Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Evaluation of plant growth-promoting traits in Azotobacter and Trichoderma strains isolated from natural farms in India
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Research Articles | Published: 12 October, 2025
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Keywords: Plant Growth-Promoting rhizobacteria, n Azotobacter Chroococcumn , n Trichoderman , Phosphate solubilization, Siderophore production, Sustainable agriculture
Abstract
Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an effective tool for enhancing crop productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture. Identification of effective microbial strains is a major research priority to achieve sustainable agriculture. Azotobacter and Trichoderma are widely known as effective biofertilizers. In this context, a study was conducted to isolate and screen microbial strains with biofertilizer potential. A total number of 22 bacterial and 16 fungal strains were retrieved from organically managed farms at CCS HAU, Hisar, Haryana, an underexplored agroecological region. Subsequently, 12 Azotobacter and 8 Trichoderma isolates were selected on the basis of morphological screening followed by a detailed quantitative screening of multiple PGPR traits which is a key novelty of research. The strains were screened for the production of IAA, ammonia, HCN, siderophore, mineral solubilization and biocontrol activity. Among Azotobacter isolates IAA and ammonia production ranged from 10.41 to 21.80 µg/mL and 2.05 to 7.61 µg/mL, respectively. A significant number of isolates also demonstrated potassium solubilization (66.6%), phosphate solubilization (83.33%), siderophore production (41.6%), and HCN production (66.6%). Trichoderma isolates exhibited IAA production ranging from 12.35 to 30.52 µg/mL and ammonia production between 3.83 and 4.91 µg/mL. Potassium and phosphate solubilization, siderophore, and HCN production were each observed in 50–62.5% of the fungal isolates. The isolates Azo 11, Azo 12, BNT 2, and BNT 8 exhibited the highest number of PGPR attributes and were identified by molecular techniques. Bacterial isolates Azo 11 and Azo 12 were identified as Azotobacter chroococcum, while BNT 2 and BNT 8 were identified as Trichoderma asperellum and Trichoderma harzianum, respectively. The multifunctional nature of these strains, along with their origin from low-input organic soils, highlights their potential as promising candidates for the development of eco-friendly biofertilizers for sustainable crop production.
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Author Information
Department of Microbiology, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India