Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria in the Rhizosphere of Some Cultivated legumes from Meknes region, Morocco

Aims: Through the National Botanical Research Institute's phosphate growth medium (NBRIP) and 16S rDNA sequence analysis were used to isolate and identify the bacterial groups that actively solubilized phosphates in vitro from rhizosphere soil for three cultvited leguminous in agricultural soils from Meknes region.

Study Design: Rhizosphere soil samples for three cultivated legumes in different sites from Meknes region were collected for the study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of biology (Soil & Environment Microbiology Unit) Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco; between January and July 2014.

Methodology: Out of several hundred colonies that grew on NBRIP medium eight best isolates were selected based on the solubilization of insoluble phosphates in solid medium with solubilizing index (SI) and Phosphate concentration solubilized in liquid medium; The bacterial isolates were identified based on their phenotypic and 16S rDNA genes sequencing.

Results: P solubilization index of these isolates ranged from 2.51 to 6. Drop in pH of the medium ranged from 6.8 to 3.2 with the continuous growth of these isolates for seven days. P-solubilized ranged from 50.95 to 113.11 mg L-1. They were clustered under the genera Enterobacter, Pantoea, Rhizobium, Klebsiella, Rahnella, Bacillus and Burkholderia.

Conclusion: This research extends the knowledge on Phosphate solubilizing bacteria in the rhizosphere of some cultivated legumes from Meknes region and development of environmentally friendly bio-Phosphate fertilizers.