PROSPECTING FOR PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING FUNGI AND BACTERIA IN THE RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOME OF MAIZE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOFERTILIZERS AND BIOPESTICIDES

Abstract

The rapid increase in the global population has led to a greater demand for agricultural production to ensure food security. To meet this demand, commercial fertilizers, which are known to pose health and environmental risks, are often used to achieve high crop yields. However, recent research has shown that the rhizosphere microbiome of maize contains beneficial plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) and bacteria (PGPB) that can be utilized for sustainable agriculture, potentially reducing the need for harmful chemical fertilizers.This study aimed to identify and characterize PGPF and PGPB in the rhizosphere microbiome of maize to develop biofertilizers and biopesticides. The researcher employed a culture dependent approach to analyze the growth promoting microbial communities associated with maize roots. The results revealed a variety of beneficial microorganisms, including species of Bacillus and Trichoderma, known for their ability to enhance plant growth and suppress pathogens. Furthermore, the researcher evaluated the biofertilizer and biopesticide potential of selected isolates in screen house trials using a complete randomized design with four treatments (Control, NPK, Fungi inoculum, and Bacterial inoculum) and three replicates. The effects of these treatments on growth parameters (plant height and leaf length) was comparedusing a composite bar chart and the potential for controlling leaf spot disease (caused by Bipolaris spp.) was assessed and establiblishing the significant difference between the treatment means using the least significant difference method.The results indicated that the application of these microbial strains significantly improved maize growth and provided protection against phytopathogens. This research highlights the potential of using PGPF and PGPB from the maize rhizosphere microbiome as an alternative to commercial fertilizers, offering a more sustainable approach to agriculture.