Abstract

• Totally five potassium solubilizing bacteria (KSB) were isolated from rhizosphere of grass (Brachiaria mutica Staf.) and maize (Zea mays L.). To know the density of bacterial inoculum, plate count method was used. To identify the isolated bacteria, basic staining methods and biochemical tests of KB003Hi25TM Identification Kit were used. In order to evaluate the effects of potassium solubilizing bacteria on the growth of maize, five replicates of laboratory experiment with five treatments KSBGR-1(T1), KSBGR-10(T2), KSBMS-1(T3), KSBMR-1(T4), KSBMR2(T5) and one control were carried out in Microbiology Laboratory, Zoology Department, Pathein University during May 2019 to January, 2020. Seeds were inoculated with solution of 108 CFU/mL of KSB and control seeds were not inoculated. The isolated bacterial strains were identified as Bacillus sp. The germination percent of maize increase over control at different treatments were 94.4%, 89.6%,85.6%, 82.4%, 78.4%, and 72.8%, respectively in the order T3>T1>T5>T2>T4> Control. In this study, root length and shoot length of treated seedlings increased significantly (p<0.05) over control at 4DAS, 6DAS and 7DAS. These results suggested that inoculation of isolated KSB can be considered as efficient alternative biofertilizers to promote maize seed germination and development.