ISOLATION, SCREENING, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING Azotobacter spp. FROM GARDEN SOIL

Under adverse conditions, biotic and abiotic stressors dominate plant growth and yield characteristics, leading to poor plant germination and output. The gram-negative prokaryote Azotobacter spp. is a free-living organism that promotes plant growth and enhances plant health. This research aims to evaluate the studies on the potential benefits of Azotobacter spp. for improving plant health in sustainable agroecosystems. A total of 25 different types of isolates were isolated from garden soil of 3 distinct regions, among them 08 isolates were selected based on a screening test including Salt, pH, and Temperature tolerance assay. Further plant growth-promoting - PGP traits characterizations including the fixation of N2, IAA production, NH3 production, siderophore production, Phosphate solubilization, and production of extracellular enzymes – Catalase, Protease, Amylase, and Chitinase were evaluated of selected isolates. Lastly, 02 potent isolates AAK14 and AEND5 were added to a pot as a biofertilizer to assess the effect on moong seed.