Elucidating the Role of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria for Nitrate and Phosphate Bioremediation: A Sustainable Approach Towards Crop Productivity and Environmental Protection

Khot, Siddiqua; Ghosh, Sourav; Shah, Janvi

doi:10.30491/jabr.2020.240413.1260

Elucidating the Role of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria for Nitrate and Phosphate Bioremediation: A Sustainable Approach Towards Crop Productivity and Environmental Protection

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

School of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, DY Patil Deemed to be University, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra-400614, India

10.30491/jabr.2020.240413.1260

Abstract

Introduction: The production of healthy food along with environmental sustenance is an everlasting mission for the coming ages. The utilization of chemical fertilizers may fulfil the requirement but it could also compromise the environment. The present study aimed to tap beneficial microbes that could not only harbour plant growth-promoting traits but could also remove environmental pollutants, nitrate and phosphate.
Materials and Methods: The culture-dependent approach was taken into account to isolate and characterize the bacterial population from dumping ground and mangrove soil. The selected isolates were further tested for remediating nitrate and phosphate by standard biochemical tests.
Results: Three isolates from dumping ground and four bacterial strains were proved to contain three out of four Plant Growth-Promoting (PGP) traits (HCN, IAA, Phosphate-solubilisation, and Nitrogen fixation). Two out of three selected bacterial strains were found to have the ability to remove nitrate and phosphate up to 74% and 62% (p< 0.05) respectively. This is while all the other selected bacterial strains from mangrove soil could effectively remove nitrate and phosphate in the range of 62% to 79% and 24% to 100% (p<0.05) respectively. Two novel strains of Streanomonas sp., Alkaligens sp and one each Bacillus sp., Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas, and Citrobacter species isolates were found in the present case.
Conclusions: The study represents the dual ability of the novel bacterial strains in plant growth promotion as well as remediation of environmental pollutants. Thus, the study might aid in designing a microbe-based bio-fertilizer for plant growth promotion along with maintenance of soil and environmental health.

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