Evaluation of the microbiota associated with a salttolerant rice variety as a treatment to induce resistance in sensitive varieties

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide, feeding almost half of the global population. However, as a result of climate change, crops are highly submitted to abiotic stress conditions. Among them, soil salinity is considered as one of the major problems for agriculture, impacting not only the plant itself but also the soil and living organisms surrounding. Rice is considered salt sensitive by nature and when subjected to salt stress, it suffers an enormous negative impact in metabolic mechanisms, growth and productivity. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are able to promote plant vigor and improve adaptation in stress conditions, by producing phytohormones, secondary compounds, osmolites and antioxidant enzymes. Our goal is to study the effect of ST-PGPB (Salt Tolerant-PGPB) candidates selected from Pokkali (salt-tolerant rice variety) associated microbiota (seedborne and root recruited) in the level of salt stress resistance and response of Nipponbare (salt sensitive variety)