Executive Summary : | Common bean, a popular legume for human nutrition and protein, is gaining popularity among Indian farmers due to its short lifespan and adaptability. However, declining production in Uttarakhand is hindering economic growth. A rhizobium-based biofertilizer can help boost the economy by forming symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants like common bean. This study aims to identify and characterize cold-adapted indigenous rhizobia that nodulate common bean plants in Uttarakhand, analyze their effects on growth, yield, and nutritional quality, and develop carrier-based bioformulation for field application. The study focuses on assessing the yield, morphological, and nutritional attributes of common bean crops using various methodologies. Morphological parameters, biochemical parameters, and the ability of isolates to fix nitrogen, phosphorus, and produce indole acetic acid will be assessed. Genetic characterization will be performed using the bromothymol blue reaction and staining method. DNA fingerprinting will be used to assess strain diversity and identify closely related isolates. RNA isolation and real-time PCR assays will be conducted to quantify the nifH gene expression. Comparative assessment of nifH gene expression between genotypes and the control will be performed. |