Influence of treatment of wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) seedling roots with <i>Azospirillum</i> lectins on resistance to abiotic stress

It is known that growth-stimulating rhizobacteria of the genus Azospirillum have an effect on plant resistance to abiotic stress, but the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. The effect of azospirillus lectins on the drought resistance of wheat Triticum aestivum was investigated. The surface lectins of the strains A. brasilense Sp7 and A. baldaniorum Sp245 are able to attach to specific carbohydrates and ensure the binding of bacteria to the surface of the plant root. They are multifunctional, and the effects caused by lectins are dose-dependent. In the roots of wheat seedlings under conditions of arid stress, lectins increased the activity of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase with varying intensity. Lectins reduced lipid peroxidation, but increased the content of secondary metabolites such as common phenols and flavonoids. In the roots of stressed seedlings, lectins caused a dose-dependent increase in the total protein content and led to a change in the electrophoretic spectra of low-molecular-weight proteins. The results obtained led to the conclusion that the use of lectins can provide an affordable and simple solution to increase crop productivity in conditions of limited water availability.