Characterization and Identification of Plant Growth Promoting Traits of a Rhizobacteria: Pantoea Agglomerans 20-19

Research Article

Austin J Microbiol. 2021; 6(1): 1032.

Characterization and Identification of Plant Growth Promoting Traits of a Rhizobacteria: Pantoea Agglomerans 20-19

Kahkahi RE1*, Moustaine M2, Mouhajir A1, Zouhair R1, Chitt MA3 and Errakhi R4

1Department of Biology, University Moulay Ismail, Zitoune, Meknes, Morocco

2Laboratory of Botany and Plant Protection, University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, Morocco

3El Bassatine Domaine, Meknes, Morocco

4Eurofins Agroscience Services, Meknes, Morocco

*Corresponding author: Rahal El Kahkahi, Department of Biology, University Moulay Ismail, Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, PO-Box 11201, Zitoune, Meknes 50000, Morocco

Received: June 28, 2021; Accepted: July 26, 2021; Published: August 02, 2021

Abstract

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known to influence positively plant growth by various direct or indirect mechanisms. The objective of this study was to characterize and identified a bacterium was isolated from the wheat rhizosphere of an semi arid area Meknes (Morocco). The studied strain possess several PGPR trais such as nitrogen fixation ability, phosphate solubilization, production of auxins and Ammonia production. Based on their 16S rDNA sequences, the strain were identified as Pantoea agglomerans 20- 19. This Pantoea agglomerans 20-19 is capable of IAA, ammonia production, nitrogen fixation and solubilization phosphorus. These results showed that Pantoea agglomerans 20-19 with its PGPR traits could consitute a good biofertilizer in semi arid area.

Keywords: Pantoea agglomerans; PGPR; IAA; Ammonia; Nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilization

Introduction

Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides over the last few decades has not only resulted in the contamination of environment, but also reduced soil fertility. However, the fertilizers overuse could lead to serious soil acidification, nutritional imbalance and deterioration of the rhizosphere micro-ecological environment, further increased the activity of heavy metal ions in soil [1]. Due to the adverse effects of chemical fertilzers on the environment and ecology, nowadays bio-fertilizers (Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) are being projected as an essential component of organic farming to play a key role in the maintenance of long-term soil fertility as well as sustainability [2].

The rhizosphere microbiome harbors Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), nitrogen fixing symbionts, endophytes, mycorrhizal fungi, biocontrol microorganisms [3-5]. PGPR are a group of bacteria that colonize plant roots and proivde beneficial effects on plant growth and development. PGPR have direct or indirect effects on plant growth promotion and improved crop yield. Direct effects of PGPR include providing plants with fixed nitrogen and phytohormones, increasing the availability of nitrogen, soluble phosphate and minerals in the soil and control or inhibition of the activity of plant pathogens [6-8]. Some PGPR are also responsible for promoting growth indirectly by eliciting induced systemic resistance [9]. Some bacteria such as Klebsiella sp. D5A showed the high plant growth promoting activity on the glycophytic crop in saline-alkaline soils [10,11]. Likewise, many studies have been pulished on beneficial effects of bacterial application on growth of Wheat under salt stress [12-15]. Various bacterial genera like Azospirillium, Arthrobacter, Azotobacter, Azoarcus, Serratia, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Rhizobium, Gluconacetobacter, Erwinia, Acinetobacter, Burkholderia, Beijerinckia, and Klebsiella are well known for their PGPR activities [16-19]. These microoragnisms act as promoters of plant growth vi the production of amino acids, Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), gibberellins and other polyamines, improving root growth and, consequently, increasing water and nutrient absorption bt the plants and generating rhizobia-plant interaction sites [20]. Among other benefits, PGPR are also able to solubilize phosphates, produce siderophores, fix N2 and mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses [21]. In the sense, the co-inoculation of microorganisms with different function can be considred an economically viable and environmentally sustainable strategy to improve plant performance [22,23].

The objective of this study was characterize by different methods includes: morphology, physiology and biochemistry and molecular identification of strain of Pantoea agglomerans 20-19, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in the region Meknes of Morocco.

Materials and Methods

Bacterial strains and growth conditions

The bacterium Pantoea agglomerans belongs to the collection of the of Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail (Morocco). This strain was grown at 30°C on LPGA medium (5g/l Yeast extract, 5g/l Peptone, 10g/l Glucose and 18g/l Agar).

Identification of Pantoea 20-19

Genomic DNA was extracted from the bacterial isolate using the Gen Elute Mammalian Genomic miniprep Kit (Sigma-Aldrich, USA). Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify 500pd fragments using primers Fd1(CAGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG) and RP2 (AGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG). The amplification of 16S rDNA was conducted following the procedure described by El kahkahi et al. 2019 and the amplified DNA products were sequenced at CNRST Laboratory (National Centre for Scientific Research and Technology in Rabat, Morocco).

Morphology, physiology and biochemistry characterization of Pantoea 20-19

Pantoea 20-19 was characterized and tentatively identified on the basis of their biochemical characteristics according to Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology [24]. These tests were followed by identification using a biochemical API20E (BioMerieux) and ABIS® online software.

Measurement of promoting growth plant activities

Qualitative estimation of phosphate solubilization: The isolate of Pantoea agglomerans was screened qualitatively for phosphate solubilization on the PVK medium [25]. The phosphate solubilization ability was analyzed by measure of the diameter of a clear halo zone around colonies after incubation at 30°C for seven days. The phosphate solubilization index (PSI). was calculated by using the following formula [26]. (PSI=[(colony diameter + Halo diameter)/ Colony diameter].

Determination of indole acetic acid production (IAA): IAA production by Pantoea agglomerans was estimated with the method of Loper and Scroth [27]. 500μl of bacterial culture (24h old) was inoculated in 50ml of nutrient broth added with 0.1% L-tryptophan and incubated at 30°C for 2 days in the dark. After incubation, the bacterial culture were centrifuged at 10000 rpm for 10min. Salkowski ragent (4ml) was added to one ml of collected supernatant and after 30min incubation pink color developed which indicated production of IAA. To quantify IAA, absorbance was taken at 535nm by using UV/Visible spectrophotometer. The IAA concentration was estimated with a standard curve of IAA.

Determination of ammonia production: The production of ammonia was determined according the Cappucina and Sherman [28]. The bacterial strains were grown in 10ml of peptone water and incubated at 30°C of 2 days. After that, Nessler’s reagent (0.5ml) was added in each tube and development of yellow to brown color indicated ammonia production.

Nitrogen fixation: The qualitative estimation of Nitrogen fixation was conducted using the method described by Rajasankar and Ramalingam [29]. A nitrogen free semi-solid medium was used with the following composition: 5g Malic acid, 0.5g K2HPO4, 0.2g MgSO4 7H2O, 0.1g NaCl, 0.02g CaCl2, and 0.5% bromothymol blue in 0.2N KOH 2ml, 4ml of 1.64 % Fe-EDTA solution and 2g agar, distilled water (1liter) was then added for a final pH of 7. The cultures were then incubated at 30°C for 5 days and the formation of a pellicle at the sub surface level was considered to be a positive test for N fixation.

Antibiotic sensitivity assay

Antibiotic sensitivity or resistance of Pantoea agglomerans was carried out following to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). Fifteen antibiotics (Oxoid) were chosen for the study (Table 1). The sowing on plate was made of each strain on Muller-Hinton agar (MHA) media plates by using swab stick. Antibiotic discs were placed on MHA plates. The plates were incubated at 30°C for 24h. The inhibition zone was measured in millimetres (mm) surrounding the antibiotics discs.