SCREENING OF ENVIRONMENTAL BACTERIA HAVING POTENTIALLY ACTIVE CHARACTERS FOR INCREASING SOIL BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Sustainable agriculture involves successful management of agricultural resources to satisfy human needs while maintaining or enhancing environmental quality and conserving natural resources for future generations. Improvement in agriculture sustainability will require the optimal use and management of soil fertility and soil physical properties. Both rely on soil biological processes, which are influenced by, soil bacterial diversity, diversified bacteria increase soil biological activity and build up long-term soil productivity and health. Bacterial strains from different environments (soil, air and water) were screened for characters, which have potential for increasing soil fertility. The studied characters were solubilization (P and S in soil) bioabsorbent (water retaining biopolymers) and production of antimicrobial compounds (bactericides and fungicides i.e. biocontrol of plant pathogens).