Swati Patel, , Bina Panchal, Nilima Karmakar, Rajkumar and Sanjay Jha
Abstract
area was capable of solubilizing rock phosphate (RP) under different buffering. Phosphate solubilization was related Two Rhizopus species isolated from rhizosphere of Prosopis juliflora and Solanum xanthocarpum from coastal to pH decrease caused by growth of fungus in medium containing glucose as carbon source. Maximum P solubilization was with glucose 626.64 μM and 560.14 μM with reduction of pH 4.02 and 5.08 for Rhizopus stolonifer and R. oryzae, respectively. For P solubilization organic acids play a key role, which was predominant in the secretion of Rhizopus species as gluconic acid, oxalic acid, propionic acid and malic acid. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were amplified by PCR and comparison of sequencing result by BLAST revealed 98% similarity to R. stolonifer strain OPR and R. oryzae strain WM 06.833 for NAUSF5 and NAUSF8, respectively. The activity of glucose oxidase responsible for gluconic acid production was measured about 6.69 μMmin-1g-1 and 7.2 ± 0.1 μMmin-1g-1 for R. stolonifer and R.oryzae, respectively. In greenhouse experiment there was a increase of shoot length by 25.12 % and root length by 53.89% R. stolonifer as compared to control having only rock phosphate. R. stolonifer has a superior plant growth promoter like activity than R. oryzae, which suggested the good interaction of strain with chickpea plants. As R. stolonifer showed better rock phosphate solubilization in presence of salt in buffered media, as well as in greenhouse experiment in presence of 2 % salt, it can be utilized as a biofertlizer in salt affected soil.