The current study investigated the influence of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) producing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the growth, physiology, and soil properties. The pre-isolated and compatible EPS producing PGPR strains were first screened based on improvement in soil aggregates in an incubation study. The screened strains (Rhizobium phaseoli strain Mn-6, Pseudomonas bathysetes strain LB5, and unidentified strain R2) were then employed in pot study for assessing improvements in maize growth, physiology, and soil properties. Eight treatments including T1 = control, T2 = Mn-6, T3 = R2, T4 = LB5, T5 = Mn-6 + R2, T6 = Mn-6 + LB5, T7 = R2 + LB5, and T8 = Mn-6 + R2 + LB5 were applied in completely randomized design (CRD) hexa replicated (half for root and half for soil, and yield attributes). The results depicted that among various treatments, the application of PGPR strain Mn-6 increased plant height, root length, root fresh and dry weight, root length density, SPAD value, leaf areas index, photosynthesis rate, transpiration, and stomatal conductance by 24, 79, 72, 90, 49, 35, 23, 21, 75, and 77%, respectively, compared with non-inoculated treatment. Similarly, significant improvement in maize yield and soil physical properties was also observed in response to the application of EPS-producing PGPR. Therefore, it is concluded that the application of EPS producing PGPR is an effective strategy to improve plant growth, physiology, yield, and soil physical properties. Moreover, EPS-producing PGPR should be exploited in field studies for their potential in improving plant growth and soil properties.
Keywords: Exopolysaccharides; Maize; Plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria; Soil aggregates.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.