Pedosphere 22(6): 848--859, 2012
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2012 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on growth, nodulation and nutrient accumulation of lentil under controlled conditions |
M. ZAFAR1, M. K. ABBASI1 , M. A. KHAN1, A. KHALIQ1, T. SULTAN2 and M. ASLAM2 |
1 Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, The University of Poonch, Rawalakot Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan);
2 Soil Biology Laboratory, Land Resources Research Program (LRRP), National Agriculture Research Council (NARC), Islamabad (Pakistan) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been shown to increase legume growth and development under field and controlled environmental conditions.The present study was conducted to isolate plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from the root nodules of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) grown in arid/semi-arid region of Punjab, Pakistan and examined their plant growth-promoting abilities.Five bacterial isolates were isolated, screened in vitro for plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics and their effects on the growth of lentil were assessed under in vitro, hydroponic and greenhouse (pot experiment) conditions.All the isolates were Gram negative, rod-shaped and circular in form and exhibited the plant growth-promoting attributes of phosphate solubilization and auxin (indole acetic acid, IAA) production. The IAA production capacity ranged in 0.5-11.0 μg mL-1 and P solubilization ranged in 3-16 mg L-1. When tested for their effects on plant growth, the isolated strains had a stimulatory effect on growth, nodulation and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake in plants on nutrient-deficient soil. In the greenhouse pot experiment, application of PGPR significantly increased shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight by 65%, 43% and 63% and the increases in root length, fresh weight and dry weight were 74%, 54% and 92%, respectively, as compared with the uninoculated control. The relative increases in growth characteristics under in vitro and hydroponic conditions were even higher. PGPR also increased the number of pods per plant, 1,000-grain weight, dry matter yield and grain yield by 50%, 13%, 28% and 29%, respectively, over the control. The number of nodules and nodule dry mass increased by 170% and 136%, respectively. After inoculation with effective bacterial strains, the shoot, root and seed N and P contents increased, thereby increasing both N and P uptake in plants. The root elongation showed a positive correlation (R2=0.67) with the IAA production and seed yield exhibited a positive correlation (R2=0.82) with root nodulation. These indicated that the isolated PGPR rhizobial strains can be best utilized as potential agents or biofertilizers for stimulating the growth and nutrient accumulation of lentil. |
| Key Words: indole acetic acid, inoculation, nodules, nutrient uptake, phosphate solubilization |
| Citation: Zafar, M., Abbasi, M. K., Khan, M. A., Khaliq, A., Sultan, T. and Aslam, M. 2012. Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on growth, nodulation and nutrient accumulation of lentil under controlled conditions. Pedosphere. 22(6): 848-859. |
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