Characterization and comparison of the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria associated with Basmati-129 & Ranbir Basmati rice indigenous to Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract

Two Basmati rice cultivar (Ranbir Basmati & Basmati-129), indigenous to J&K, were explored for the plant growth promoting bacteria associated with its rhizosphere, rhizoplane and endorhizosphere during its vegetative growth stage. A total of 48 bacteria were isolated, 18 from the Ranbir Basmati cultivar (known for superior quality grain & aroma), 13 from the Basmati-129 cultivar (a high yielding variety) and 17 from the bulk field soil. The bacteria have been cataloged from rhizosphere, rhizoplane and endorhizosphere for two varieties. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and plant growth promoting activities revealed that some bacteria seemed to be common to both the varieties and some were cultivar specific. However, some of these rhizobacteria were also present in the bulk soil and others were not. Therefore, both grain and the soil are source of rhizobacteria, and each cultivar selects and attracts bacteria specifically from bacterial pool present in the soil. In addition, though low number of bacterial species were isolated from the high yielding variety Basmati-129 but it harbored higher percentage of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria; PGPRs in comparison to Ranbir Basmati.