Abstract
Two locally prevailing hetyerocystous cyanobacterial isolates, collected from alluvial clay soil and identified as Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena variabilis, were tested (either singly or mixed) for their potency to colonize the roots of wheat seedlings. N. muscorum formed close association with root hairs, whereas A. variabilis showed loose binding. The mixture of both cyanobacterial strains formed weak association with the roots of wheat seedlings. The tight colonization of N. muscorum led to accumulation of Chl "a" in the roots, as well as showed a beneficial influence on stimulating nitrogenase activity. Such tight association by N. muscorum significantly increased the growth parameters of wheat seedlings. Dry weight of the inoculated plant seedlings roots augmented by more than 3-fold of the control, wherever the shoots were promoted by more than 36% as compared to the control has no inoculation. However, the loose attachment shown by A. variabilis contributed to the weak association of the mixture of both cyanobacterial agents. Key words: Nostoc muscorum, Anabaena variabilis, Triticum variabilis, cyanobacterial isolates.
Highlights
It is known that the extensive application of mineral fertilizer is very costly and environmentally hazardous
Two locally prevailing hetyerocystous cyanobacterial isolates, collected from alluvial clay soil and identified as Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena variabilis, were tested for their potency to colonize the roots of wheat seedlings
The loose attachment shown by A. variabilis contributed to the weak association of the mixture of both cyanobacterial agents
Summary
It is known that the extensive application of mineral fertilizer is very costly and environmentally hazardous. Some of cyanobacteria showed an effective role in stimulating soil fertility by producing plant growth enhancing substances, increasing nutrients availability and plant uptake (Sergeeva et al, 2002; Prasanna and Kaushik (2006). Cyanobacteria play an effective role in carbon and nitrogen cycling, wherever it enhance the production of ammonia and indolic compounds. They reported that analysis of harvest stage of rice elucidated a remarkable augmentation in soil biomass carbon, nitrogen availability, grain yield and 1000 grain weight. The present work aimed to estimate the potential of two locally isolated cyanobacterial strains in Egypt, namely Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena variabilis for developing association with wheat roots, as well as their effect on plant growth and nitrogenase activity for possibilities of utilizing it as a wide biofertilizer application
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