Detection of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria from Soil

Abstract

The use of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) in agricultural production is gaining traction. A majority of PGPB are the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that are rhizosphere dwelling. They contribute to improve plant growth as well as protect plants from diseases and environmental stresses through a diversity of mechanisms. These agents are effective, environmentally friendly, and therefore more convenient as alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Recent years have seen an increased use of PGPR formulations for commercial agriculture. It is against this backdrop that there is a need to develop effective protocols for detecting PGPR from soil for use in agricultural production. This chapter describes a protocol for detecting PGPB using the most common culture-dependent and culture-independent methods.