Capability of Endophytic Actinomycetes in Fixing Nitrogen and Their Role in Promoting Rice Seedlings Growth

Abstract

Nitrogen is the nutrient that most frequently limits on paddy productivity. Excessive chemical nitrogen fertilizer applied on conventional farming may have negative impact to the degradation of environment. An alternative solution for this problem is by using biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) to enhance crop growth which can be done by applying nitrogen fixing endophytic actinomycetes. The objective of this research was to obtain endophytic actinomycetes isolates which have the capability in fixing N2 based on in-vitro and in-planta assay. Based on in-vitro assay, SSW-02 was considered as the most promising N2 fixing bacteria based on its ability to reduce 2.1750 nmol acetylene/hour and produced ammonia 2.144 ppm for 15 days in free nitrogen medium. In-planta assessment was conducted in a greenhouse using IR-64 rice variety on sterile and non sterile soil with two-factors completely randomized factorial design. The factors were endophytic actinomycetes treatments which consisted of SSW-02, AB131-2, control and urea dosage which consisted of 0%, 50%, 100% dosage from 200 Kg/Ha. Each treatment had been done in three replications. Based on in-planta assay, SSW-02 application with 100% urea dosage increased total plant dry weight and leaf color. Although not significantly different, SSW-02 application with 50% urea dosage also had the highest number of tillering and ability to increase plant height and root length. Nitrogen content also increased by SSW-02 application with 100% urea dosage in sterile soil. Microscopic observation of SSW-02 and AB131-2 of rice treatment using reducing tetrazolium method showed that both of isolates were able to penetrate and colonize the root of rice, confirming them as endophytes. The results indicated that SSW-02 had promising role as a N2 fixing bacteria on rice plant.