Bacteria diversity isolated from pine, agave and palm species in restoration process: an emerging technology for feedstock biofuel production

This project seeks to develop a microbial consortium of plant growth promoting bacteria in order to ensure the survival of these plant species in arid lands and soils poor in nutrients.  The first source of bacterial diversity was restoration process site. We established two experimental units with 4 different nutrient treatments, We used 6 seedling pine species  (Pinus ayacahuite, P. cembroides, P. rudis, P. montezumae, P. maximartinensis, P. hartwegii), one specie of agave (Agave atrovirens). We sampled bacterial diversity in treatments showed the best survival rate.  The second source of bacterial diversity was three collections of microorganism previously isolated from different pristine sources: pines forest, Chihuahua desert and agave’s land.  Each strain was screened for a) solubilization of phosphates in NBRIP media b) chitinase activity c) pectinase and d) cellulases were evaluated. The production of indoleacetic acid (AIA)  in the presence of tryptophan was performed by the colorimetric technique using Salkowski reagent.  At first source of microbial diversity 56 morphotypes were isolated, among which 26 were obtained with the capacity to solubilize phosphates, 5 strains with the ability to produce chitinase, two strains with the ability to degrade pectin (pectinase enzyme) and six strains with the ability to degrade cellulose (activity cellulase). Finally we could only select three strains had the ability to produce indole compounds. At second source we isolated 69 morphotypes, 39 from desert, 25 from agave land and 6 from pine forest.