• Md Zakir Hussain
• Dr Ladly Rani

Plant growth-promoting bacteria with the ability to tolerate heavy metals have importance both in sustainable agriculture and phytoremediation. The present study reports on the isolation and characterization of mineral phosphate-solubilizing (MPS) and Zinc tolerant endophytic bacteria associated with three different indigenous rice i.e Arsunga Gora (AG) Kala Jira (KJ) and Karhani(KH). Out of 24 bacterial isolates, 5 isolates, namely R2, R12, P16, R17 and R23, with high MPS activity were selected and subjected to the assessment of MPS activity under ZnSO4 stress conditions. MPS activity by the selected isolates was observed at concentrations of as high as >1.1 M ZnSO4. Significant improvement in plant growth was observed on bacterization of seeds (rice) with all of the five selected isolates. R23 was the best in terms of phosphate-solubilizing activity and its response to various stresses. The ability of R23 and other isolates to exhibit MPS activity at high ZnSO4 concentrations suggests their potential as efficient biofertilizer for growing plants in metal (ZnSO4)-contaminated soil.

Keywords: Diazotrophic bacterial endophytes, plant growth promoting activity, p-solubilization, indigenous rice varieties, Zinc tolerant.

"Physiological and biochemical characterization of phosphate utilizing and zinc tolerant endophytic bacteria for indigenous rice variety of Jharkhand.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 7, page no.g428-g431, July-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2107789.pdf

"Physiological and biochemical characterization of phosphate utilizing and zinc tolerant endophytic bacteria for indigenous rice variety of Jharkhand.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 7, page no. ppg428-g431, July-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2107789.pdf