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<p>The Western Ghats of India, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are a biodiversity hotspot harbouring diverse microbial communities with their significant potential in agriculture. <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium well known for its insecticidal activity; however, its plant growth-promoting (PGP) potential remains underexplored. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous <i>B. thuringiensis</i> strains from the Western Ghats, emphasizing their dual role as PGP and biocontrol agents. A total of 100 <i>B. thuringiensis</i> strains were isolated and characterized using morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. Initial screening revealed diverse crystal morphologies- bipyramidal, pyramidal, and cuboidal and high frequencies of protease (89 strains), lipase (84 strains), lecithinase (64 strains), and chitinase (27 strains) activities, indicating strong entomopathogenic potential. PGP screening demonstrated that all strains produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and ammonia, with 81 strains showing phosphate solubilization and 35 producing siderophores. Quantitative estimation revealed IAA production ranging from 10.42 to 112.21&#xa0;µg mL⁻¹ and ammonia production from 21.30 to 80.12&#xa0;µg mL⁻¹. Ten efficient strains were further evaluated through a groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.) seed germination assay, where <i>B. thuringiensis</i> NBAIR Bt68 exhibited the highest germination rate (9.67%), radicle length (15.13&#xa0;cm), and fresh weight (0.58&#xa0;g) compared with the control. Protein estimation and crystal quantification revealed that strain Bt68 recorded the highest protein concentration (2504.6&#xa0;µg mL⁻¹) and crystal count (105 crystals per microscopic field), confirming its superior biocontrol potential. Overall, these findings highlight <i>B. thuringiensis</i> NBAIR Bt68 as a promising multifunctional bioinoculant integrating plant growth promotion and insecticidal efficacy for sustainable agricultural applications.</p>

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Uncovering the multifunctional potential of Bacillus thuringiensis strains from the Western Ghats of India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月17日

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  • Lavanya Siddanahalli Manjunath,
  • Muthuraju Ramaiah,
  • Manjunatha Booragamakalapalli Subbarayappa,
  • Jagadeesh Patil,
  • Ramya Ramesan Syamala,
  • Shantharaja Chittanahalli Shivanna,
  • Rajashekar Hosahatti,
  • Aditya Kukreti,
  • Satya Nand Sushil,
  • Manjunatha Channappa

摘要

The Western Ghats of India, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are a biodiversity hotspot harbouring diverse microbial communities with their significant potential in agriculture. Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium well known for its insecticidal activity; however, its plant growth-promoting (PGP) potential remains underexplored. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize indigenous B. thuringiensis strains from the Western Ghats, emphasizing their dual role as PGP and biocontrol agents. A total of 100 B. thuringiensis strains were isolated and characterized using morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. Initial screening revealed diverse crystal morphologies- bipyramidal, pyramidal, and cuboidal and high frequencies of protease (89 strains), lipase (84 strains), lecithinase (64 strains), and chitinase (27 strains) activities, indicating strong entomopathogenic potential. PGP screening demonstrated that all strains produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and ammonia, with 81 strains showing phosphate solubilization and 35 producing siderophores. Quantitative estimation revealed IAA production ranging from 10.42 to 112.21 µg mL⁻¹ and ammonia production from 21.30 to 80.12 µg mL⁻¹. Ten efficient strains were further evaluated through a groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed germination assay, where B. thuringiensis NBAIR Bt68 exhibited the highest germination rate (9.67%), radicle length (15.13 cm), and fresh weight (0.58 g) compared with the control. Protein estimation and crystal quantification revealed that strain Bt68 recorded the highest protein concentration (2504.6 µg mL⁻¹) and crystal count (105 crystals per microscopic field), confirming its superior biocontrol potential. Overall, these findings highlight B. thuringiensis NBAIR Bt68 as a promising multifunctional bioinoculant integrating plant growth promotion and insecticidal efficacy for sustainable agricultural applications.