Isolation and Characterization of Urea Producing Microbes and their Optimization for Plant Growth

Abstract

Urea is the most frequently used nitrogen fertilizer globally. Urease is an enzyme that hydrolysis urea in carbon dioxide and ammonia. Urease distribution and influencing factors are highly relevant for the use of urea in agriculture. It plays an important role in nitrogen metabolism. Urease is a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrolysis of urea with a rate approximately 10 -14 times the rate of the non-catalyzed reaction. The purpose of study is the isolation and characterization of urease producing bacteria and measuring its activity for the growth of plants as it is the sole source of nitrogen for them. Water samples from waste water treatment plant and soil collected from field are good sources for the isolation of urea degrading bacteria. Two bacterial strains were choosen, the appropriate pH and temperature were found to be 6 and 30°C respectively. The urease activity after doing phenol hypochlorite assay for R2 and R3 strain was 1.682 µmol/g/h and 1.432 µmol/g/h respectively. The rate of growth in ladyfinger, scientifically known as Abelmoschus esculentus plants having bacterial culture and urea showed maximum growth after 8 days of incubation in comparison to plant having only soil content. Urease increased the soil organic matter by increasing its pH and decreasing its conductivity values to 8.9 and 126 µS/m. The uptake of nitrogen follows the order urea+ culture + soil > soil+ culture > soil+urea>soil.