Characterization of Rhizobium and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria from French Bean Rhizosphere and Their Effect on French Bean Productivity

French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is used profusely by the common people as an alternative diet of protein. The sparse nodulation in French bean mainly may be due to lack of threshold level of specific rhizobial cells in soil at the time of sowing. The isolates streaked on YEMA with BTB changed to yellow color showing the production of acid which is the characteristic of Rhizobium. Utilization of different carbon sources is an efficient tool to characterize the isolates. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria is the beneficial rhizobacteria inoculation of which increases growth and yield of French bean through different direct and indirect mechanisms. Inoculation of French beans with rhizobial and rhizobacterial isolates found to be improved growth, physiological, quality parameters and grain yield through symbiotic N2-fixation capacity and plant growth promoting abilities. Co-inoculation of rhizobial and rhizobacterial isolates enhanced the growth and grain yield of French bean. These isolates may be used as consortium to improve the growth of French bean, which may reduce the dependency of farmer on chemical fertilizer as well as risk of pollution. In this chapter characterization of Rhizobium and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and their effect on plant growth has been reviewed.