBR53
3
Common
bean
HAMBI3556
R. Etli HBR5
4
Soybean
HAMBI3524
Bradyrhizobium japonicum
TAL379
5
Soybean
HAMBI3520
B. elkanni SBR2B
6
Soybean
HAMBI3513
B. elkanni SBR8B
4 Breeding and Molecular Approaches for Evolving Drought-Tolerant Soybeans
113
other. In the recent studies, it is also found that such symbiotic association not only
contributes to the growth and vigor development of the host plant but it can also
enhance the drought stress tolerance capacity. The bacterial endophytes producing
high trehalose inside the nodules or assimilating trehalose in bacteria could be
potential strategy to enhanced survival and stability (Sharma et al., 2020).
Bradyrhizobia imparts growth and drought alleviation in soybean through various
direct and indirect mechanisms (Bharti et al., 2018). Soybean plants inoculated with
Bradyrhizobium improved plant fitness and physiological parameters besides
improving the plant rhizospheric health has been reported (Sharma et al.,
2012). This opens the door for various possible opportunities where host specific
rhizobium strains can be identified and can be used to study the host–microbe
interactions at the physiological and molecular level to understand the mechanism
of enhanced capacity of plant against the abiotic stresses. A similar kind of study has
been conducted at Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University
of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, and Southern Agricultural Research Institute,
Hawassa, Ethiopia where Aserse et al. (2019) came up with the identification of
some elite rhizobial strains (HAMBI3562 and HAMBI3570 for common bean and
HAMBI3513 for soybean) that significantly increased shoot dry length and nitrogen
content in common bean and soybean (Table 4.6).
In another study conducted differently by Bado et al. (2013) and Zerihun and
Haile (2017) they mentioned the other benefits like improvement of N and C content
of the soil which in turn benefit the sustainability of the soil fertility and enhance
subsequent cereal production cultivated in rotation with legumes.
Table 4.6 List of rhizobium strains specific for common bean and soybean to enhance drought
tolerance
Sr.
no.
Host plant
HAMBI code for rhizobium
strain
Rhizobium strain
1
Common
bean
HAMBI3562
Rhizobium phaseoli HBR10
2
Common
bean
HAMBI3570
R. phaseoli HBR53
3
Common
bean
HAMBI3556
R. Etli HBR5
4
Soybean
HAMBI3524
Bradyrhizobium japonicum
TAL379
5
Soybean
HAMBI3520
B. elkanni SBR2B
6
Soybean
HAMBI3513
B. elkanni SBR8B
4 Breeding and Molecular Approaches for Evolving Drought-Tolerant Soybeans
113