Plant Growth Promotion and Biocontrol Properties of Aneurinibacillus migulanus Isolated from Maize Roots (Zea mays)

Aims: To isolate Plant Growth Promoting Bacillus strain from maize roots, to evaluate its biocontrol potentials and to characterize the isolate using16S rRNA sequencing.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, between February 2019 and March 2020.

Methodology: The isolation of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) from maize roots was done using Pikovskaya (PVK) agar. Quantitative determination of phosphate was carried out using PVK broth. Evaluations of other plant growth promoting properties were carried out such as IAA, etc. Fusarium and Enterobacter plant pathogens were isolated from diseased maize plants. The in vitro antagonism effects of the PGPR isolates against the pathogens were analyzed using the dual culture plate technique. The pot experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design. Plant characteristics such as plant height, shoot and root weight, chlorophyll content, as well as disease assessment were recorded accordingly. The organisms were identified using phenotypic and molecular methods.

Results: Seven PGPR bacteria were isolated from maize (Zea mays) roots using PVK agar. Aneurinibacillus migulanus gave the highest solubilization index of 4.21 while isolate IS48 gave the lowest solubilization index of 1.47. A. migulanus produced IAA, ammonia and cellulase enzyme but no hydrogen cyanide. The organism showed antagonism activity against the two tested phytopathogens. In the pot experiment, A. migulanus treated plants showed a statistically insignificant difference in maize plant height at P=0.05 but gave significant increases in shoot and root wet weights. The organism offered 83.33% and 71.43% protection against Enterobacter and Fusarium pathogens respectively in the pot experiment.

Conclusion: A. migulanus solubilized phosphate in addition to other plant growth promoting properties. It showed biocontrol potentials both in vitro and in vivo and thus can be used as substitute for synthetic agrochemicals.