Molecular cloning, sequencing and recombinant expression of a putative tick protective antigen from three ixodid ticks

Abstract

-1 ). Two isolates, M1 and M3, were able to fix nitrogen. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of potential isolates revealed that bacterial isolates M2 and M6 showed maximum similarity with Bacillus subtilis, M4 with Bacillus simplex and M5 with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Further, the impact of co-inoculation of these non-rhizobial bacteria with Bradyrhizobium sp. MN-S on nodulation, plant growth and grain yield of mung bean was also assessed. Generally, co-inoculation significantly improved nodulation and grain yield compared with Bradyrhizobium sp. MN-S alone inoculation. The enhancement due to co-inoculation in nodule number and nodule dry weight was 78 and 127%, respectively when compared with the Bradyrhizobium sp. MN- S alone. Co-inoculation combination of Bradyrhizobium sp. MN-S with B. subtilis M6 performed best by increasing 22% grain yield, while the rest combinations also benefited plants non-significantly. The results show that non-rhizobial plant growth promoting bacteria improve nodulation and grain yield of the legumes upon co-inoculation with crop specific rhizobia.