Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) on Antioxidant Properties of Chickpea (Cicer arietinium L.) in Presence of Toxic Effect of Thiamethoxam

Background: Agriculture have focused on the role of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) in mitigating the negative impacts of pesticides on crops. PGPR, a diverse group of beneficial soil bacteria, establishes symbiotic relationships with plants, influencing various aspects of plant growth and stress tolerance. Methods: This study underscores the potential of integrating PGPR (Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) with plant growth regulators (PGR) like melatonin and Strigolactone to mitigate the adverse effects of thiamethoxam exposure on biochemical and antioxidant parameters in chickpeas, thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. Four different combinations of Treatments were used at School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara- Punjab, India during 2022-24 to study the effect of thiamethoxam (TMX) on antioxidant properties (TMX, TMX+PGPR, TMX+PGPR+Melatonin and TMX+PGPR+ Melatonin+Strigolactone). Result: The findings presented in current study provide a foundational understanding of the role of plant growth- promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Plant growth regulator in enhancing the growth of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and minimizing the pesticide stress on the plant. The results have shown a significant increase in total chlorophyll (0.0083±0.0021), chlorophyll a (0.003±0.0005) and chlorophyll b (0.0056±0.0025) using PGPR and melatonin compared to the control, with the effect being more pronounced after the addition of Strigolactone. Similarly, oxidative stress markers such as superoxide ions and hydrogen peroxide showed significant values in the PGPR and PGR consortium, indicating their ability to combat pesticide stress.