Isolation and Characterization of Rhizobium and Azospirillum

Present study was aimed at isolation and biochemical characterization of Rhizobium and Azospirillum strains from roots and rhizospheric soil of wheat and maize (at tillering and anthesis stage) growing under different moisture regimes in the field and under induced water stress in pots. The survival efficiency as measured by log cfu/g, carbon/nitrogen utilization pattern determined by QTS, random amplification of polymorphic DNA analyses, phytohormone production and 16sRNA sequence analysis were done for isolated strains. The efficiency of isolated strains to promote plant growth and development was tested under induced water stress conditions in reinoculation studies. Rhizobium and Azospirillum isolated from arid field and induced water stress in pots showed the potential to serve as inocula to promote growth and yield of plants grown in moisture deficit soil.