Summary
This investigation isolated 70 fungal and 112 bacterial endophytes from finger millet and evaluated the four most promising isolates (Aspergillus terreus, Lecanicillium sp., Pseudomonas bijieensis, and Priestia megaterium) for their plant-growth-promoting and zinc-mobilising properties in a pot experiment. Inoculation with these endophytes enhanced shoot and root development, increased grain zinc content by 12–19% and elevated NPK concentrations in seeds relative to non-inoculated controls. The findings suggest that zinc-dissolving endophytes offer a biotechnological approach to improving micronutrient density in finger millet and potentially other cereal crops.
UK applicability
Finger millet is not a staple crop in the United Kingdom and is grown only at limited scale. However, the endophytic microbial mechanisms for zinc mobilisation and plant growth promotion identified here may have translational potential for enhancing micronutrient density in UK-grown cereals, subject to local agronomic adaptation and regulatory approval for microbial inoculants.
Key measures
Shoot and root length; grain zinc content (percentage increase); NPK concentrations in seeds; zinc solubilisation capacity; pH, temperature and NaCl tolerance of endophytes; carbohydrate and nitrogen source utilisation
Outcomes reported
The study isolated and characterised endophytic fungi and bacteria from finger millet, then evaluated their effects on plant growth, zinc and NPK uptake in a pot experiment using zinc carbonate as the zinc source. Endophyte-inoculated plants showed enhanced shoot and root growth and increased grain zinc content (12.12–18.80% above control) and NPK concentrations compared to uninoculated controls.
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