Abstract

ALVAREZ, CLAUDIA L; OSORIO, NELSON W  and  MARIN MONTOYA, MAURICIO. Molecular Identification of Microorganisms Associated to the Rhizosphere of Vanilla Plants in Colombia. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.2, pp.293-306. ISSN 0120-548X.

The cultivation of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) is highly promising in Colombia, but more research is needed on its agronomical management and beneficial microorganisms that grow associated to its rhizosphere, on which the plant depends for its nutrition and growth. This study involved the identification of microorganisms associated to the rhizosphere of vanilla plants in a crop located in Sopetrán, Colombia. The microbes were isolated in selective media for functional groups such as cellulolytic, proteolytic, inorganic and organic phosphate (phytate) solubilizers, and asymbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria. After isolation and purification, 109 microbial isolates were obtained. DNA was extracted from 52 selected isolates for molecular identification based on ITS and 16S rDNA sequencing, for fungi and bacteria, respectively. The diversity of rhizosphere microorganisms found was significant. Bacteria such as Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas koreensis and Acinetobacter sp., and the fungus Plectosphaerella sp., may have a high potential to be used as biofertilizers to improve vanilla plant nutrition and growth.

Keywords : PCR; PGPR; Phylogeny; rDNA; Vanilla planifolia.

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