New bacteria discovered

Bangladeshi scientist Harun-or-Rashid has discovered a new species of 'helpful bacteria' that helps in increasing yields by creating nodule at the root of lentil crops.

He says the bacteria can help in producing high-end bio-fertilisers.

Dr Rashid discovered the bacteria when researching in Germany on “Genetic diversity of rhizobia nodulating lentil (Lens culinaris) in Bangladesh”.

He found it on the lentil samples from Bangladesh.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, he said the bacteria belongs to the Rhizobium species.

His research has been recently published in the ‘Systematic and Applied Microbiology’ journal.

The International Committee of Bacterial Taxonomy has permitted him to name the new bacteria species.

Dr Rashid, a scientist with Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), said the new species is several times more beneficial to the crops compared to various types of bacteria found on the lentil roots in other countries.

“The bacteria found in Bangladeshi lentil crops can harness up to 95 percent nitrogen which is much higher than bacteria from other country,” he said.

The scientists said rhizobium bacteria mainly creates nodule in lentil roots from which the crops can take in nitrogen as an alternative to urea.

It also helps increase the production of the lentil crops.

Dr Rashid started working on the bacteria in 2009 by collecting samples from Germany, Turkey, Syria and Bangladesh that create nodule in lentil roots.

After various tests, including separating seven important genes from the bacteria and examining 450 gene sequence, he found he was looking at a new species of bacteria.

He said the 450 gene sequence are kept at the Gene Bank of National Center for Biotechnology Information in the US.