Impacto do déficit hídrico nas características morfológicas de genótipos de milho-pipoca inoculados com Bacillus cereus

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.141112613013

• Palavras-chave: Déficit hídrico; rizobactérias; Zea mays L. var. everta

• Keywords: Water deficit, rhizobacteria, Zea mays L. var. everta

• Abstract: Drought causes losses in agricultural productivity, and popcorn maize is sensitive to water limitation. Association with plant growth–promoting bacteria (PGPB) can enhance adaptation to water-stress environments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the morphological response of popcorn maize genotypes in interaction with the rhizobacterium Bacillus cereus under water deficit conditions. Two inbred lines (L61, sensitive, and L76, tolerant) and their hybrid (WS01) were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with a simple factorial arrangement (genotypes and type of inoculation as factors), with three replications. The substrates in PVC tubes consisted of 70% Basaplant and 30% perlite. In a greenhouse, irrigation was suspended 24 days after plant emergence, and soil water potential gradually decreased according to plant water consumption. Treatments inoculated at planting received 1 mL of a suspension of Bacillus cereus strain UENF LMS 71 containing 1.8 × 10⁹ colony-forming units (CFU), while non-inoculated treatments received 1 mL of sterile medium without bacteria. The results showed that the genotype effect was significant for all morphological traits, whereas inoculation had a significant effect on specific traits of L61 and L76. For root dry mass, inoculation led to increases in L76 and reductions in L61. The hybrid did not show significant differences for any of the evaluated morphological traits. The conclusion was that inoculation with Bacillus cereus has the potential to promote popcorn maize growth under drought-induced water stress, with genotype-dependent responses.