1Department of Tissue Engineering, Jacob School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences-Deemed to be University, Allahabad-211007, India
2Department of Biological Sciences, School of Basic Science, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences-Deemed to be University, Allahabad-211007, India
*Corresponding author G.D. Ram gurudayal.ram@shiats.edu.in
Online published on 5 September, 2013.
The ten bacterial isolates were successfully isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato. They were designated as RBS1, RBN2, RBP2, RBC3, RBD4, RBT6, RBM3, RBH1, RBK3 and RBJ2. The cultural characteristics of all the isolates were found to be similar as far as shape, elevation, surface and margin of bacterial cultures are concerned however they varied in colour formation on culture media. All the ten isolates were rod shaped, motile and Gram negative. Isolates RBS1, RBN2, RBH1 and RBJ2, had ability to solubilize the phosphorus while others were none solubilizing. Isolates RBN2, RBP2, and RBM3 were found to induce the IAA production. The PGPR isolates significantly affected the length of tomato seedlings. The shoot and root length of PGPR treated plants were more in comparison to the control. The highest shoot length (12.50 cm) was recorded in RBC3 isolate and root length ranged from 7.30 to 11.10 cm. The isolate RBS1 produced the highest root length (11.10 cm).
PGPR, rhizosphere, rhizobacteria, IAA, tomato seedling, biofertilizer
