Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Plant Growth promoting Rhizospheric Fungi from Solanum lycopersicum with Biofertilizer Potential
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Fungi are integral components of soil ecosystems, as they aid in the breakdown of organic matter, the cycling of nutrients and the promotion of plant growth. They play a key role in all processes crucial to sustainable agriculture. Fungi are important parts of soil ecosystems. In this study, rhizospheric fungi linked to tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) were isolated, characterized and their plant growth promoting characteristics were assessed. Twenty morphologically different fungus isolates were obtained from ten tomato crops. These isolates were tested for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, gibberellic acid (GA₃) production and phosphate solubilization activity. Three promising isolates (F1, F2 and F3) were chosen for molecular identification based on their functional performance. Genomic DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene was performed. BLAST and phylogenetic analyses identified the isolates as Aspergillus terreus (99.5%), Aspergillus nidulans or A. versicolor (99.7%) and Rhizopus arrhizus (100%). Quantitative estimation of IAA and GA₃ production showed statistically significant variation among isolates (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). Two isolates showed the sign of phosphate solubilization. The results demonstrate that tomato rhizosphere soils harbor diverse and functionally active fungi with potential application as biofertilizers, offering eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fertilizers in sustainable agriculture.
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7205009366