Isolation and Enumeration of Alkali resistant Rhizobacterium from Alkali soil of Ayodhya Region, Uttar Pradesh

The present study aimed to isolate, enumerate, and identify rhizospheric root-associated bacteria from soil samples collected at three different sites. A total of approximately 95 bacterial isolates were obtained from rhizospheric soils using standard microbiological techniques, including serial dilution, streak plate, pour plate, spread plate methods, and total viable count analysis. Taxonomic characterization revealed the presence of 27 genera comprising 44 bacterial species. Successful identification was achieved for about 74.2% of the total isolates, indicating substantial bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere. Enumeration results showed that Gram-negative bacteria were exclusively dominant over Gram-positive bacteria in terms of total viable count per gram dry weight of soil. The colony forming unit (CFU/ml) values varied among the sites, with counts of 1.7 × 10⁶ CFU/ml (Fz-1), 1.2 × 10⁷ CFU/ml (Fz-2), and 3.0 × 10⁷ CFU/ml (Fz-3), indicating site-specific variation in bacterial abundance. The dominance of Gram-negative bacteria highlights their adaptive advantage and ecological significance in the rhizospheric environment. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the diversity, abundance, and distribution of rhizospheric bacteria and emphasizes their potential role in soil fertility and plant growth promotion.