Abstract
Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint to crop production. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizer application. However, the identity, efficiency, and growth-promoting potential of PSB in the rhizosphere of wild sorghum (Sorghum halepense L. Pers) remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of rhizobacteria associated with wild sorghum, assess their ability to solubilize various insoluble phosphate sources and evaluate the potential of broad-spectrum PSB to enhance the growth of cultivated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) under Mijingu rock phosphate (MRP) fertilization. Rhizobacteria were characterized based on morphological, biochemical, and genetic traits. The ability to solubilize calcium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, inositol phosphate, and MRP was tested using the National Botanical Research Institute Phosphate medium. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the growth-promoting potential of broad-spectrum PSB, including Citrobacter sp. SB02-1 and SB04-3, Serratia sp. SB03-1, and Raoultella sp. SB07-2, in MRP-fertilized sand. Sixteen bacterial isolates were identified, representing species such as Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Raoultella sp., Citrobacter sp., Morganella sp., Serratia sp., Enterobacter sp., and Klebsiella sp. These isolates exhibited diverse abilities to solubilize insoluble phosphate sources, with Citrobacter sp. SB02-1 and Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 releasing the highest quantities of P (> 100 mg/l). Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants. Remarkably, the performance of Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 was comparable to plants treated with balanced soluble fertilizers without inoculation. This study is among the first to demonstrate that Citrobacter sp. SB04-3, isolated from wild sorghum rhizosphere, can match the performance of synthetic fertilizers by significantly enhancing sorghum growth and biomass under MRP fertilization. This novel finding highlights its potential as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative for P management in agriculture.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Sixteen bacterial isolates from wild sorghum were identified.
Verbatim
t0“wild sorghum”
e0“Sixteen bacterial isolates were identified”
Claim · model-written summary
Citrobacter SB02-1 and SB04-3 released the highest phosphorus quantities, over 100 mg/l.
Verbatim
t0“wild sorghum”
e0“Citrobacter sp. SB02-1 and Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 releasing the highest quantities of P (> 100 mg/l)”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 inoculation increased sorghum leaf number by 66.7%.
- Treatment
- Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- number of leavese0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 66.7%e0
- Comparator
- non-inoculated plantse0
SorghumOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 inoculation increased sorghum shoot length by 61.3%.
- Treatment
- Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- shoot lengthe0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 61.3%e0
- Comparator
- non-inoculated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 inoculation increased sorghum root length by 89.3%.
- Treatment
- Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- root lengthe0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 89.3%e0
- Comparator
- non-inoculated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 inoculation increased sorghum root biomass by 212.5%.
- Treatment
- Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- root biomasse0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 212.5%e0
- Comparator
- non-inoculated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 inoculation increased sorghum dry weight by 280%.
- Treatment
- Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- dry weighte0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 280%e0
- Comparator
- non-inoculated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“Inoculation with Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 significantly improved sorghum growth, resulting in increases in the number of leaves (66.7%), shoot length (61.3%), root length (89.3%), root biomass (212.5%), and dry weight (280%) compared to non-inoculated plants”
Claim · model-written summary
SB04-3 performance was comparable with balanced soluble fertilizer treatment.
- Treatment
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0
- Interactor
- Citrobacter sp. SB04-3e0other
- Outcome
- performancee0
- Direction
- comparablee0
- Comparator
- plants treated with balanced soluble fertilizers without inoculatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivated sorghum”
e0“performance of Citrobacter sp. SB04-3 was comparable to plants treated with balanced soluble fertilizers without inoculation”
The same questions in other papers
inoculation · growth · SorghumPositive and negative results
64 papers in the same direction as this paper · 9 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative
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- positive
- negative
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See all 76 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.