Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Play a Major Role in Nutrient Uptake of Cowpea Plants
- September 16, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS Team
- Categories: Botany and Microbiology, IJRIAS
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue III, February 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186
Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Play a Major Role in Nutrient Uptake of Cowpea Plants
Ajayi Olaoluwa O.1*, Dianda Mohammed2, Fagade Obasola E.1, Nwadike Blessing1
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
2International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
*Corresponding author
Abstract: Plant growth promoting bacteria including Agrobacterium spp., Azotobacter spp., Pseudomonas sp. and Paenibacillus sp., which are known to promote the growth of plants were co- inoculated co-inoculated with Rhizobia (which are known Nitrogen fixers) in cowpea to study and determine their effects on the uptake of nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium and Potassium which all play specific roles in the development of plants and are important for their growth. The experimental cowpea plants were growen for eight weeks under screen house conditions during which Nitrogen- free nutrient was applied to them weekly. Upon harvesting, the percentage quantity of these nutrients in the dried shoot was determined. It was observed that the consortium of Agrobacterium spp., Azotobacter spp. and Paenibacillus sp. improved the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus, a corsortium of Pseudomonas sp. and Paenibacillus sp. improved the uptake of nitrogen, magnesium and calcium while the consortium of Azotobacter spp improved the uptake of calcium. There was no specific pattern in the uptake of sodium and potassium. There was significant correlation between the percentage Na and the percentage Mg, Ca, K, P and N in the shoot of the plants. Plant growth promoting bacteria have significant roles to play in nutrient uptake and can also contribute to nitrogen fixation in cowpea plants.
Keywords: Nutrient uptake, Plant growth promoting bacteria, Cowpea
