International Journal of Farm Sciences

Plant growth promoting (PGP) potential of Pseudomonas species was evaluated from the normal and replant rhizospheric soils of apple orchards of district Shimla, HP. Total of twelve isolates were tested for multifarious PGP traits viz phosphate solubilization, production of plant growth regulators, antifungal metabolites and siderophores. The strains were further studied for their ability to produce plant growth promoting activities such as plant growth hormones production viz auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins, phosphate solubilizing activity, siderophore activity, were also evaluated for their antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi. Maximum inhibition was recorded in Dematophora necatrix (50–60%) followed by Pythium ultimum (30–40%), Phytopthora cactorum and Fusarium cactorum by all Pseudomonas strains. The results suggested that all the isolates possessed multiple PGP traits thus can be further explored for their efficacy as effective PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria).