Exploring the Possibilities of Using Bradyrhizobium japonicum as a Nitrogen Fixing Bioresource in Soybean Cultivation in Purna-river Basin

Abstract

The arid and rainfed black cotton to alluvial soils of Purna river basin from Varhad region of Maharashtra were screened primarily for the presence of root nodulating nitrogen fixing bacteria in the roots of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. The selected isolates were
further subjected for secondary screening using cultural, microscopic and biochemical characterization. This revealed the roots were infected by bacteroids that developed colonies over YEMA and got discriminated from its common contaminants. The growth on differential medium differentiated it into slow and fast growers. The growth at various physical parameters like temperature and pH gave the tolerance to these bacteria at different levels. The standard biochemical characterization of these isolates leads to confirm that the selected isolates belonged to the species of Bradyrhizobium japonicum that can be further studied for its nitrogen fixing efficiency to derive its bioresource potential to be used as a nitrogenous biofertilizer in the commercial soybean cultivation of western Vidarbha.