High ethylene concentration under different environmental stresses such as salinity is one of the
contributing factors for premature senescence of different plant parts. Plants under salinity stress
produce increased levels of ethylene which inhibit the plant growth and physiology thus deteriorating
the quality of the produce. Some plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to
improve quality of crops through reduction in detrimental effects of salinity on plant growth and
physiology by lowering endogenous level of ethylene along with other mechanisms. Two field trials were
conducted to evaluate the Rhizobium and Pseudomonas containing ACC-deaminase for their efficacy to
reduce the effect of salinity on physiology, ionic and nutrient balance of mung bean. Results showed that
salinity stress adversely affected the physiological parameters of mung bean. It decreased the CO2
assimilation, stomatal conductance of water, relative water content, photosynthetic rate, transpiration
rate and chlorophyll contents in mung bean but inoculation of either Rhizobium or Pseudomonas alone
reduced adverse effect of salinity significantly. However, co-inoculation with Rhizobium and Pseudomonas
was the most effective treatment and it diluted the adverse effects of salinity on relative water contents
and CO2 assimilation rate thus improving the photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency and chlorophyll
content over the un-inoculated control. Co-inoculation improved the ionic balance and also increased the
phosphorus and protein concentration in grain of mung bean. The results suggested that these strains
could be effectively used to improve the growth, physiology and quality of mung bean under salt-affected
conditions