The soil microbiome enhances sesame growth and oil composition, and soil nutrients under saline conditions

Soil salinity is a significant abiotic stress that restricts plant growth and agricultural productivity. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy to mitigate the detrimental effects of salinity by enhancing nutrient availability and promoting plant development. In this study, twelve halophilic bacterial isolates were obtained from saline soils of coastal regions in India and screened for PGPR traits, including siderophore production, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), ammonia production, exopolysaccharide (EPS), cellulase activity, and phosphate solubilization. Based on 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, three salt-tolerant PGPR strains were identified (Pseudomonas toyotomiensis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus). Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plants were cultivated in saline soil and inoculated with these isolates. After 45 days, PGPR-treated plants exhibited significantly improved morphological traits and metabolic activity compared to the control plants. Moreover, antioxidant activity was enhanced considerably, along with notable improvements in sesame oil quality and the soil's physicochemical properties. These findings demonstrate the potential of halotolerant PGPR as effective bioinoculants for enhancing sesame growth and salinity stress tolerance in salt-affected soils.