Impact of Bt Cotton on the Functional Microbes in the Rhizosphere Under In Vitro Condition

In the present study, population of functional microbes was enumerated and compared from the Bt and non Bt cotton rhizosphere. On comparison of microbial population in Bt and non Bt cotton rhizosphere A. brasilense was more at 15 and 60 DAS, whereas P. fluorescens was more at 15, 30 and 45 DAS and B. megaterium population was more in Bt cotton in all sampling stages but T. viride recorded less population at 60 DAS in Bt cotton rhizosphere. Variation in the terms population of functional microbes were observed between Bt and non Bt cotton rhizosphere, but the variation was not statistically significant at any stage. Same trend of microbial population was followed between Bt and non Bt cotton. So under the green house condition Cry protein which released from the root exudates of the Bt cotton is not having any impact of the selected functional microbial population.