Molecular Characteristics of Rhizobia Isolated from Arachis hypogaea Grown under Stress Environment

Rabia Khalid, Xiao Xia Zhang, Rifat Hayat and Mukhtar Ahmed
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Rabia Khalid: Institute of Soil Science, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
Xiao Xia Zhang: Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Rifat Hayat: Institute of Soil Science, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
Mukhtar Ahmed: Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umea, Sweden

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: The phenotypic and genotypic characterization of eight rhizobial isolates obtained from Arachis hypogaea nodules grown under stress environment was performed. Isolates were screened for their ability to tolerate different abiotic stresses (high temperature (60° C), salinity (1–5% (w/v) NaCl), and pH (1–12). The genomic analysis of 16S rRNA and housekeeping genes ( atp D, rec A, and gln II) demonstrated that native groundnut rhizobia from these stress soils are representatives of fast growers and phylogenetically related to Rhizobium sp . The phenotypic characterization (generation time, carbon source utilization) also revealed the isolates as fast-growing rhizobia. All the isolates can tolerate NaCl up to 3% and were able to grow between 20 and 37 °C with a pH between 5 to 10, indicating that the isolates were alkali and salt-tolerant. The tested isolates effectively utilize mono and disaccharides as carbon source. Out of eight, three rhizobial isolates (BN-20, BN-23, and BN-50) were able to nodulate their host plant, exhibiting their potential to be used as native groundnut rhizobial inoculum. The plant growth promoting characterization of all isolates revealed their effectiveness to solubilize inorganic phosphate (56–290 µg mL −1 ), synthesize indole acetic acid (IAA) (24–71 µg mL −1 ), and amplification of nitrogen fixing nifH gene, exploring their ability to be used as groundnut biofertilizer to enhance yield and N 2 -fixation for the resource poor farmers of rainfed Pothwar region.

Keywords: Arachis hypogaea; abiotic stress; Rhizobium; 16S rRNA; housekeeping genes; phenotypic characterization; biofertilizer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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