Plant growth promoting traits of marine Micrococcus sp. with bio-control ability against Fusarium in chickpea plant

Abstract

Chickpea is considered as one of the protein rich and low input crops in India but it suffers from a huge group of soil borne pathogens. Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (FOC) at any time from the seedling to podding and become a major factor for yield loss. The aim of this study was to determine the plant growth promoting and bio-control activity of marine Micrococcus luteus and checking its in vitro effect on vegetative parameters in the presence and absence of pathogen. M. luteus was characterized as PGPB as it was tested positive for indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) production (81.379 µg ml−1 of IAA), ammonia production (1.513 µmol ml−1), potassium solubilization (17.78 µg ml−1), phosphate solubilization (81.03 ppm), glucanase production (0.5848 µmol ml−1 h−1) and chitinase production (0.024 µmol ml−1 h−1) along with antagonistic potential against four different soil borne pathogens. Talc-based bio-formulation was prepared using M. luteus and its effect on vegetative parameters was checked by performing pot trials, using four different conditions- control (T1), M. luteus treated (T2), FOC treated (T3) and both M. luteus and FOC treated (T4). M. luteus showed significantly positive effect on vegetative parameters of plants. The results suggested that M. luteus protected chickpea from pathogen as it showed bio-control ability with inhibitory effect against pathogens and act as PGPB to enhance overall plant growth.