Ladan Bayat 1, Mehri Askari*2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Arak University (Received: 29 November 2012 Accepted: 4 May 2013) Abstract: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are beneficial bacteria that increase growth of plants and induce resistance to various stresses. SO2 air pollution is one of these stresses that is known as a strong damaging air pollutants. Persian clover is one of legume family plants that consider as a forage crop and can form symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. In this study, the effects of Rhizobium (native and standard strains) on amounts of photosynthetic pigments and phosphorus and potassium elements of Persian clover under different concentrations of SO2 (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2ppm) were evaluated. The results showed that inoculation has beneficial effects on the amounts of photosynthetic pigments and phosphorus and potassium content in compared with non-inoculated plants. High concentrations of SO2 (1, 1.5 or 2ppm) caused a significant decline in the amounts of photosynthetic pigments and phosphorus and potassium elements of clover plant in compared to the control plants, however low concentration of SO2 (0.5ppm) had positive effects on measured parameters. Inoculation of Persian clover with two strains of Rhizobium decreased negative effects of high concentrations of SO2 on the amounts of photosynthetic pigments and phosphorus and potassium elements. The highest values of these parameters were measured in combination of the local strain plus 0.5ppm of SO2. It was suggested that Rhizobium could increase plant resistance and tolerance against abiotic stresses such as air pollution.

Keywords: Clover, Phosphorus, Photosynthetic pigments, Potassium, Rhizobium, SO2 pollution.

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