European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience

Authors
Fatima Ezzakkioui, Rajae Alloudane, Rajaa Chahboune, Houda Benaicha, Nourdin El Mourabit, Said Barrijal

Abstract
Extensive use of chemical fertilizers create serious environmental problems, biological fertilizers can be as an alternative way of reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture and contamination of the environment. Contributing in these goals, 17 strains of Rhizobium sullae IS123^T were isolated from the nodules of Hedysarum flexuosum and were examined for their plant growth-promoting potential. The tests performed are indole acetic acid (IAA) production, siderophores production, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production, phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation. The results show that all strains produce indole acetic acid, 13 strains were able to produce siderophores, while five strains were positive for hydrogen cyanide synthesis and two strains were able to solubilize inorganic phosphorus. All strains identified in this study produced effective symbiosis with their original host plant, while the relative effectiveness has not shown a great variation between strains. The combination of the nitrogen fixation and production of different phytohormones showed that the strains HFT33, HFT38, HFT41, HFA52, HFT55, HFT63 and HFT64 are the best strains selected to be used as biofertilizers.