Search

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an economically important source of food and feed. This species is highly sensitive to drought, which is the most limiting factor for the biomass yield of a crop. Thus, maize cultivation methods should be improved, especially by environment-friendly agricultural practices, such as microorganisms. Here, we provide evidence that Glomus sp. and Bacillus sp. modulate maize response to drought. Inoculation of maize seeds by these microorganisms restored the proper photosynthetic activity of the plant under drought and stabilized the osmoprotectant content of the leaf. The beneficial effect of Glomus sp. and Bacillus sp. was also related to the stabilization of cell redox status reflected by hydrogen peroxide content, antioxidant enzymes, and malondialdehyde level in leaves. As we revealed by several methods, shaping maize response to drought is mediated by both microorganism-mediated modifications of cell wall composition and structure of leaves, such as downregulating pectin, affecting their methylation degree, and increasing hemicellulose content. Overall, we provide new information about the mechanisms by which Glomus sp. and Bacillus sp. induce drought tolerance in maize, which is a promising approach for mitigating abiotic stresses.

Genus Lecanophryella Dovgal, 1985 Type species: Lecanophryella paraleptastaci Dovgal, 1985 Suctorian ciliates with unloricate, weakly laterally flattened cell body, with two or three well-developed actinophores equipped with thin, clavate, tentacles at the apical ends. Stalk, short, dense. Macronucleus spherical or elongated. Reproduction by vermigemmic budding with forming of swarmers that are devoid of ciliature., Published as part of Chatterjee, Tapas, Dovgal, Igor, Nanajkar, Mandar & Bogati, Kalisa, 2019, Note on the genus Lecanophryella (Ciliophora: Suctorea) with description of a new species from west coast of India, pp. 494-500 in Zootaxa 4612 (4) on pages 495-496, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4612.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/3235870, {"references":["Dovgal, I. V. (1985) Lecanophryella paraleptastaci gen. et sp. n. (Vermigenea, Lecanophryidae). Zoologiceskiy Jurnal, LXIV (N 8), 1256 - 1259. [in Russian with English summary]"]}

Lecanophryella indica Chatterjee, Dovgal, Nanajkar & Bogati sp. nov. (Fig. 4 A–F) Diagnosis: Suctorian ciliate with slightly laterally flattened, elongated, body, narrowed at the bottom, with a short, thin, straight stalk. There are two well-developed flattened, trapezoidal actinophores, on the inner (facing the central axis of the body) side of each has a small hemispherical protrusion with from 10 to 20 thin, clavate tentacles. Macronucleus elongated, medial. Reproduction be vermigemmic budding, with unciliary swarmer positioned (Fig. 4F) on the lateral side of the body. Dimensions (in µm): (measurements were taken from 5 individuals) length of the extended (upper) body part 128–159; width of the extended body part 22–45; length of the constricted (lower) part of the body 63–92; width of the constricted body part 34–86; actinophore length 47–54; actinophore width 8–36; stalk length 18–22; tentacle length 9–62. Size of macronucleus 41–79×16–23. Type locality: Surface waters of Zuari estuarine mouth, Lat. 15°24’09"N and Long. 73°48’34”E, West coast of India, Arabian Sea. (Study area 1). Type host: Planktonic pelagic cyclopoid copepods (Fig. 4A).

Lecanophryella paraleptastaci Dovgal, 1985 (Fig. 2 A���C) Lecanophryella paraleptastaci Dovgal, 1985, 1256���1259, Figs. 1���4. Diagnosis and dimensions of this species is given here following Dovgal (1985). As Dovgal (1985) was primarily a Russian language description, the present article provides a re-description of diagnosis and dimensions to appraise a wide range of workers. Diagnosis. Suctorian ciliate with slightly laterally flattened body, equipped with two (Fig. 2B), rarely three (Fig. 2C) well-developed actinophores, at the extended ends of which positioned groups of the clavate tentacles, which extended at the base. The cell pellicula with well-defined longitudinal folds. Stalk short, dense, slightly curved. Macronucleus is rounded, located medially, or located within one of the actinophores. Reproduction by vermigemmic budding. Swarmers (Fig. 2A) are unciliary, leaf-shaped, with a well-developed apical sucker. Commensal of freshwater harpacticoid copepods. Localization: host body segments. Dimensions (in ��m): body length 36���72, body width 10���36, actinophore length 17���46, tentacle length 9���14, stalk length 7���19, slalk diameted 4���5, size of macronucleus 10���14��5���10. Dimentsons of swarmer: length 36���46, width 19���22, sucker diameter 11���13. Type material: A hapantotype slide No. 118 deposited in I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kiev, Ukraine). Type host: Paraleptastacus spinicauda triseta Noodt, 1954. Type locality: Kremenchug water reservoir on the Dnieper River (Ukraine)., Published as part of Chatterjee, Tapas, Dovgal, Igor, Nanajkar, Mandar & Bogati, Kalisa, 2019, Note on the genus Lecanophryella (Ciliophora: Suctorea) with description of a new species from west coast of India, pp. 494-500 in Zootaxa 4612 (4) on page 496, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4612.4.2, http://zenodo.org/record/3235870, {"references":["Dovgal, I. V. (1985) Lecanophryella paraleptastaci gen. et sp. n. (Vermigenea, Lecanophryidae). Zoologiceskiy Jurnal, LXIV (N 8), 1256 - 1259. [in Russian with English summary]"]}