Microbiologist Bomba Dam referred to his staff isolating the micro organism from the soil of Sonajhuri, an space in Santiniketan. File photograph of Visva-Bharati University
A bunch of researchers from Visva-Bharati University’s botany division have found a micro organism able to boosting plant development and named it ‘Pantoea Tagorei’ after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The micro organism has immense potential to revolutionise agricultural practices, microbiologist Bomba Dam, assistant professor on the varsity’s botany division who led the analysis, advised PTI.
“This is a plant growth promoting bacteria which will prove to be a game-changer in agriculture. It has shown immense capability to boost the cultivation of paddy, pea and chilli,” Dam mentioned from Santiniketan in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
Dam was assisted by analysis students Raju Biswas, Abhijit Mishra, Abhinav Chakraborty, Pooja Mukhopadhyay and Sandeep Ghosh.
Talking concerning the discovery, Dam referred to his staff isolating the micro organism from the soil of Sonajhuri, an space in Santiniketan.
“We then discovered the bacteria in the coal mining belt of Jharkhand’s Jharia,” he mentioned.
Elaborating the traits of the micro organism, Dam mentioned, ‘Pantoea Tagorei’ effectively extracts potassium from soil which reinforces plant development. Those discovered within the soil of Jharia coal mines solubilises potassium and phosphorus and fixes nitrogen which assist promote plant development. Our evaluation confirmed that it was a new species and distinctive in its nature,” said Dam.
The bacteria will reduce the usage of commercial fertilisers and eventually help to cut costs for agriculture and boost crop yield, he said, adding that the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) has officially recognised the discovery.
Their findings were also published in the Indian Journal of Microbiology.
On the reasons behind naming it after Tagore, Dam referred to the visionary agricultural pursuits of Tagore.
“That’s one of the best ways to honour Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and his son Rathindranath Tagore’s agricultural pursuits. Tagore had despatched his son to check agricultural science in Illinois, USA,” he mentioned.
