Question: Researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati, have found plant-growth-promoting and antifungal activities of endophyticactino bacteria; this bacteria is associated with:
(a) Tea Plant
(b) Neem Plant
(c) Garlic Plant
(d) Onion Plant
Answer: (a)
Related facts:
- According to a recent report published on 04 March, 2020; researchers found significant plant-growth-promoting and antifungal activities of endophyticactino bacteria associated with Tea plant and related genera, Eurya to find potent plant growth-promoting strains.
- Credit to this discovery goes to the Researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) Guwahati.
- The team isolated 46 endophyticactino bacteria (predominantly free-living microorganisms) found in diverse environments that lives within a plant for at least part of its life cycle.
- These strains of bacteria lives without causing apparent disease associated with Tea plants and characterized through molecular techniques.
- Out of 46 isolates, 21 isolates inhibited the growth of at least one test fungal phytopathogens.
- Strains SA25 and SA29 of endophyticactino bacteria exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity.
- The research confirmed that endophyticactino bacteria have the potential to exhibit multiple growth-promoting traits.
- These growth-promoting traits are IAA production, phosphate solubilization and siderophore production and so on.
- All the above traits of this bacteria positively influence tea growth and production.
- The above mentioned work is published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Frontiers in Microbiology.