Assessment and selection of multi-trait plant growth promoting bacteria associated with rice rhizosphere

Abstract

The application of plant growth promoting bacteria is the need of present day for sustainable agriculture. The present study was carried out to assess and select of multi-trait plant growth promoting bacteria associated with rice. Seventeen rhizospheric samples from different rice varieties were collected from different locations of South Gujarat. Total of 98 isolates obtained from different rhizospheric samples were screened out for PGPR activities. Primary screening revealed 15 isolates having potential PGPR activities. These isolates were further evaluated for their ability to produce IAA, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, protease, cellulase and chitinase enzyme production quantitatively. The result showed that isolate M2 found to produce maximum of 48.4 mg/L IAA, 80 % siderophore and solubilizing 11 mg/L phosphate. Besides these growth promotion traits, M2 also found to produce 14 IU protease, 0.98 IU cellulase and 0.24 IU chitinase. Considering the multi-trait plant growth promotion abilities of M2 isolate it was further characterized and identified tentatively as Pseudomonas species.