Combination of silicon and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria consortia promoted the growth of melon seedlings under salt stress

Silicon and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can be used as the environment- friendly agents to enhance the abiotic stress tolerance of plants. But how the combination of silicon and PGPR consortia impacts the salt-stressed plant is remaining less known now. In this study, we investigated the effects of the combination of silicon and PGPR consortia on the growth of melon seedlings under salt stress conditions. The results showed that the combination of silicon with the consortia of Agrobacterium sp. B58, Pantoea sp. GR168 and Priestia sp. GR-1 significantly promoted the plant growth indexes (e.g., biomass and stem diameter), enhanced the rhizosphere soil nutrient content (e.g., available phosphorus and available nitrogen) and enzyme activities (e.g., ones of catalase and acid phosphatase) in comparison with the applications of silicon, single strain and silicon combined with single strain. This is the first report that the combination of silicon and PGPR consortia, which effectively promotes the growth of melon seedlings under salt stress conditions, highlighting a profound approach for saline agriculture.