Screening of Efficient PGPR Strains from Saline Soils

Soil samples were collected from the saline barren area of Ganeshwadi and Shedshal farms of Kolhapur district Maharashtra, India, to study the enrichment, isolation, and identification of PGPR strains for agricultural use. The collected soil samples were enriched for isolation of PGPR, and these isolates were tested for nitrogen fixation, IAA production, potassium solubilization, siderophore production, zinc solubilization, cellulose, phosphate solubilization, exopolysaccharide production, HCN, and organic acid production. Out of 8 isolates, the two bacterial strains underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and were identified as Morganella morganii (G12) and Proteus cibi (SD12). Isolating plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and decoding their genetic and metabolic processes may help to discover improved characteristics like drought resistance, nutrient solubility, and biocontrol capacity, which effectively influence resilience, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable agriculture.