Relative plant growth promoting potential of Himalayan Psychrotolerant Pseudomonas jesenii strain MP1 against native Cicer arietinum (L.)., Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper; Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek., Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. and Eleusine coracana (L.)Gaertn.

Abstract

Plant growth promoting properties of Pseudomonas jesenii strain MP1 were tested against five native crops viz. Cicer arietinum (L.) (Chickpea), Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper. (Blackgram), Vignaradiata (L.) Wilczek. (Greengram), Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Pigeonpea) and Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. (Finger millet). The strain significantly (p<0.05) stimulated the growth of shoot length, root length, plant fresh weight and plant dry weight of each crop, over their respective untreated controls. Moreover, MP1 treated plant leaves typically showed significant increase in their chlorophyll content, nitrate reductase activity and P content. Chickpea and black gram responded better to MP1 inoculation relatively to other crops. Further, total bacterial and diazotrophic count of MP1 treated soils along with their available phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) content were found to increase significantly, in comparison to their respective untreated controls. Microbial community analysis using denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed that the soil bacterial communities were minimally affected by MP1 inoculation. Conclusively, the sustainable agriculture plan in Himalaya may be developed on a strategy of exploring psychrotolerant P. jesenii MP1 strain as representative candidate of indigenous biodiversity for individual and/or mixed cropping. Key words: Psychrotolerant, plant growth promotion, Himalayan agriculture, microbial community analysis.