Plant growth promoting, biochemical and antifungal properties of microbes isolated from cow dung

Abstract

Cow dung is a rich source of microbial diversity and being used since long time in India for seed treatment, plastering cut ends of vegetative propagated plant parts and sprinkling of diluted solution on crops. In pres?ent study, microbial isolation from fresh cow (indigenous) dung observed in different generalized and selective medium. Cow dung enriched with diversity of microorganisms as it contained various microbial population as observed in different mediumi.e38 x 106cfu g-1 (in nutrient agar), 26.0 x 106 cfu g-1 (actinomycetes isolation agar), 36 x 106 cfu g-1 (Kings B agar), 16 x 106 cfu g-1 (CV agar),13 x 106 cfu g-1 (Methyl red), 15 x 106 cfu g-1 (Pikovskyas agar), 30 x 106 cfu g-1 (CRYEMA), Azospirillum 70 x 106 cfu g-1 (N-free maleate) and 30 x 106 cfu g-1 (Jenson agar medium). Based on microbial enumeration, total 18 bacterial isolates were selected for biochemical, PGPR characterization and biocontrol activity. All isolates were tested positive for phosphate and Zn solubilisation. Isolate CD2, CD5, CD13, CD14 and CD19 were tested highly positive for zinc, phosphate, K-solubilisation, IAA and amylase pro?duction. Test isolates CD2, CD5, CD6, CD7, CD10 and CD13 were tested highly positive for ?-galactosidase activ?ity, ornithine utilization, nitrate reduction, citrate utilization, malonate utilization, esculin hydrolysis, trehalose, glucose and lactose utilization. All isolated microbes tested for biocontrol activity (antifungal property) against standard pathogen procured from microbial type culture collection (MTCC), i.e. C. gloeosporioides (MTCC 2190), F. oxysporum (MTCC 10247), C. fimbriota (MTCC 2281) and P. aphanidermatum (MTCC 284). CD2, CD34 and CD20 isolates significantly inhibited the growth of C. gloeosporioides and P. aphanidermatum. Result of the study advo?cates that cow dung and cow dung based formulations are cheap source for soil, plant health and management of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, P. aphanidermatum and Fusarium oxysporum in various crops.