The microbial consortium of indigenous rhizobacteria improving plant health, yield and nutrient content in wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Abstract

Aim of the present study was to develop effective indigenous plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria consortia for enhanced plant growth attributes and nutrient acquisition by wheat crop under greenhouse and field conditions. Six efficient isolates, screened out of 120 isolates from rhizosphere soil based on their biochemical characterization and PGP attributes like indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), siderophore production, P-solubilization and N-fixation possessed most of the characters. Out of six isolates, three efficient isolates selected on the basis of effective PGP activities and molecularly characterized of 16S rDNA gene. Three isolated efficient PGPR strains along with a collected strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa were selected for preparing different bioformulation for enhancing plant growth and yield of wheat under greenhouse and field conditions. Tetra combination comprising Bacillus megaterium + Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus + Enterobacter sp. + P. aeruginosa showed significant increase in plant height (24.56% and 47.06%), grain yield (75.80% and 40.09%) and straw yield (76.55% and 42.63%) followed by two tri-inoculation B. megaterium + A. chlorophenolicus + P. aeruginosa and A. chlorophenolicus + Enterobacter spp. + P. aeruginosa as compared to the control under the greenhouse and field experiments, respectively. Similarly, tetra- and tri-inoculations resulted in significantly higher test weight and nutrients acquisition by wheat over the control. Therefore, tetra-inoculation of B. megaterium + A. chlorophenolicus + nterobacter spp. + P. aeruginosa strains can be used as an efficient PGPR consortium for enhanced wheat production.