Exploring the Hidden Treasures: Isolation, Characterization and Screening of Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) for Plant Growth-Promoting Traits from Chilli Field Weeds Rhizosphere

Abstract

Plant-associated microbes affect growth, nutrient acquisition, tolerance to different stress conditions and etc. by the plant. However, beneficial microbes influencing weeds biosynthesis remain largely unexplored and unexploited. Phosphorus is one of essential macro-minerals for the growth and development of chilli plants. The main objective of this study was to isolate characterize and evaluation of the PGPR characters of PSB from weed rhizosphere of the chilli ecosystem. Totally 40 PSB isolates were isolated from different weeds in the chilli ecosystem and were subjected to biochemical characterization where 13 isolates were found positive for starch hydrolysis, 35 isolates were positive for acid production, 12isolates were positive for gas production, 40 isolates were positive for catalase production, 5 isolates were positive for H2S production, 13 isolates were positive for urease production and remaining all isolated were negative for the respective tests. Based on morphological and biochemical characterization, the isolates were tentatively identified as Bacillus sp and Pseudomonas sp.