Assessing the Plant Growth Promoting Activity of Phylloplane Associated Plant Bacteria of Rice

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most important staple food crop in India. It ranks second in worldwide production. An anatomical and physiological character of surface of the rice leaf renders a sustainable environment for diversity of phylloplane microorganisms that showed antagonism against rice pathogens. The objective of this present study was to identify and characterize the bacterial population in the phylloplane of rice at different critical stages. Through leaf imprinting techniques bacterial colonies were isolated. Among the various stages of rice, milky stage recorded higher number of bacteria compared to other stages of rice. Based on morphological characterization the bacterial isolates were grouped and purified. Gram staining was performed and the isolates were observed under foldscope a frugal microscope. Biochemical characterization was being done for the bacterial isolates and the results were recorded. IAA is a key hormone for the plant growth hence the IAA production ability of the bacterial isolates were screened. Results revealed that all the bacterial isolates produced IAA in greater quantities.