SONAM YADAV AND BABITA KHOSLA*
Department of Environmental Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak-124 001 (Haryana), India
(e-mail : babitakhosla@gmail.com; Mobile : 9991222344)
(Received : June 9, 2020; Accepted : August 6, 2020)
ABSTRACT
Protein hydrolysate rich in amino acids content was prepared by microbial hydrolysis of poultry feathers to evaluate the biostimulant action (hormone like activity) by means of a coleoptile elongation rate laboratory assay on maize (Zea mays L.). After the incubation of maize coleoptiles in aqueous solutions of feather derived protein hydrolysate for 48 h, an increase in the elongation rate was recorded in a dose dependent fashion. There was 138 and 156% increase in coleoptiles tip at the concentration 0.2 and 0.4% v/v of feather derived protein hydrolysate, respectively, which were comparable to response of 1.75 mg/l inodole-3-acetic acid (IAA) as control treatment. Thus, the application of poultry feather derived protein hydrolysate containing amino acids and short peptides could be used as biostimulant to elicit a hormone like activity.
Key words : Protein hydrolysate, biostimulant, poultry feathers, Zea mays L.