Looking to importance of Zn and S as an essential micro element, their availability to the crops from the soil needs to be ensured. We can add them in the soil in form of chemical amendment but, the entire applied amount is not available for the plant. To ensure their availability to plant, microbial inoculants are proved best. A research study focused on the use of Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria (ZSB) and Sulphur Oxidizing Bacteria (SOB) as plant probiotics for summer groundnut involved native strains of ZSB (Beijerinckia fluminensis AAU ZSB F2) and SOB (Pseudomonas aeruginosa AAU PF 3 and Bacillus tropicus AAU SOB 1). A micro-plot experiment was conducted using the bacterial consortium, individual bacteria, and control treatments to test their effects on groundnut growth, yield, and quality parameters. The treatment that received 100% RDF with ZnSO4 and Gypsum, along with ZSB and SOB, showed significant highest in plant height at 30 and 60 days (19.72 cm and 35.61 cm respectively), pods per plant (12.33), pod yield (8.86 g per plant), haulm yield (19.77 g per plant) and kernel yield (8.8 g per plant). In terms of quality parameters, the treatment that received 100% RDF with Gypsum and SOB exhibited the highest oil percentage (54.12%) in the kernel, while the treatment with ZnSO4 and Gypsum along with ZSB and SOB had the highest protein content (31.82%). Regarding soil chemical parameters, the treatment with the native SOB strain resulted in lower pH, whereas the treatment with the ZSB strain showed higher pH. No significant difference was observed in organic carbon content and available phosphorus among the different treatments. The treatment with 100% RDF, ZnSO4, Gypsum, ZSB, and SOB had the highest available zinc and sulphur content in the soil, as well as higher zinc and sulphur content and uptake by the kernel and haulm. Overall, the study demonstrated the potential of the bacterial consortium in promoting groundnut growth, yield, and quality parameters, as well as enhancing soil nutrient availability. The microorganisms based nutrient availability proved very cost effective and eco-friendly for sustainable agriculture as well as to improve quality of the groundnut.

Sulphur Oxidizing Bacteria, Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, Plant Probiotics, Groundnut, Sulphur, Zinc

From the above results it can be concluded that, the native zinc solubilizing and sulphur oxidizing bacterial strains were proved effective for nutrient solubilization and found compatible with each other for preparation of consortium formulation with sufficient self-life. Moreover, these native ZSB, SOB and its combined formulation found to increase groundnut growth, yield and kernel quality along with increase in sulphur and zinc nutrient content and uptake.

Kandoriya P.J., Patel H.K., Jhala Y.K., Pallavi K.M., Patel K.C. and Vyas R.V. (2023). Zinc Solubilizing and Sulphur Oxidizing Bacteria as Plant Probiotic for Summer Groundnut. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8): 537-545.