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VOL. 8, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Bioprospecting potassium solubilizing rhizobacteria from the unique Kuttanad paddy ecosystem as microbial soil health engineers
Authors
Roshmi Thomas, Azher N, Sreedev S, Gowtam C Joseph
Abstract
Rice, a vital starchy cereal the premier food crop of Kerala, India,
with cultivation centered primarily in Palakkad and Alappuzha. Potassium is a
major macronutrient for plant growth and has significant role in many functions
like development, yield, and disease resistance in the plant system. However,
the expanding cultivation in soils with low to medium potassium content,
coupled with chemical fertilizer use, poses a significant threat to rice based
cropping systems. One of the most prominent ways of improving plant utilization
of potassium in the soil is to use potassium solubilizing microbes, which can
make potassium ions available from minerals of both igneous and sedimentary
origins. The present study involves isolation of rhizosphere bacteria, molecular
identification and screening of their potassium solubilisation potential. Among
11 locally isolated bacterial strains, a single strain exhibited superior
potassium solubilizing capability, as they converted insoluble potassium to
soluble potassium. Further they were subjected to molecular identification and
confirmed as Enterobacter cloacae showing 100% sequence similarity with
reference strains in GenBank. The results strongly suggest that applying these
rhizosphere bacteria to agricultural soils can significantly reduce chemical
fertilizer dependence and enhance the sustainability of food production.
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Pages:21-26
How to cite this article:
Roshmi Thomas, Azher N, Sreedev S, Gowtam C Joseph "Bioprospecting potassium solubilizing rhizobacteria from the unique Kuttanad paddy ecosystem as microbial soil health engineers". International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Vol 8, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 21-26
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