Abstract

STUDY OF GROWTH PROMOTION OF AVICENNIA MARINA SEEDLINGS BY PGPB ISOLATED FROM MANGROVES IN NAVI MUMBAI

Joseph Dona*, Jadhav Priyanka, Katke Shubham, Jaiswar Arpan, Thakare D. B.

Abstract

Mangroves are essential for coastal cities such as Navi Mumbai, where they act as a buffer between the land and sea. Yet they are destroyed on a large scale for urban development. Mangrove regeneration programs compensate for such losses, by planting mangrove saplings in new areas. The growth of such saplings can be promoted by the use of PGPB (Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria). However, growth promoting bacteria indigenous to mangrove areas in Navi Mumbai have been largely unexplored. This study was aimed at examining bacterial strains isolated from mangroves in Navi Mumbai for their ability to promote the growth of seedlings of Avicennia marina, the dominant mangrove species in the area. Seedlings of the plant were grown in mangrove soil inoculated with the test isolates, following which their growth was compared with that of control plants grown in uninoculated mangrove soil. All the inoculated plants showed a significant increase (upto 85%) in their protein content as compared to the control plants. Most of the plants also showed an increase in their chlorophyll-a content (upto 24%), wet weights (upto 28%) and dry weights (upto 57%). These results indicate that the isolates have the ability to promote the growth of Avicennia marina plants. Further studies using combinations of the isolates can help in developing an effective consortium of PGPB for promoting growth of mangrove plants, especially in Navi Mumbai.

Keywords: Mangroves, Avicennia marina, PGPB, reforestation, Navi Mumbai.