Water limitation alters pea seed compositional traits and the culturable bacterial fraction recovered from the rhizosphere
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: L. cv. Tom Thumb. Additionally, culturable bacteria were isolated from the pea rhizosphere to assess whether water limitation was associated with differences in the isolates recovered under the two watering regimes. Methods: Plants were grown under controlled conditions and subjected to well-watered control conditions (80% field capacity, FC) or water-limited conditions (40% FC) until maturity. Results: Water limitation reduced shoot, pod, seed and total aerial fresh weight, whereas no statistically detectable differences were observed in the corresponding dry weights, pod number, or seed number. Water-limited conditions altered seed phytochemical composition, increasing saponin and flavonoid contents by 95% and 14%, respectively, and decreasing total phenolic content by 11%. ABTS antioxidant activity increased, while DPPH activity showed a marginal decrease. Endpoint-specific comparisons also indicated lower seed nitrogen (N), with a corresponding reduction in N-derived estimated crude protein, and lower zinc (Zn) concentrations, while molybdenum (Mo) showed a marginal decrease. However, none of these nutritional or mineral responses remained supported after false discovery rate adjustment. Culture-dependent analysis of rhizosphere bacteria showed that reduced water availability had limited effects on culturable bacterial abundance, although different bacterial isolates were recovered under the two watering regimes. Conclusions: Overall, water limitation altered pea seed composition and was associated with differences in culturable rhizosphere bacterial isolates, even when dry reproductive biomass was not detectably reduced.
Source: Frontiers in Plant Science
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7221518761