Assessment of Zinc solubilization by Endophytic Bacteria in Legume Rhizosphere

Poonam Sharma; K. C. Kumawat; Sabhjeet Kaur; Navprabhjot Kaur

Volume : IV, Issue : VI, June - 2014

Assessment of Zinc solubilization by Endophytic Bacteria in Legume Rhizosphere

Poonam Sharma, K. C. Kumawat, Sabhjeet Kaur, Navprabhjot Kaur

Abstract :

Total of 48 endophytic bacterial isolates from soybean (43) and summer mungbean (5) rhizosphere were screened for zinc solubilizing ability in Tris– minimal medium separately amended with inorganic zinc compounds viz. zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc phosphate Zn3(PO4)2 by plate assay method. Further zinc solubilizing isolates were assessed for morphological, biochemical and plant growth promoting (PGP) traits in vitro. Of 48 endophytic bacterial isolates, 3 and 17 were able to solubilize ZnO whereas 2 and 12 were able to solubilize Zn3(PO4)2 on Tris– minimal medium. Endophytes 1J (Klebsiella spp.) and 19D (Pseudomonas spp.) were found to be promising bacterial isolates as they solubilized both inorganic sources of zinc separately supplemented in Tris– minimal medium along with good PGP traits (P– solubilization & indole acetic acid) and can be exploited as potential biofertilizers.