1.1 Introduction
Bacteria able to colonize plant root systems and promote plant growth are referred to as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) (Kloepper and Schroth, 1978). PGPR can affect plant growth either indirectly or directly; indirect promotion of plant growth occurs when PGPR lessen or prevent the deleterious effects of one or more phytopathogenic organisms; while direct promotion of plant growth by PGPR involves either providing plants with a compound synthesized by the bacterium or facilitating the uptake of certain nutrients from the environment (Glick, 1995). Thus, in the broadest sense, PGPR include the N2-fixing rhizobacteria that colonize the rhizosphere, providing N to plants, including the rhizobia of the well-characterized legume-rhizobia symbiosis. Regardless of the mechanisms of plant growth promotion, PGPR must colonize the rhizosphere around the roots, the rhizoplane (root surface) or the root itself (within root tissues) (Glick, 1995).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
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