PubMed · 2026-05-29
A soil bacterium called Bacillus tropicus KH90 helps rice plants survive drought by boosting their antioxidant defenses, improving root growth, and activating stress-response genes — offering a potential natural alternative to chemical treatments for drought-stressed crops.
KH90 inoculation significantly reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) in drought-stressed rice plants while boosting activity of seven antioxidant enzymes including SOD, CAT, and APX.
Drought stress downregulated the aquaporin gene OsNIP1;1 (involved in water transport), but KH90 treatment restored its expression along with upregulating four key antioxidant genes.
KH90 improved root architecture and macro/micronutrient acquisition under drought conditions, establishing a linked physiological, biochemical, and molecular framework for bacteria-induced drought tolerance.
