Bambara Groundnut Rhizobacteria Antimicrobial and Biofertilization Potential

Caroline F Ajilogba; Olubukola O Babalola; Patrick Adebola; Rasheed Adeleke

doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.854937

Bambara Groundnut Rhizobacteria Antimicrobial and Biofertilization Potential

Front Plant Sci. 2022 Jul 13:13:854937. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.854937. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Caroline F Ajilogba^{1

2}, Olubukola O Babalola¹, Patrick Adebola^{3

4}, Rasheed Adeleke⁵

Affiliations

¹ Niche Area for Food Security and Safety, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa.
² Agricultural Research Council-Natural Resources and Engineering, Pretoria, South Africa.
³ Agricultural Research Council-Vegetable and Ornamental Plants, Pretoria, South Africa.
⁴ International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁵ Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Abstract

Bambara groundnut, an underutilized crop has been proved to be an indigenous crop in Africa with the potential for food security. The rhizosphere of Bambara groundnut contains Rhizobacteria, with the ability to grow, adapt, and colonize their surroundings even in unfavorable conditions and have not been explored for their plant growth-promoting properties. The aim of this research was to determine the potential of rhizobacteria from Bambara groundnut soil samples as either biofertilizers or biocontrol agents or both to help provide sustainable agriculture in Africa and globally. Bambara groundnut rhizospheric soil samples were collected and analyzed for their chemical composition. Rhizobacteria isolates were cultured from the soil samples. Plant growth-promoting, antifungal activities and phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA were carried out on the isolates to identify the rhizobacteria. A 2-year field study planting was carried out to determine the effect of these rhizobacteria as biofertilizers for Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean). The study was carried out in a complete randomized block experimental design with three replications. All the isolates were able to produce ammonia and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, while 4.65, 12.28, and 27.91% produced hydrogen cyanide, indole acetic acid, and solubilized phosphate, respectively, making them important targets as biocontrol and biofertilizer agents. The field results revealed that treatment with rhizobacteria had significant results compared with the control. Characterization of selected isolates reveals their identity as B. amyloliquefaciens, B. thuringiensis, and Bacillus sp. These Bacillus isolates have proved to be plant growth-promoting agents that can be used as biofertilizers to enhance the growth of crops and consequent improved yield. This is the first time the rhizobacteria from the Bambara groundnut rhizosphere are applied as biofertilizer.

Keywords: Bacillus; bambara groundnut; biocontrol; biofertilizer; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; rhizobacteria; rhizosphere.