Potential of rhizobacterial consortium in increasing area and weight of mulberry leaves (Morus indica)

Mustaka Z, Patandjengi B, Alam G, Melina. 2022. Potential of rhizobacterial consortium in increasing area and weight of mulberry leaves (Morus indica). Biodiversitas 23: 1368-1373. Rhizobacteria are a group of bacteria that live saprophytically in the rhizosphere area. Some of them can act as plant growth promoters and as biocontrol agents against diseases to increase crop yields. This study was conducted to find potential of the rhizobacteria consortium in various treatments to increase the area and weight of mulberry (Morus indica L.) leaves. Results showed that the rhizobacteria consortium formulation had a significant effect on increasing leaf area and weight. The percentage increase in leaf area in the treatment using the MKR15 rhizobacteria consortium was better at 39.28% (2,800 mm2 ) when compared to the control MK0t (1,700 mm2 ), and the percentage increase in MKR15 leaf weight (74.80 g) was 54.54% higher compared to control MK0t (34 g). With these results, it is clear that the rhizobacteria consortium as PGPR affects plant growth and nutrition in a very specific way involving bacterial components that induce plant responses. Molecules of PGPR can affect plants in complex mechanisms, sometimes affecting plant growth and nutrition, and resistance simultaneously.