Agrotechnology

Albizia procera-rhizobium characterization to enhance symbiosis for producing quality nursery stocks for afforestation programs

2^nd International Conference on Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Hyderabad, India February 03-05, 2014

Smriti Kolhey, Rakesh Patel, D Dash, T Chowdhury and S B Gupta

Posters: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Albizia procera (Safed siris) is one of the important Nitrogen Fixing Tree (NFT) species belongs to family Fabaceae, sub-family Mimosoideae. This species provides timber for making carts, carriages, small handle tools, supplies excellent fodder during lean periods of summer. It grows best on moist alluvial soils, well-drained loams or clay soils. Its ability to grow on dry, sandy, stony, and shallow soils makes it a useful species for reforestation of difficult sites but in expanding A. procera plantation in barren degraded hilly land, low fertility of the area creates major problem. Chhattisgarh region is exposed to extreme dry and hot climate during summer for prolonged period resulting in severe loss of mesophilic crop beneficial microbes in surface soils. Further due to high temperature, salinity condition may prevail especially in rhizosphere region. Hence, identification of stress tolerant Rhizobium from Albizia procera is certainly useful in order to formulate those cultures which are able to survive/persist for longer period and work more efficiently in such conditions. So there is a need for searching stress tolerant and effective indigenous Rhizobium of Chhattishgarh plain which can enhance symbiosis. Rhizobium isolate from nodulated A. procera plant was tested for Gram staining reaction, its sensitivity towards antibiotics of different concentrations, tolerance to salt concentration and acidity. Results revealed that A. procera - Rhizobium was gram negative, produced white translucent colonies of circular shape and raised, smooth surface with milky white in colour on YEMA media. The Rhizobium isolate from nodule of A. procera is highly sensitive to antibiotic Tetracyclin (30 μg) forming inhibition zone of 28 mm while it is somehow resistance to Chloramphenicol (30 μg) (zone of inhibition of 11 mm). The isolate shows luxuriant growth at temperature 30 C and 35 C while with increase in temperature growth reduces. It is tolerant upto 30,000 ppm salt concentration whereas maximum growth was seen at 10,000 ppm. The isolate was found good in its growth at pH range of 6.5-7.5 but can tolerate pH 5.0. So it may be useful for tropical acidic rainfed areas of C.G. plain to support the growth of A. procera in afforestation programme and wasteland management.

Biography :

Smriti Kolhey completed her BSc Ag from SGCARS Jagdalpur and M.Sc. Ag from College of Agriculture, Raipur from the Indra Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyala, Raipur. In Masters Degree her subject was Agricultural Microbiology and has done her research work on forest legume tree sp. Albizia procera . She has published her abstracts in National Seminar and Conferences. She got a place in Junior technical assistant (Feb 2012) in Chhattisgarh State Civil Supply Corporation Ltd., Rural Agriculture Extension Officer (April 2012) by office of Zonal Director of Agriculture, Bilaspur division, Bilaspur (C.G.) and Rural Agriculture Extension Officer (May 2012) by office of Zonal Director of Agriculture, Raipur division, Raipur (C.G.).