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"Bacteria are bad." Let's dive into the soil superhero Azotobacter chroococum.
I chose this bacteria because this small bacteria can do miracles for agriculture such as improving plant growth by fixing nitrogen which is a nutrient that is most commonly deficient in plants.
When grown on Jensen's agar plate, A. chroococcum is an off-white colour.
There are many species in the genus Azotobacter, and all species are found in soil and act as biofertilizers and are nitrogen-fixing bacteria. A.chroococcum is a dominant bacteria that is found in soils and helps promote plant growth.
Azotobacter is a genus of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and this genus does not form root nodules unlike other rhizobia. They are gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. A.chroococcum is free-living and aerobic. This bacterium fixes nitrogen non-symbiotically, and this species of Azotobacter is motile with peritrichous flagella.
Shows how A.chroococcum is a motile bacteria.
Azotobacter plays a role in nitrogen fixation by converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia in nitrogen-limited environments. After the bacterium dies, the nitrogen can be used by other plants and organisms. A. chroococcum also produces plant hormones like cytokinins and gibberellins that improve the plants growth.
A. chroococcum contributes to soil fertility and plant nutrition. The presence of this bacteria in soils increases the growth and germination of plant seedlings. Not only does A.chroococcum fix nitrogen but also inhibits the growth of plant pathogenic fungi. A. chroococcum also improves the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in seeds.
A diazotroph are bacteria that can take atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into ammonia so plants can utilize it. Since nitrogen is a limiting nutrient, nitrogen fixation by A.chroococcum is the natural solution for supplying nitrogen to plants. To maintain bioremediation processes, nitrogen needs to be available. When A.chroococcum assists in nitrogen fixation in nitrogen-limited environments, it plays a role in maintaining biogeochemical cycles and global ecosystem productivity.
Azotobacter chroococcum has shown to improve plant nutrition and improve soil fertility. This bacterium is effective in degrading lindane, but when lindane is at higher concentrations, the efficiency is reduced. A phosphate-solubilizing mycorrhizal fungi creates the best consortium with Azotobacter in enhancing plant growth attributes.
Azotobacter chroococcum faces challenges related to oxygen that affect its growth and nitrogen fixation process. High oxygen tensions inhibit or delay the growth of Azotobacter.
