Drought Adaptive Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria as Bioinoculants for Plant Growth Promotion of Maize (Zea Mays L.)

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is a vita plant nutrient with potential role in the metabolic activities. Simultaneously, it is the major yield limiting nutrient. It is abundant in both organic and inorganic forms in soils. The use of chemical phosphatic fertilizers is the only alternate way to avoid phosphorus deficiency. In the present study 70 phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) have been isolated from rhizosphere of wheat and among 70 PSB, 10 isolates have shown P-solubilizing ability on rock phosphate, apatite and tricalcium phosphate. Ten PSB were screened for drought tolerance and the amount of phosphorus solubilized under drought conditions was done. Ten isolates along with different doses of the chemical fertilizers were used for plant growth promotion of maize in an in vitro trial. The isolates efficiently improved the studied parameters of the maize. Thus, PSB could play a major function in supplying plants with phosphate to in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner.

Keywords: Bioinoculants, Drought, plant growth promotion, Maize