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Screening of Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria and their Potential to Increase Grain Concentration in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

2018; Friends Science Publishers; Volume: 20; Issue: 03 Linguagem: Inglês

10.17957/ijab/15.0514

1814-9596

Hina Javed,

Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important micronutrients essential for optimum plant growth.Owing to alkaline conditions, the substantial quantity of applied inorganic Zn in soil is converted into unavailable form.In a recent decade, importance of Zn solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) has increased and these are potential candidate for improving bioavailable fraction of Zn to host plant.The objective of this study was the isolation, screening and characterization of ZSB in vitro and to access potential of selected ZSB to increase growth and Zn concentration in wheat.The total of 77 bacterial strains were isolated from different areas of Punjab (Shahkot, Sheikhupura, Chinniot and Gojra) of which 35 showed positive response towards Zn solubilization on Bunt and Rovira media amended with Zn source.Among these isolates 7 were selected on the basis of clear halozone and colony diameter.These isolates were then characterized on the basis of auxin production and ACC-deaminase (1aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylicacid) activity.Among 7 isolates H-103 produced maximum colony, halo zone diameter and showed significantly higher soluble Zn (37.2 and 31.9 mg kg -1 ) in broth amended with zinc carbonate and zinc oxide, respectively.The pH of the broth decreased in case of all strains ranging from 8.07 to 4.05 within 8 days.The results also revealed that ZSB (H-103) significantly enhanced biomass (25.4%) and Zn contents (57.7%) in wheat grains.It is concluded that the strain H-103 had ability to solubilize Zn and thus could be used as biofertilizer to improve wheat growth and Zn accumulation; however, these findings warrant further field experiments.