Isolation of potash mobilizing microorganisms in tea soil and evaluation of their efficiency in potash nutrition in tea: a novel approach

Potassium (K) availability is a major problem in tea growing soils of Assam, North-east India. The present
investigation aims at the isolation of potash mobilizing microorganisms in the tea soil and evaluation of their
potential in increasing available potash under in vitro. Ten numbers of potash mobilizing bacteria (KMB) were
isolated from the experimental tea estate of Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI), using a serial dilution plate
method on modified GYCaA media. The isolates were characterized based on their cultural and morphological
characteristics. On screening the isolates, it was found that TKMB11 was significantly superior in mobilizing
soil K; followed by TKMB6, TKMB3 and TKMB8 in same order in efficiency. The present investigation indicates
that the application of KMB might serve as a cost-effective and alternate viable technology to mobilize insoluble
K-source in tea soil for sustainable crop improvement.