To fulfils the demand of melons (Cucumis melo), it requires intensive maintenance by agrochemical products. If this is done continuously, it will lead to soil degradation and disrupt the sustainable food supply. Therefore, an innovation is needed to maintain the sustainable food supply using biofilm biofertilizer technology. This study aims are to determine the potential of bacteria isolated from melon rhizosphere to solubilize phosphate and producing indole acetic acid (IAA) so that it can be developed into biofilm biofertilizer. Soil samples were taken from three melon gardens owned by farmers located in Sragen Regency, Karanganyar Regency and Wonogiri Regency, Central Java. In the laboratory, the soil bacteria then isolated from the soil using the dilution method. The isolates obtained then tested for their ability to solubilize phosphate and produce IAA. Phosphate is an essential nutrient for plant growth and IAA is plant growth promoting. The results showed that the highest phosphate solubilization potential was produced by bacterial isolate SRG 1A with a halo zone ratio of 1.957 and the highest concentration of IAA was produced by bacterial isolate WNG 1B with a value of 6.151 ppm. Based on the ability of the bacteria, indicates that the obtained bacterial isolates have the potential to be developed as a biofilm biofertilizer to help the growth of melon plants because it has the potency to solubilize soil nutrient and produce IAA.
Read full abstract