THE INFLUENCE OF PURPLE NON-SULFUR PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA ON RICE YIELD AND ARSENIC UPTAKE IN GRAINS

Abstract

Arsenic (As) contamination in water and soil leads to As accumulation in crops, particularly rice. Research on the potential of purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria (PNSB) to reduce arsenic uptake and improve yield in rice aims to enable their application in agricultural production. The results show that PNSB do not affect germination rates but enhance sprout and root development. Rice yield ranged from 12.46 to 24.78 g/pot, with significant differences between treatments. The combination of strains W47 + S29 + W22 + W25 resulted in the highest yield in the presence of As3+ but did not reduce As uptake in grains. The PNSB strains W44, W14, W4.3, W25, both individually and in combination, effectively reduced As uptake in grains in the presence of the toxin As5+ (3.36 to 6.83 mg/kg) compared to the As5+ control treatment (10.5 mg/kg). The findings indicate that PNSB can be used to limit As uptake in rice grains and improve rice yield.