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Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L) Gaertn. subsp. coracana), a staple crop in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia, is praised for its drought resistance and high nutritional value. However, it faces significant yield losses due to foot rot caused by the soil-borne pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii. Chemical fungicides, while commonly used, pose environmental risks and contribute to fungal resistance. In search of solution, the best alternative for the chemical management is biological management. Thus, this study investigates the potential of bacterial endophytes isolated from finger millet landraces for biological control of foot rot. Totally sixty-nine endophytic bacteria were isolated from seeds, roots and leaves of finger millet landraces, by following surface sterilization and spread plating method for seeds, tissue imprinting for leaves and roots. These endophytes were screened for their antagonistic activity against S. rolfsii using a dual culture assay. Among sixty nine isolates, eight endophytic bacteria (AES, BMEL1, GDEL1, GES, HKES, KEL1, KER1 and KER2) exhibited maximum antagonistic activity with inhibition rates ranging from 44.39 per cent to 85.57 per cent were selected. Further these isolates were characterized morphologically (Gram staining) and biochemically (catalase activity, siderophore and hydrogen cyanide production). All the isolates were able to exhibit catalase activity, isolate AES able to produce highest siderophore and BMEL1, KEL1, KER1 and KER2 showed positive for hydrogen cyanide production. Thus, the result ensured the use of endophytes from landraces for sustainable management of foot rot in finger millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of living cells or effective microorganisms that aid in the uptake of nutrients for plant growth is referred to as a biofertilizer. In order to successfully commercialize new microbial inoculants, the formulation process is difficult and frequently success-limiting. The success of microbial inoculants is dependent on a number of variables, with carrier material playing the most significant part. The purpose of the experiment was to compare the performance of a corn-rind-carrier based biofertilizer to existing carrier material talc on the growth and production of capsicum using various application methods, including seed treatment, root dipping, and soil application. There are ten treatments with complete randomized design (CRD) design. The treatment having soil application of corn rind carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK had the highest beneficial microbial populations including free living N2 fixers, PSB and KSB (49.0, 31.0, 30.66 ×105cfu g-1, respectively). Further, it had increased levels of nutrients soil viz., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Greater biometric data including plant height and leaf count, yield characteristics like fruit yield per plant (1591.86) and fruit number (18). Hence, it leads to a conclusion that soil application of corn rind-carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK is comparable with soil application of talc carrier based biofertilizer + 100% NPK based on microbiological, nutritional, plant, and yield data. The findings of this study showed that corn rind powder can also be an alternate substrate for talc as a carrier material for the production of biofertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytes are one of the symbiotic associations which can be successfully utilized to mitigate negative effects of abiotic stress in agricultural crops. Habitat adapted symbiotic fungal endophytes are known to impart heavy metal stress tolerance in host plants. Besides, endophytic fungi secrete secondary metabolites and enhance the plant's ability to tolerate stressful conditions. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating fungal endophytes of arsenic stress adapted plants for their arsenic tolerance potential. Present study yielded 83 arsenic tolerant fungal endophytes from the plants grown in arsenic-contaminated areas of Karnataka. These isolates were screened for arsenic tolerance at different arsenic (Sodium arsenite) concentrations (100 ppm to 2000 ppm). Among the isolates, eight endophytes (S1P1R1, S3P1S1, S3P1S3, S4P2L2, S5P1S1, S6P1S3, S8P1L4 and S10P1L1) were found efficiently enduring metal stress up to 2000 ppm with tolerance index >0.5. These isolates were further re-evaluated for arsenic tolerance in biomass assay. Significantly higher biomass was achieved in all eight endophytes at 100 PPM arsenic concentration compared to non arsenic