SCREENING FOR PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA INHABITING THE RHIZOPLANE OF RICE GROWN IN ACIDIC SOIL IN BANGLADESH

The objectives of the research were to isolate phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) from the rhizoplane of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. BRRIdhan 29 cultivated in acidic soils of Tangail in Bangladesh and evaluate their performances in phosphate solubilization in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. A total of 10 bacterial strains were isolated and purified by repeated streak culture on nutrient agar medium. Upon screening, five isolates (OS01, OS03, OS07, OS08 and OS10) showed varying levels of phosphate solubilizing activity in agar plate and broth assays. Among them, the strain OS07 (B-1) and two previously isolated PSB strains B-2 and B-3 were selected for evaluation for their performances in rice alone or in combination of TSP (triple super phosphate: P-1) and rock phosphate (P-2). Plant height and the number of tillers per plant were significantly increased by all PSB isolates when used in combination with TSP but PSB alone did not influence much on plant height and the number of tillers except B-1. The levels of mineral nutrients content in rice plant tissues were generally increased by the application of the PSB in combination with TSP, while the performances of B-1 isolate was superior in all aspects to B-2 and B-3 isolates.