Screening of efficient phosphate solubilising bacteria from different chickpea growing areas of Karnataka

Abstract

Different Chickpea growing areas of Karnataka like Arasikere, Chamarajanagara, Mysore and Devanahalli were selected for the isolation and screening of phosphate solubilising bacteria. Totally 24 isolates were isolated from four soil samples of different Chickpea growing areas. Based on zone of solubilization ten isolates were selected to investigate their efficiency to solubilize insoluble phosphate in Pikovskaya’s agar media under in vitro conditions. Among 10 isolates ACP-3 recorded higher PSE of 188.8% followed by ACP-2 (150.0%) and CCP-2 (145.4%). All the 10 isolates were tested for their ability to release percent Pi from tricalcium phosphate (TCP) in the Pikovskaya’s broth media. Highest percent Pi released from TCP by the isolate ACP-3 (17.36%) followed by CCP-2 (14.14%). Same isolates were also tested for pH change in the Pikovskaya’s broth at different days of intervals. ACP-3 recorded least pH which shows maximum decrease in pH of Pikovskaya’s broth followed by ACP-2 and CCP-2. All the three experiments result shows that among the 10 isolates ACP-3 was found to be most efficient phosphate solubilising bacteria and this isolate was identified as Bacillus licheniformis from 16srRNA sequencing.