Isolation and identification of phosphate solubilizing bacteria able to enhance the growth and aloin-A biosynthesis of Aloe barbadensis Miller

The effect of four phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) was studied on growth and aloin-A content of Aloe barbadensis in soil containing tricalcium phosphate (TCP). PSB were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Pseudomonas synxantha, Burkholderia gladioli, Enterobacter hormaechei and Serratia marcescens. These PSB solubilized 25–340 μg ml−1 of TCP into the liquid phase. The treatment of plants with individual PSB or mixture of these increased soil available P, P uptake in plants and plant growth. The increase in aloin-A content due to higher plant biomass and unit biomass production was 673%, 294%, 276%, 119% and 108% in plants treated with a PSB consortium, P. synxantha, S. marcescens, B. gladioli, and E. hormaechei in TCP amended soil, respectively.