Genetic identification and assessment of the beneficial effect of selected rhizobacteria on plant growth and yield of common bean under the field conditions of West Bulgaria
Tsvetelina Metodieva
, Mariana Radkova
, Katerina Stefanova
, Hristo Vаlchovski
Abstract: Soil and water pollution is increasing significantly, as a result of the active use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which necessitates the application of nature-friendly approaches in modern agriculture. The aim of the present study is to identify an active and suitable strain(s), with potential for improvement the plant growth and yield of common bean Phaseolus vulgaris, in order to develop effective biofertilizers, under field conditions.
The subject of molecular investigation were eighteen clones isolated from legume plants based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, used for identification of V1-V9 variable regions. The obtained Neighbor - Joining phylogenetic tree demonstrated high homology of the investigated clones with NCBI sequences, originated from genus Bacillus and Rhyzobium. Based on the genetic data, selected strains isolated from Ph. vulgaris were tested for their activity under field conditions in West Bulgaria. Indication for active N-fixation was demonstrated by significant elevation of the parameters root dry weight and number of nodules per plant. Additionally, the seed number and seed weight per plant were positively affected. The preliminary data obtained could be used as a prerequisite for future investigations, related to development of highly effective biofertilizers for common bean cultivation.
Keywords: 16S rRNA; common bean; nodulation; Phaseolus vulgaris; Rhizobium
Citation: Metodieva, Ts., Radkova, M., Stefanova, K. & Vаlchovski, H. (2026). Genetic identification and assessment of the beneficial effect of selected rhizobacteria on plant growth and yield of common bean under the field conditions of West Bulgaria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 32(1), 142–149
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| Date published: 2026-02-25
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