Abstract
This study investigated the isolation and screening of soil microbial communities from the rhizosphere of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) for their siderophore production capabilities and evaluated their growth-promoting effects on cowpea. These siderophore-producing isolates were tested for their effects on cowpea growth, showing significant improvements in plant height, biomass, and chlorophyll content under iron-deficient conditions. The combination of siderophore-producing microbes with essential nutrients such as zinc, potassium, and phosphate led to the most notable results, including a 20% increase in plant height (up to 24 cm), a 40% increase in dry biomass (5.0 g), and higher chlorophyll content (SPAD reading of 17.0). Additionally, four of the siderophore-producing isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity, forming inhibition zones of up to 15 mm, suggesting a dual role in promoting plant health by enhancing nutrient uptake and suppressing pathogens. These findings highlight the potential of siderophore-producing microbes as effective bioinoculants to boost cowpea growth and resilience in nutrient-deficient and stressed environments. Further research, including field trials, is recommended to confirm their agricultural applicability.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 African Journal of Biomedical Research