PCR-based detection of PGP genes in rhizobacteria from soil

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been widely exploited as an effective strategy in protecting plants from growth inhibition caused by metals, besides increasing plant biomass and protection against phytopathogens. Microorganisms have developed the mechanisms to cope with a variety of toxic metals for their survival in the environment enriched with heavy metals. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) plays a vital role in the management of plant diseases to increase crop productivity via various mechanisms. The present study suggested that the isolates such as Azotobacter and Pseudomonas etc. posses multiple growth promoting characteristics and are widely found even in contaminated field conditions. Further studies are in progress regarding the diversity of gacA among plant beneficial and pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas sp. in order to ascertain the use of gacA as a complementary genetic marker in phylogenetic analysis.