Growth enhancement of medicinal plant Withania somnifera using phosphate solubilizing endophytic bacteria Pseudomonas sp. as bioinoculant

Abstract

Withania somnifera, commonly known as ashwagandha, is a wildly growing highly valuable medicinal plant, found throughout India. Ashwagandha has high medicinal value due to its antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory, anti-ageing and rejuvenating properties. Since use of synthetic agrochemicals in the cultivation of medicinal plants is highly restricted due to their harmful effects on human health and environment, present study was aimed to explore the role of endophytic bacteria in enhancing the nutrient level in soil and growth of ashwagandha. In this study, growth promoting potential of endophytic bacterial strain PSE-1 was explored which was isolated from the roots of W. somnifera and identified as Pseudomonas sp. on the basis of 16s rRNA gene sequencing. Results obtained from the study suggest that endophytic bacteria Pseudomonas sp. plays important role in improving the nutrient level in soil and displayed beneficial effects on plant growth.