Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Rhizofungus on the Growth of Hairy Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.f. var. citratum Back.)

  • The Philippine Agricultural Scientist
  • Nuntavan Riddech
  • Tiptida Kidtook
  • Natthawat Sritongon
  • Jindarat Ekprasert
Keywords: plant growth promoting microorganisms, hairy basil, seed germination

Abstract

In this study, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth promoting fungi (PGPF) were isolated from soil adhered to the roots of herbs. PGPR and PGPF isolates were selected for producing microbial inoculant as a starter culture for bio-fertilizer production. The screening of PGPR and PGPF was performed using the spread plate technique on the selected medium. Total plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPM) were composed of 72 isolates, nitrogen-fixing microorganisms: 39 isolates, phosphate-solubilizing: 11 isolates, and potassium-solubilizing: 22 isolates. Two bacterial isolates, S-K7-2 and S-P7-1, had the highest plant growth promoting abilities, and a fungus isolate, Di-K7-2, was able to produce the greatest amount of IAA, which was 45.17 μg IAA equivalent/ml. The isolates were tested on hairy basil seed germination. Treatment using microbial cell dissolved in sterile distilled water had the greatest potential for stimulating the growth of seed and presented 145.26% of GI, followed by 82.87% where the treatment was with IAA standard. The study of the effect of PGPR and PGPF on hairy basil growth found that the highest biomass was shown in treatment 3, peat supplemented bacteria (S-K7-2, S-P7-1), which indicated that rhizobacteria immobilized on peat was able to enhance the growth of hairy basil and had better potential for promoting plant development compared with chemical fertilizer treatment.

Cover image from the article of Dan Joseph C. Logronio, Joselito R. Somga, Maria Rowena R. Romana-Eguia, Sonia Somga, Demy Catedral, and Gonzalo Coloma Jr. (2022), p. 100. Healthy Nile tilapia and red tilapia. Tilapia is a cheap source of protein. However, diseases caused by viruses such as the Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) can affect the culture of this fish. Logronio et al. (2022) studied the genetic diversity of TiLV detected in the country based on sequencing data. Identification of the three phylogenetic groups of the virus has significant implications for tilapia disease diagnostics, vaccine development, and selective breeding of disease resistant tilapia stocks. {Photograph courtesy of Dr. Ma. Rowena Eguia, Binangonan Freshwater Station, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/ Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD)}
Published
2022-04-18
Issue
Vol 105 No 1 (2022): Vol. 105 No. 1 (Mar 2022)
Section
Articles