Potentials of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Enhancing Nodulation of Bradyrhizobium daqingense and Yield in Soybean

Abstract

Background: The ferments of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are used since decades in agricultural practice to control diseases, to promote plant growth and also to improve soils. However the functional roles of LAB in phytomicrobiome need to be discovered, which would result in understanding of the symbiotic relationship between LAB and plants and that could be exploited to improve agricultural production. Methods: In this study, the scientific investigation was carried out for pot culture evaluation of six efficient LAB isolates from soybean rhizosphere, on nodulation and yield of soybean in green house condition, which were proven positive for IAA and GA production and PGPR traits. Result: Among the eight different treatment combination with Bradyrhizobium daqingense the treatment which received consortium of all six LAB isolates had significant impact on plant growth characters viz. plant height, root length, number of branches and chlorophyll content at 30 and 60 DAS. The LAB consortia also showed significantly high nodule number (47.67), nodule dry weight (117 mg plant-1) and leg haemoglobin content (6.27 mg g-1 fresh nodule) at 30 DAS. The yield and yield related traits was also highest in consortium treated plants. The property of plant to produce more nodules and healthy root growth can be attributed to IAA producing ability of inoculated LAB isolates.