MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIAL ENDOPHYTES ASSOCIATED WITH SELECTED SMALL MILLETS AND THEIR ROLE IN PLANT GROWTH
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Date
2018-10-01
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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK, BENGALURU
Abstract
Bacterial endophytes occur inside a plant and act as plant growth promoting
bacteria. The present study was carried out to isolate and characterize endophytic bacteria
residing inside the small millets and evaluate their role as plant growth promoters. Total
thirty-two bacterial endophytes were isolated from the roots, shoots and leaves of the six
small millets (Barn yard, Finger, Foxtail, Kodo, Little and Proso millet).The diversity
study was carried out by culture dependent techniques. Through culture based methods
even genera were identified. The genera identified are Bacillus, Lysinibacillus,
Alcaligenes, Staphylococcus, Streptomyces and Stenotrophomonas and Providencia and
two other genera which were yet to be characterized. Through 16S rRNA sequence using
specific primers, it was confirmed that there are seven genera associated with the small
millets. Most of the isolated endophytes showed plant growth-promoting (PGP) ability
like nitrogen fixing ability, phosphate solubilizing activity and production of gibberellic
acid (GA), Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), cytokinin, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate
(ACC) and siderophores. Twelve isolates (BMR7, BML1, FMR7, FMR12, FTMS4,
FTMS5, KMS1, KMS5, LMR4, LML4, PMR6 and PML3) showed antagonistic effect
against Pythium aphanidermatum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii,
Helminthosporium monoceros, and Pyricularia oryzae. Five isolates FMR7, FMR12,
KMS1, KMS5 and PML3 were selected for greenhouse study. These bacterial
endophytes either individually or in combination with reduced amount of fertilizers
improved plant growth and yield of the Foxtail Millet. These results strongly suggest that
the endophytic bacteria characterized in this study could be successfully used to promote
plant growth and inducing fungal resistance in plant.