SEED BACTERIZATION WITH A FLUORESCENT PSEUDOMONAS FOR ENHANCED PLANT-GROWTH, YIELD AND DISEASE-CONTROL

Bacterization of chick-pea and soybean seeds with a siderophore-producing fluorescent pseudomonad RBT 13, isolated from tomato rhizoplane, resulted in increased seed germination, growth (in terms of length and weight of root and shoot) and yield of the plants. A streptomycin-resistant mutant of the bacterium, RBT 13str+, used to monitor root colonization confirmed the colonization by the organism. Seed bacterization reduced the number of chick-pea wilted plants in wilt-sick soil by 52% making the organism a potential bio-control agent against chick-pea wilt.