Pantoea Tagorei | Visva-Bharati discovers new bacteria, names it after Rabindranath Tagore

“This is a plant growth promoting bacteria which will prove to be a game-changer in agriculture. It has shown immense capability to boost the cultivation of paddy, pea and chilli,” microbiologist Bomba Dam said from Santiniketan in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.

A group of researchers from Visva-Bharati University's botany department have discovered a bacteria capable of boosting plant growth and named it 'Pantoea Tagorei' after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

The bacteria has immense potential to revolutionise agricultural practices, microbiologist Bomba Dam, assistant professor at the varsity’s botany department who led the research, told PTI.

"This is a plant growth promoting bacteria which will prove to be a game-changer in agriculture. It has shown immense capability to boost the cultivation of paddy, pea and chilli," Dam said from Santiniketan in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

Dam was assisted by research scholars Raju Biswas, Abhijit Mishra, Abhinav Chakraborty, Pooja Mukhopadhyay and Sandeep Ghosh.

Talking about the discovery, Dam referred to his team isolating the bacteria from the soil of Sonajhuri, an area in Santiniketan.

"We then discovered the bacteria in the coal mining belt of Jharkhand's Jharia," he said.

Elaborating the characteristics of the bacteria, Dam said, 'Pantoea Tagorei' efficiently extracts potassium from soil which enhances plant growth. Those found in the soil of Jharia coal mines solubilises potassium and phosphorus and fixes nitrogen which help promote plant growth. Our analysis showed that it was a new species and unique in its nature," said Dam.