Comparative Study of Trichoderma BHU-1 Mediated Drought Alleviation of Susceptible and Tolerant Rice Cultivars

Abstract

The study investigated Trichoderma-mediated morphological and biochemical responses in droughtsusceptible and tolerant rice cultivars, namely IR-64 and DRR-44, under drought-stressed and normal conditions. Various morphological and biochemical parameters were recorded 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting. The shoot length was insignificant, while the root length was significant in droughtsusceptible DRR-44 compared to non-stressed plants. The number of roots was also significant in Trichoderma BHU-1 treated plants of both cultivars. Proline content was more substantial in drought susceptible cultivars than tolerant and similarly, lignin, TPC, PAL, and PO activities were higher in Trichoderma BHU-1 treated drought-stressed plants than in normal ones. The result revealed that Trichoderma BHU-1 treatment modulates an increase in root length, shoot length, and the total number of tillers and roots under drought conditions. It also maintained the level of phenolics in plants by upregulating the pathway thereby helping the plant to sustain drought. © The Author(s) 2025.