title: Organic acid production and plant growth promotion as a function of phosphate solubilization by Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae strain BIHB 723 isolated from the cold deserts of the trans-Himalayas.
abstract: An efficient phosphate-solubilizing plant growth-promoting Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae strain BIHB 723 exhibited significantly higher solubilization of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) than Udaipur rock phosphate (URP), Mussoorie rock phosphate (MRP) and North Carolina rock phosphate (NCRP). Qualitative and quantitative differences were discerned in the gluconic, oxalic, 2-keto gluconic, lactic, malic and formic acids during the solubilization of various inorganic phosphates by the strain. Gluconic acid was the main organic acid produced during phosphate solubilization. Formic acid production was restricted to TCP solubilization and oxalic acid production to the solubilization of MRP, URP and NCRP. A significant increase in plant height, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root length, root dry weight, and root, shoot and soil phosphorus (P) contents was recorded with the inoculated treatments over the uninoculated NP(0)K or NP(TCP)K treatments. Plant growth promotion as a function of phosphate solubilization suggested that the use of bacterial strain would be a beneficial addition to the agriculture practices in TCP-rich soils in reducing the application of phosphatic fertilizers.
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory, Hill Area Tea Science Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR), Himachal Pradesh, 176 061, India. gal_arvind@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulati
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Pratibha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rahi
authors.forename: Vijaylata
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pathania
authors.forename: Ramdeen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism; D005942:Gluconates / Q000378:metabolism*; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D005561:Formates; D005942:Gluconates; D010710:Phosphates; D012987:Soil; C030544:formic acid; D019815:Oxalic Acid; C030691:gluconic acid