3.2 Seed mineral elements
Obtained data from the CHNS analyzer showed that water deficit reduced the content of carbon, sulphur, and hydrogen. This reduction arranged from 57% to 54.19, from 0.047 to 0.004 and from 0.304 to 0.247 for C, S, and H respectively. However, the decrease of H concentration was relatively small and no significant. The results of Table 3 showed that a decrease of C concentration considered with the increase of N concentration under water stress. The highest variation of C and N concentration by -4.7% and +27.6 % respectively was in B1D1 in comparison with the control (Table 3). Compared to the relatively low variation C: N ratio, N: S ratio was very high. Insofar as, the highest decrease C: N (by 1.3 fold) considered with the highest increase N: S (by 8.5 fold) in B1D1 (Table 3). In Fig 2A, B was detected a positive correlation between oil content and C: N and a negative correlation between C: N ratio with protein. A significant increase was observed in P concentration with water stress and PGPB treatment (Table 3). The highest P content was related to B1D1 (up to 2 fold) in comparison with control (Table 3). The effect of water deficit and PGPB on micronutrients (Fe, Zn, and Mn) were displayed in (Table 3). The enhancement of Fe and Zn concentration in mild water deficit stress were considerable in inoculated (by 2.5, and 1.5 fold respectively) beside non-inoculated plants (1.9 and 1.2 fold). At all drought levels, enhancement of the micronutrients concentration was higher in inoculated plants than no- inoculated plants