Semarang – Diponegoro University’s Biotechnology study program on Wednesday 11 November 2021 held a Visiting Professor event with the title “Plant Microbe Interactions: Application of PGPR in Thailand Agricultural Industries – From Lab to the Field”. This topic was brought directly by Assoc. Prof. Panlada Tittabutr, Ph.D who is a researcher and lecturer from the School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree university of Technology of Thailand.
Assoc. Prof. Panlada Tittabutr, Ph.D presented that Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are non-pathogenic bacteria associated with roots that can help to improve plant productivity. PGPR has many advantages, for example Enterobacter sp. and Bacillus sp. associated with plant roots can increase and optimize the absorption of potassium and sodium minerals from the soil. Good absorption of this mineral has a good impact on increasing plant productivity.
She continued that some PGPR bacteria such as Bacillus sp. can act as a biocontrol that prevents the growth of pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus niger on plants. Then also, the association of PGPR bacteria can increase the production of plant hormones such as auxin which plays an important role in plant growth.
Sha added that the high PGPR profits could be further applied to the agricultural and industrial sectors. In addition to being environmentally friendly, this PGPR application can also increase high productivity in plants so that it has a good impact on improving the economic income.
This event was moderated directly by Dr. rer. nat. Anto Budiharjo, M.Biotech, who is a lecturer in Biotechnology at Diponegoro University. This event lasted for 2 hours and was enthusiastically attended by more than 200 participants from various institutions until the end of the event.