OBTAINING PROMISING STRAINS FROM WILD PLANTS FOR AGRICULTURAL USE

DOI 10.12737/2073046220244148 УДК 631.4

Abstract

The research was conducted in order to create new consortia of microorganisms derived from wild plant species (St. John's wort, oregano, plantain and reed) and to test their ability to maintain them in the soil and rhizosphere. The properties of 216 bacterial isolates that are important for protecting and stimulating plant growth, both in the laboratory and in the field, were determined, namely, enzymatic activity, including phytase, protease, lipase, nitrogenase, cellulase and amylase. In addition, the antagonistic activity of isolates to a phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum was tested. The isolates were then identified by comparing the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene. After that, pathogenic bacteria were screened out and, based on the displayed enzymatic activities, the most promising bacterial isolates were selected, from which a consortium was assembled to test the possibility of its maintenance in the soil and rhizosphere of Universiade wheat plants. For this purpose, the seeds were treated by a consortium at a dose of 1×10 CFU/ml in 1% carboxymethylcellulose solution and after 14 days, soil and roots of control and test plants were washed. The presence or absence of the studied strains was determined by PCR-fingerprinting. The consortium of microorganisms was better preserved in the soil than on the roots of plants. Its use increased the length of shoots of experimental plants, relative to the control ones, by 38.6% (from 10.6 cm to 14.7 cm), the length of the root system by 22.1% (from 12.2 cm to 14.9 cm) and seed germination by 3.0% (from 87% to 90%). The obtained data can be used for further experiments and practical applications in agriculture.