Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most significant staple crop in India and ranks second globally in terms of production. The rice leaf surface, with its unique anatomical and physiological traits, provides a supportive habitat for a diverse range of phylloplane microorganisms, some of which have shown antagonistic activity against rice pathogens. This study aims to identify and characterize microbial populations on rice phylloplane at various growth stages. Using leaf imprinting techniques, microbial colonies were isolated, with the highest microbial counts observed at the milky stage. The microbial isolates were grouped based on morphological characteristics and subsequently purified. Gram staining was performed for the bacterial isolates and were examined under a foldscope, an affordable microscope. Biochemical analyses were conducted on the bacterial isolates and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, a key hormone in plant growth, was assessed. Results indicated that all bacterial isolates produced IAA, with concentrations ranging from 0.15 mg L^-1 to 0.59 mg L^-1.

Gomathy, M., Sabarinathan, K.G., Rajakumar, D., Ananthi, K., Dutta, P., 2024. Evaluating growth promoting potential of phylloplane microbes associated with rice. Research Biotica, 2024, online first.