Effect of drought tolerant phosphorus solubilising bacteria on growth and nutrient status of sorghum

Abstract

Drought-tolerant phosphorus solubilising microorganisms play a pivotal role in ameliorating the adverse impacts of water scarcity on plant growth. These beneficial microbes not only enhance the availability of phosphorus, a vital nutrient often limited in arid and semi-arid soils, but also exhibit resilience to drought stress themselves. In this experiment three effective drought tolerant P solubilising bacterial strains were tested for their efficiency in growth and nutrient uptake of sorghum. The strain-2 (C4-B) showed highest growth parameters. The highest increase in nutrient status of soil and microbial population in rhizosphere has also shown by this strain followed by strain-3 (C4-D).