Characterizing indigenous plant growth promoting bacteria and their synergistic effects with organic and chemical fertilizers on wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Abstract

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers is deteriorating both the environment and soil, making it a big challenge faced by sustainable agriculture. To assist the efforts for the solution of this burning issue, nine different potential native strains of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) namely, SA-1(Bacillus subtilis), SA-5 (Stenotrophomonas humi),SA-7(Azospirillum brasilense), BH-1(Azospirillum oryzae), BH-7(Azotobacter armeniacus), BH-8(Rhizobium pusense), BA-3(Azospirillum zeae), BA-6(Rhizobium pusense), and BA-7(Pseudomonas fragi) were isolated that were characterized morphologically, biochemically and molecularly on the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing. Furthermore, the capability of indigenous PGPB in wheat (Triticum aestivum, Chakwal-50) under control, DAP+FYM, SA-1,5,7, BH-1,7,8, BA-3,6,7, DAP+ FYM + SA-1,5,7, DAP+FYM+ BH-1,7,8 and DAP+FYM+ BA-3,6,7 treatments was assessed in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results of the study showed that there was a significant increase in plant growth, nutrients, quality parameters, crop yield, and soil nutrients at three depths under SA-1,5,7, BH-1,7,8, and BA-3,6,7 in combination with DAP+FYM. Out of all these treatments, DAP+ FYM + BA-3,6,7 was found to be the most efficient for wheat growth having the highest 1000-grain weight of 55.1 g. The highest values for plant height, no. of grains/spike, spike length, shoot length, root length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, 1000 grain weight, biological yield, and economic yield were found to be 90.7 cm, 87.7 cm, 7.20 cm, 53.5 cm, 33.5 cm, 4.87 g, 1.32 g, 55.1 g, 8209 kg/h, and 4572 kg/h, respectively, in the DAP+FYM+BA treatment. The DAP+FYM+BA treatment had the highest values of TN (1.68 µg/mL), P (0.38%), and K (1.33%). Likewise, the value of mean protein (10.5%), carbohydrate (75%), lipid (2.5%), and available P (4.68 ppm) was also highest in the DAP+FYM+BA combination. C:P was found to be significantly highest (20.7) in BA alone but was significantly lowest (11.9) in DAP+FYM+BA. Hence, the integration of strains BA-3, BA-5, and BA-7 in fertilizers can be regarded as the most suitable choice for agricultural growth in the sub-mountainous lower region of AJK. This could serve as the best choice for sustainable wheat growth and improved soil fertility with lesser impacts on the environment.

Obtaining an important component of humate-enriched organomineral fertiliser based on oxidised lignite from Kyrgyzstan

“…The study confirms the positive effect of glauconite on soil characteristics, which agrees with the findings of I. Asghar et al (2023), which shows an increase in the content of major nutritional elements and humic substances in the soil. This indicates that the addition of glauconite does improve soil fertility and stimulate plant growth.…”

Effect of Microbial Inoculants Endowed with Multifarious Plant Growth-Promoting Traits on Grape Growth and Fruit Quality under Organic Fertilization Scenarios

“…Additionally, there exists a significant positive correlation between soil nutrients and plant growth as documented in previous studies [20,53,54]. This is in accordance with the research conducted by Asghar et al [55] wherein various PGPB they identified demonstrated increased wheat yield, improved nutritional and quality parameters, and enhanced availability of soil nutrients when employed in conjunction with organic and chemical fertilizers.…”

Optimizing tomato seedling growth with indigenous mangrove bacterial inoculants and reduced NPK fertilization

“…These bacteria can act as biofertilizers through various mechanisms, including nitrogen fixation, nutrient solubilization, ammonium production, siderophore production and hormone production. Consequently, the use of PGPB can enhance plant nutrient uptake ( Ijaz et al., 2021 ; Tsegaye et al., 2022 ) and increase the efficiency of synthetic fertilization ( Mortinho et al., 2022 ; Asghar et al., 2023 ). The PGPB communities have great potential to reduce the dependency on synthetic fertilizers, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, in both soil ( Rosa et al., 2022 ; Tounsi-Hammami et al., 2022 ) and soilless conditions ( Ikiz et al., 2024 ).…”