[Probiotics for plants: NO-producing lactobacilli protect plants from drought]

After the inoculation of wheat roots with a suspension of the bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum, leveling of oxidative stress detected by the accumulation of H2O2 and MDA was found in leaves. Activation of catalase and increased integral antioxidant capacity in seedlings treated with NO-producing lactobacilli were detected during the determination of the contribution of bacterial NO to the plant stress reaction. Thus, for the first time, we have demonstrated that lactobacilli affect plant adaptive responses to stress by the involvement of nitric oxide.