ISSN 2360-7971
Abstract
This investigation focused on exploring the potential of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) within the rhizosphere of rice fields located in the Tatypur region of Multan, Pakistan. Selected bacterial strains were identified through the analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence. Through phylogenetic analysis, two prominent bacterial strains, Achromobacter sp. FZ97 (GenBank accession KF848955.1) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain AQN2 (GenBank accession HQ457015.1), were identified, characterised, and applied for plant growth promotion. The effect of these strains on the growth and yield of garlic was evaluated by a pot experiment. The experiment had 9 treatments, including 3 control groups (no treatment, 50% NPK, and 100% NPK). The other 6 treatments involved inoculating Achromobacter sp. or Stenotrophomonas maltophilia with or without NPK fertiliser. Vegetative and yield parameters were recorded in triplicate. These PGPR strains possess significant latent potential as biofertilisers, as evidenced by their application on garlic crops, which resulted in a marked increase in growth and productivity. This study suggests that the utilisation of biofertilisers in combination with a reduced amount of chemical fertilisers could be a practical strategy to alleviate the adverse environmental effects associated with the extreme use of chemical fertilisers. The identified strains can be used to develop novel biofertilisers for eco-friendly practices in Pakistan, and future research can explore their application on diverse crops to enhance growth and productivity.
Keywords: Rhizobacteria, Indole acetic acid, Nitrogen fixation, Biofertilizer, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia