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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are increasingly recognized for their beneficial impacts on plants facing various environmental stresses, playing a pivotal role in enhancing ion uptake, water retention, and overall plant productivity. Similarly, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) contribute to plant growth by facilitating nitrogen assimilation and producing growth regulators. While the individual applications of AMF and PGPR are well-documented, there is limited research on their combined effects, particularly in heavy metal stress physiology. Therefore, the synergistic effects of AMF and PGPR in metal-stressed conditions, a relatively un-explored area in plant stress physiology. A hydroponic experiment was conducted under the combined effects of PGPR i.e., Bacillus cereus Pb25 and AMF i.e., Glomus intraradices under the hydroponic solution spiked with copper (Cu) stress i.e., 100 mu M on biochemical, morphological and physiological characteristics of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. Our results showed that the Cu toxicity in the nutrient solution showed a significant declined in the growth, gas exchange attributes and nutrient uptake in Z. mays. However, Cu toxicity significantly increased oxidative stress biomarkers, organic acids, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants including their gene expression in Z. mays seedlings. Although, the application of PGPR and AMF showed a significant increase in the plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, nutrient uptake, enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds and their gene expression and also decreased the oxidative stress and Cu uptake in different parts of the plant. These results open new insights for sustainable agriculture practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

来源平台：JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION