MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIUM AND ITS EFFECT ON GROWTH OF APPLE PLANTS
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2013
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Abstract
Apple cultivation is today a prominent industry in Himachal Pradesh, India occupying an area of 1,03,644 hectares of land of the total 2,14,574 hectares of land under horticulture. High yielding modern varieties are being adopted, to increase the productivity, which are highly responsive to external inputs. Indiscriminate use of chemical inputs poses potential threat to human health and environment. It is in this context, that PGPR play a pivotal role in organic/sustainable crop production.
Work presented in here, highlights the novelty of Bacillus licheniformis strain CKA1, isolated from apple roots, in being used as a single strain with multifunctional plant growth promoting traits. Microbial formulation developed has been comprehensively evaluated under field conditions for its effect on early growth and yield of apple. Bio-control potential of the isolate has been assessed in white root rot infested apple trees. An attempt has also been made to decipher molecular mechanisms underlying the multifunctional plant growth promoting potential of strain CKA1.
Application of this microbial formulation resulted in 59.61 to 75.83 per cent increase in germination; 59.58 and 61.89 per cent increase in shoot and root length respectively in nursery and increased Nitrogen (32.53%), Phosphorus (320.37%) and Potassium (48.27%) in the whole shoot system over un-inoculated controls. PGPR inoculation increased fruit yield by 35 to 44% in a three year trial in farmer’s field and completely rejuvenated diseased apple trees infected with Dematophoranecatrix. Cloning and sequencing of genes from strain CKA1 has paved the way for understanding molecular mechanisms involved in (a) nutrient mobilization of essential nutrients and their subsequent enhanced uptake by plants (b) phytohormone production and (c) antifungal metabolite synthesis.
Apple orchard rejuvenation projects are being ambitiously launched by State agencies for restoring six decade old planted apple orchards. Integrated nutrient management systems comprising biological systems especially, single strain multifunctional PGPR such as strain CKA1 opens up new avenues not only for improving crop yield but also in sustaining soil health.
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##Unable to generate tags radhika pathiar, t-2764.pdf, Apples,Bacillus licheniformis strain CKA1