RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to isolate Rhizobium spp., from the plant rhizosphere and to investigate their effects on the growth of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The isolates were characterized using YEMA, YEMA + Congo Red, and YEMA + Bromothymol blue (BTB) media. The Rhizobium was tested qualitatively for their ability to produce indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, proteases, nitrogenases as well as phosphate solubilizing activity. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to elucidate the effect of Rhizobium inoculation on Arachis hypogaea L. growth. RESULTS: Eleven isolates were obtained in YEMA media and they were red-pink in the YEMA + Congo Red media. The YEMA + BTB test showed that 2 isolates were slow-growing and the rest were fast-growing isolates. Seven isolates produced siderophores, 5 were capable of phosphate solubilizing, 9 isolates produced protease enzyme, 4 isolates could produce IAA, and 7 isolates could fix nitrogen. The B1 and the combination of some high trait-isolate treatments in Y gave the best results on Arachis hypogaea L. growth. CONCLUSION: These isolates can be developed as biological fertilizer agents for the peanut plant.
RESUMO
We conducted a prospective, inpatient fever study in malaria-endemic Papua, Indonesia to determine non-malaria fever etiologies. Investigations included malaria blood films, blood culture, paired serologic samples analysis for dengue, Japanese encephalitis, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, murine typhus, and spotted fever group rickettsia. During 1997-2000, 226 patients (127 males and 99 females) 1-80 years of age (median age = 25 years) were enrolled. Positive blood cultures (n = 34, 15%) were obtained for Salmonella Typhi (n = 13), Escherichia coli (n = 8), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 6), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 5), Streptococcus pyogenes (n = 1), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1). Twenty (8.8%) patients were positive for leptospirosis by polymerase chain reaction. Eighty (35.4%) of 226 patients had ≥ 1 positive serology, diagnostic for 15 rickettsial and 9 dengue cases. Acid-fast bacilli-positive sputum was obtained from three patients. Most common confirmed (81 of 226, 35.8%)/suspected diagnoses were typhoid fever (n = 41), pneumonia (n = 29), leptospirosis (n = 28), urinary tract infections (n = 20), rickettsioses (n = 19), dengue (n = 17), and meningitis/encephalitis (n = 15). There were 17 deaths, 7 (46.7%) were caused by meningitis/encephalitis. Multiple positive serologic results and few confirmed diagnoses indicate the need for improved diagnostics.
