Malays. Appl. Biol. (2017) 46(4): 1–6
BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM NIPA PALM (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.)
AS POTENTIAL PLANT GROWTH-PROMOTERS
JAYVEE CRUZ* and MEA KATREENA M. CADIENTE
Philippine Rice Research Institute, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
*Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Accepted 14 September 2017, Published online 31 December 2017
ABSTRACT
The nipa (Nypa fruticans Wurmb. root environment has limited nutrients along with soil salinity, but the palm is sustainably and highly productive. Its productivity is supported by indefinite mechanisms for its fertility maintenance, in which symbiotic microbes are involved. In this study, five previously screened growth-promoting bacteria (NBor1, NBor2, NQb2, NAyr1, and NAol2) from nipa palm were evaluated for their effectiveness as plant growth-promoter using upland rice as the test crop. These bacteria have multiple plant growth-promoting traits such as ACC deaminase activity, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), phosphatase production, nitrogen fixation and siderophore production. In the growth room, bacteria increased total biomass dry weight of upland rice by 25% to 50% at 14 days after sowing (DAS) and by 40% at 21 DAS. All isolates were able to colonize the roots as indicated by the scanning electron microscopy test. The growth-promoting traits of bacterial isolates and their ability to colonize the roots demonstrate their potential as plant growth-promoting inoculant for upland rice. However, further evaluation of the isolates is recommended to determine their effectiveness as plant-growth promoter..
Key words: Bacteria, growth-promoting compounds, nipa palm, root colonization, upland rice
