Development of ZINC Biofertilizer to enhance soil fertility and to study its efficacy in Solanaceae family

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) is found to be deficient in several crops, and the most prominent reason is newlineits low phytoavailability despite its high soil abundance. To ameliorate Zn deficiency, the newlinepresent work aimed to develop a cost-effective and eco-friendly Zn biofertilizer. This newlineresearch, for the first time, communicates about the development of a Zn-solubilizing newlinebacterium-based encapsulated biofertilizer using poultry waste. Twenty two bacteria with Zn newlinedissolution ability were screened and enumerated from polyhouse soils (PS) and open-field newlineagricultural soils (OF) in Punjab, India. Qualitative tests were carried out to screen the newlineisolates for phosphate and potassium solubilization, catalase production, hydrogen sulphide newlineproduction, cellulase production, and protease production. For the detection of siderophore, newlineauxins, gibberellic acid, and ammonia by the bacteria, quantitative analysis was carried out. newlineMost of the isolates exhibited their highest potential for enhancing plant growth at 168 hours newlineof incubation. Further, the mechanism underlining the Zn solubilization potential was studied newlineby determining the amount of organic acid released by the potential bacteria using the newlinetechnique of UPLC. The isolates produced organic acids, namely lactic acid, acetic acid, newlineglycolic acid, and formic acid. Of the total isolates, 27.27% belonged to Enterobacteriaceae, newline22.72% belonged to Bacillaceae, 13.63% belonged to Burkholderiaceae, 9.09% newlinePseudomonadaceae, 9% Streptococcaceae, 4.54% belonged to Paenibacillaceae, 9.09% newlinebelonged to Micrococcaceae, and 4.54% belonged to the Dietziaceae family. Isolates PS-4, newlinePS-10, PS-14, and OF-1 were found to be the most promising strains. newline