PGPR mediated enhancement of saffron corm production in non-traditional area of Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

In India, saffron (Crocus sativus) cultivation is being extensively promoted in non-traditional areas mainly in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In this regard, the availability of good quality planting material (large corms) is a major limitation. Hence, efforts were made to increase the production of daughter corms in farmers’ fields through the application of thermotolerant PGPR FS2 which could retain its growth-promoting potential over a wide temperature regime. The bacterial community was assessed through metagenomic approach. The PGPR FS2 was isolated from the bacterial community associated with the saffron rhizosphere. Stringent screening processes were adopted to select appropriate PGPR to successfully produce bigger-size saffron corms which are of economic importance. The study highlights the positive role of Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in promoting the commercial cultivation of saffron in nontraditional areas of HP India through organic argopractice.