control. However, fungal biomass relatively reduced with subsequent increase in arsenic concentration from 250 ppm to 2000 ppm. Further, these endophytes were evaluated for their ability to alleviate arsenic stress and growth promotion of rice seedlings under in vitro arsenic stress condition. Rice seedlings inoculated with fungal endophytes showed significant increase in shoot length under arsenic stress compared to control. Among eight endophytes, the isolate S3P1S1 significantly enhanced shoot and root length of rice. Therefore, data obtained in the present study revealed that the fungal endophyte, isolated from arsenic adapted plant has ability to mitigate arsenic stress and improve the rice growth under arsenic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinobacteria are considered as a promising source for novel bioactive compounds and hydrolytic enzymes with a broad range of biological activities. Isolation and screening of actinobacteria for hydrolytic enzyme production was carried out and a total of one hundred and twenty isolates were obtained from different ecosystem like forest soil, compost and rhizosperic soils of vegetable crops. Out of 120 isolates, 39 showed amylase activity with dissolution factor varied from 0.10 - 3.50. Twenty five isolates exhibited cellulase activity with the dissolution factor ranged from 0.10-3.50. The actinobacteria isolate CA32 from compost showed maximum cellulolytic activity with dissolution factor of 3.50. Twenty one actino bacterial isolates showed chitinolytic activity ranging from 0.10-2.00 and maximum dissolution factor was recorded by isolate of rhizosperic soil SA12 (2.00) followed by the isolate of compost CA4 (1.43). Twenty six isolates exhibited lipolytic activity with the dissolution factor ranging from lowest 0.11 in SA22 to highest 1.64 in FA12. The hydrolysis of complex organic compounds by actinobacterial isolates in-vitro showed that the actinobacteria are good degraders of organic matter in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to know the effect of seed bacterization in color capsicum for the production of defence enzymes. The efficient actinobacterial isolates were used as both single inoculants and consortia for priming the seeds. The presence of enzymes was estimated at 3, 5 and 7 days after initiation for phytopathogens. The treatment T9 showed the highest activity of PAL in green capsicum at 7 DAI (148.22, μmol of cinnamic acid min-1 mg-1 of protein) which was on par with T1 (138.71 μmol of cinnamic acid min-1 mg-1 of protein). In red capsicum treatment T8 showed the highest activity of PPO at 7 DAI (9.97, change in OD min-1 g of leaf tissue-1) which was on par with T6 (9.34 change in OD min-1 g of leaf tissue-1) followed by T9 (9.09 change in OD min-1 g of leaf tissue-1) and in yellow capsicum treatment T8 showed the highest activity of PPO at 7 DAI (16.72, change in OD min-1 g of leaf tissue-1). The treatment T9 showed the highest β -1, 3-glucanase activity at 7 DAI (430.58, 365.33 and 410.06 nmol glucose released min-1 g-1 leaf tissue) followed by T8 (412.32, 333.40 and 389.22 nmol glucose released min-1 g-1 leaf tissue). The highest activity of the enzymes was reported in the treatment which was inoculated with consortia of efficient actinobacterial isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate change over the years has led to the occurrence of abiotic stresses in crops. Drought stress has become the main limiting factor for crop growth, development and production. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish symbiotic interaction with 80 per cent of known land plants. It has good impact on plant growth, water absorption and protection from abiotic stresses. In this view, a total of forty AM fungal isolates were isolated from the drought prone areas of Karnataka. Isolates were mass produced by using maize as host plant. MPN method was carried out to determine the number of infective propagules in each isolate. The efficient isolates were screened for drought tolerance in green gram at different levels of field capacity (FC) (25, 50, 75 and 100% FC). Plants were grown in polythene bags for 30 days under greenhouse condition and based on performance of mycorrhizal parameters and plant parameters, the efficient drought tolerant isolates were selected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment was made to identify a superior combination of microbial inoculants for attaining maximum quinoa yield based on the relationships among soil nutrients with different beneficial micro-flora and yield under semi-arid alfisols under green house conditions. Five microbial cultures viz., Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megaterium, Fraturia