01927naa a2200253 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902200140006002400520007410000180012624501590014426000090030352011430031265000190145565000120147465000220148665300180150870000190152670000170154570000170156270000180157970000240159777300520162121598542023-12-18       2023    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d  a1573-50367 ahttps://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06443-32DOI1 aCORREA, S. S.  aAbility of nitrogen‐fxing bacteria to alleviate drought stress in cowpea varies depending on the origin of the inoculated strain.h[electronic resource]  c2023  aDrought is one of the main causes of global crop decline. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria enhance plant tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether the rhizobacteria Microvirga vignae (BR 3296 and BR 3299) and Bradyrhizobium sp. (BR 3301) can maintain cowpea growth under drought stress. We analyzed biomass, nodulation, nitrogen accumulation, and physiological traits of the inoculated plants. Rhizobacterial strains were assessed for exopolysaccharide (EPS) and indole acetic acid (IAA) production, growth, and biofilm formation in a water-stress medium induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000. The expression of genes associated with abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis in root nodules was also investigated. Our results suggest that M. vignae strains, isolated from a semi-arid region, help plants withstand water-stress, whereas the strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. isolated from a wet region did not effectively alleviate drought stress. However, Bradyrhizobium sp. conferred growth and nitrogen accumulation to cowpea superior to M. vignae and like plants supplied with nitrogen fertilizer.  aBradyrhizobium  aDrought  aVigna Unguiculata  aRhizobacteria1 aPACHECO, R. S.1 aVIANA, G. C.1 aVIDAL, M. S.1 aXAVIER, G. R.1 aARAUJO, J. L. S. de  tPlant Soil, published online, 14 December 2023.