Selection of Effective Indigenous Rhizobium Strains in District Sagar for Chickpea Bioinoculant

An attempt has been made to isolate and characterize nitrogen fixing bacteria, Rhizobium, from the ischolar_main nodules of chick pea collected from different fields of the district Sagar, (M.P.). A total of 26 isolates were obtained. The isolated strains were identified on the basis of colonial and morphological characteristics on Yeast mannitol agar medium by Congo red test. Out of 26 isolates, 14 were confirmed to be Rhizobium on the basis of the results of Gram staining, carbol fuchsin staining for the presence of Poly b hydroxybutyrate granules, motility test and lactose agar test. The isolates were further characterized biochemically by performing indole, methyl red, vogues proskauer, citrate utilization, nitrate reduction test. The isolates were also tested for its phosphate solubilising efficiency, capability to tolerate variability in salt concentration, pH and presence of amylase and catalase enzymes. Out of 14, 5 isolates showed very good phosphate solubilising zones upto 15 mm on one day incubation and 2 isolates namely CP3 and CP13 also showed siderophore production and thus were found to be the best strains which could be further characterized for their use as bioinoculant.