aurantia, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Glomus fasciculatum were tested in the study. Pure cultures of selected isolates were sub-cultured on specific medium and maintained in slants for further studies. Seventeen treatments were tested for identifying a superior treatment for attaining maximum soil nutrients, apart from the beneficial microflora and quinoa yield. The Analysis of Variance indicated that the treatments differed significantly in influencing the different parameters and quinoa yield. Based on Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, T17 inoculated with Azotobacter chroococcum + Bacillus megaterium + Pseudomonas fluorescens was superior for attaining significantly higher soil N and P nutrients, seed calcium, magnesium and zinc, free living N fixers and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria, while T16 was superior for attaining significantly higher soil K, nutrients and potassium solubilizing bacteria. However, T15 was superior for chlamydospore count per 50 g of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore during rabi 2020 and summer 2021 coming under eastern dry zone of Karnataka to study the efficiency of different herbicides and allelochemicals for weed management in direct seeded rice. The experiment consisted of 12 treatments replicated thrice in RCBD design. Among various herbicide treatments, significantly lowest total weed density and dry weight was recorded with Bispyribac sodium 10 SC @ 40 g a.i. ha-1 as post emergence (17.3 no. m-2 and 5.1 g m-2, respectively) and found on par with Bensulfuron methyl + pretilachlor 6.6 G @ 660 g a.i. ha-1 as pre emergence (19.3 no. m-2 and 6.9 g m-2, respectively). Significantly higher paddy grain and straw yield was recorded with Bispyribac sodium 10 SC @ 40 g a.i. ha-1 as post emergence (4987 and 6844 kg ha-1, respectively) followed by Bensulfuron methyl + pretilachlor 6.6 G @ 660 g a.i. ha-1 as pre emergence (4866 and 6716 kg ha-1, respectively) and it was on par with hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS (5139 and 6960 kg ha-1, respectively). Lowest grain and straw yield was recorded in unweeded control (688 and 1485 kg ha-1, respectively). Application of Bispyribac sodium 10 SC @ 40 g a.i. ha-1 as post emergence has recorded higher net returns (Rs.54581 ha-1) with B: C ratio of 2.61. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to isolate and characterize the saline tolerant rhizobacteria from rhizosphere soil samples collected from saline tracts of Karnataka viz., Gangavathi, Bellary and Mandya. Totallyeighty five isolates were isolated by using TSA medium. These isolates were screened for different salt concentrations upto 23 per cent of NaCl. Among the isolates, only eight isolates were able to tolerate 23 per cent of salt concentration compare to other isolates and these isolates characterized morphologically and biochemically. These isolates were further screened for their plant growth promotion potential under in-vitro condition. The results showed that among the isolates, GAN-4 and MAN-3 exhibited positive response to all the in-vitro PGPR characteristics studied. Similar results were recorded for root and shoot length of tomato where isolates GAN-4 and MAN-3 showed significantly increased root and shoot growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Capsicum is rich in beta carotene, capsaicin, vitamin A, C and antioxidant properties. Microbial inoculants are used to improve plant nutrition and also promote plant growth by stimulating plant hormone production. In order to increase growth and yield of capsicum, an experiment was conducted under greenhouse by using different combination of microbial inoculants [Azotobacter chroococcum (AC) as nitrogen fixers, Bacillus megaterium (BM) as Phosphate solubilizer, Glomus fasciculatum (GF) as phosphate mobilizer] at different level of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (50%, 75%, 100%) along with recommended dose of farm yard manure and vermicompost. Different growth parameters and yield parameters were significantly superior in the plants treated with combination of AC + BM + 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium + vermicompost. This was followed by treatment combination (AC + BM + GF + 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium + Farm yard manure) and least growth and yield was observed in the plants treated with the combination of 75% nitrogen and phosphorus + 100% potassium. The results indicated that the combined effect of microbial inoculants and inorganic fertilizer have best effect on growth and yield of capsicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]