A method of increasing drought resistance of a plant the method comprising applying a or a composition thereof (i) to the plant or to a part of the plant； and/or (ii) to an area around the plant or plant part in an amount effective to produce an increased drought resistance in the plant as compared to the drought stress resistance of the plant in the absence of said application of or composition is described. A biologically pure culture of a 1 aminocyclopropane l carboxylate (ACC) deaminase deficient bacterium strain or a mutant thereof able to induce drought resistance in a plant are also described.
