Isolation, characterization, and effect of phosphate-zinc-solubilizing bacterial strains on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) growth

Abstract

Objective Phosphate (P) and zinc (Zn) are essential plant nutrients required for nodulation, nitrogen-fixation, plant growth and yield. Mostly applied P and Zn nutrients in the soil are converted into unavailable form. A small number of soil microbes have the ability to transform unsolvable forms of P and Zn to an available form. P-Zn-solubilizing rhizobacteria are potential alternates for P and Zn supplement. In the present study, the effect of two P-Zn-solubilizing bacterial strains ( Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 and Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5) was evaluated on the growth of chickpea plant. Methodology Both strains were purified from the rhizospheric soil of chickpea plant grown-up in sandy soil and rain-fed area (Thal desert). In vitro , both strains solubilize P and Zn as well both strain produce IAA and organic acids. In the field experiments, conducted in the rain-fed area, the positive influence of inoculation with both bacterial isolates AZ5 and AZ17 on chickpea growth was observed. Results The application of inoculum (strains AZ5 and AZ17) resulted in up to 17.47% and 17.34% increase in grain yield of both types of chickpea grown in fertilized and non-fertilized soil, respectively over non-inoculated control. Strain AZ5 was the most effective inoculum, increasing up to 17.47%, 16.04%, 26.32%, 22.53%, 26.12% and 22.59% in grain yield, straw weight, nodules number, dry weight of nodules, Zn uptake and P uptake respectively, over control. Conclusion These results indicated that Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5 and Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 can serve as effective microbial inocula for chickpea, particularly in the rain-fed area.

Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms: Mechanism and Their Role in Phosphate Solubilization and Uptake

“…strain AZ15 produced oxalic acid, gluconic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid and solubilized phosphorus up to 109.4 μg mL − 1 . Moreover, this strain also enhanced yield attributes like dry matter accumulation, grain yield, number of nodules, and nodule dry weight in chickpea (Zaheer et al 2019). It was evident from the findings that Halo zone experiment is performed for the qualitative screening of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms).…”

Bacillusspecies in soil as a natural resource for plant health and nutrition

“…AZ17 and Pseudomonas sp. AZ5 were reported to improve nodule weight and number, straw and grain yield and uptake of P and Zn in chickpea plants under field conditions in a rainfed area (Zaheer et al ). Bacillus circulans CB7 isolated from apple rhizosphere soil with multifaceted PGP traits like P‐solubilization, production of auxins, ACC deaminase and siderophore was shown to have positive influence on the plant growth parameters in tomato under net house condition (Mehta et al ).…”

Beneficial bacteria activate nutrients and promote wheat growth under conditions of reduced fertilizer application

“…PGPR can promote plant growth, help prevent pathogen invasion and improve plant adaptability to abiotic or biological stresses [9][10][11]. The beneficial effects of PGPR on plants can be explained by different mechanisms, including (1) nitrogen fixation [12]; (2) inorganic phosphate solubilization and organic phosphate mineralization [13];…”