Comparative Evaluation Of Silicate Solubilizing Bacterial Populations In Zea Mays L. Rhizosphere Soils: Integrating Culture Dependent And Culture Independent Methods

Abstract

Silicon is an essential plant growth mitigator due to its excellent properties in reducing the abiotic and biotic stress of plants. Silicate solubilizing bacteria (SSB) help to convert the insoluble silica present in the earth’s crust to soluble form. The current study employed metagenomic analysis to comprehend the microbial profile of the maize rhizosphere. Ten soil samples from the maize rhizosphere were taken from each of the three Indian regions of Joladarasi (Karnataka), Bowrampet (Telangana), and Pappangulum (Tamilnadu). The soil samples from each region were combined into a single sample. Metagenomic sequencing of 16S V3-V4 region showed abundance of Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter and Bacillus genera. SSB isolates were isolated by using conventional selective medium and were characterized using the 16S rRNA. A total of seven, SSB isolates were isolated, characterized and identified as Bacillus spp. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of Bacillus spp. as silicate solubilizers, which can then be successfully applied as microbial inoculants in agricultural practices.