Screening and identification of beneficial soil bacteria: evaluating inoculation effects on plant growth with and without organic matter.
Discover the power of beneficial soil bacteria! Bacillus and Azotobacter strains boost plant growth by enhancing nutrient availability and hormone production. Combining these bacteria with organic matter unlocks even greater potential for sustainable, high-yielding crops.
This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and organic matter on the growth of corn plants. Various PGPB strains were isolated and characterized for their ability to solubilize phosphate, produce auxin, and release potassium. A greenhouse experiment using a factorial design revealed that all PGPB-inoculated treatments significantly improved plant growth parameters compared to the control. The Ensifer sp. 3MDP-1 strain was the most effective, leading to a 2.8-fold increase in shoot dry weight and a 2.4-fold increase in root dry weight. While organic matter addition enhanced growth, no significant interaction was observed between manure and bacterial inoculation, except for root dry weight and nitrogen percentage. The findings highlight the potential of PGPB as a sustainable approach to boost crop productivity, especially when combined with organic matter amendments.