Isolation and characterization of Indole Acetic Acid-producing bacteria isolated from rhizospheric soil of paddy rice

Abstract

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria have immense potential to be used as an environmentally friendly replacement for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, through the production of various plant growth-promoting substances. The objectives of this study were the isolation, characterization, and identification of indole acetic acid-producing bacteria from the rhizospheric soil of paddy rice. Out of all screened isolates, isolate 1.4 was the highest IAA producer with 29.76 µg/mL. The culture medium conditions to obtain the highest IAA production were optimized as follows: the culture temperature was 30°C, the incubation time was three days, and the pH was 7.0. The 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that isolate 1.4 has been genetically identified as Bacillus altitudinis, and it can potentially be used as an efficient biofertilizer.