BIOFORTIFICATION OF PEA MICROGREENS THROUGH ZINCSOLUBILIZING BACTERIA INOCULATION WITH FOLIAR IODINE APPLICATION.

Biofortification of plant food products including microgreens is one of the most promising approaches to combat with the problem of balanced nutrition for the human population. This study introduces the microbiological biofortification using plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria, specifically three strains of zincsolubilizing Pseudomonas sp. (STF10, STF14, STF16) isolated from the rhizosphere of Tussilago farfara L. The research explores their impact on growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments in pea (Pisum sativum L.) microgreens following iodine spraying, providing groundbreaking insights. The experimental results indicate that inoculation of pea seeds with these rhizobacteria significantly increased the fresh and dry biomass of 14-day-old microgreens (by 22 and 15%, respectively, on average) compared to non-inoculated plants. At the same time the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids in seedlings increased on average by 18 and 36%, respectively. Spraying with one form of iodine (0.01% KI or KIO3) slightly increased fresh and dry biomass (by 8% on average) and did not alter the content of photosynthetic pigments. Wherein iodine content in pea microgreens increased by 4.4 and 3.8 times, after KI and KIO3 spraying, respectively. By conducting experiments in a hydroponic nutrient solution, this study provides a robust platform for evaluating the biofortification potential of the three Pseudomonas strains along with foliar iodine feeding, marking a significant stride towards enhancing the nutritional profile of pea microgreens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]